Jane Twinney, a politician with a notorious track record for pandering, has a motion on the May 30th Committee of the Whole meeting calling on the Town of Newmarket to consider banning driving schools from certain residential streets.
Why?
Has there been a rash of accidents related to G1 drivers practicing parallel parking?
Obviously not. In fact, learning to drive on residential streets is much safer, as the speed limits are lower and traffic flow is much less. Jane Twinney's motion only serves to make learning to drive less safe for teens.
Unfortunately, Jane Twinney has been influenced by some loud-mouthed resident who parks his car on the street and is disturbed that a driving school would use his vehicle as a pylon to teach a novice driver.
There isn't a residence in Newmarket that doesn't include parking. In fact, it's the law that parking must be provided.
Those who park on the street are using public property.
It always amazes me the number of people who feel they personally "own" the road in front of their homes. It's public property.
The Town of Newmarket has always been too willing accommodate those car owners who claim ownership of the street.
The reason we don't have more bike lanes, for example, is explained by the Town of Newmarket that they would remove on-the-street parking opportunities.
The reason we don't generate more user fees from parking meters is because we have politicians kow-towing to car owners.
The reason why the Town of Newmarket is considering paving over parkland at May 30th's Committee of the Whole meeting is to build an additional 33 parking spots.
The politicians will show up on May 30th to get their photo taken at "Bike to Work Day," but ultimately, they work for car owners.
If these politicians have their way, every square inch of Newmarket's green space will be paved over with asphalt, including the walking paths within our trail system, so as the accommodate the pickup trucks our Town employees drive.
All of this will happen as pandering politicians, like Jane Twinney, continue to suck up to people who unfairly demand that their car ownership gives them the right to dominate others, including bike lanes, parkland, and novice drivers.
Friday, 20 May 2016
Monday, 16 May 2016
Taylor/Van Bynen plan return to "glory days" of Ray Twinney corruption?
The Town of Newmarket Council has been dishonest about many things in the recent past. But if there is one issue that the Gruesome Twosome has been completely honest about, it's their plans supporting unbridled development in our town.
It always amazes me to talk to people who honestly believe that Mayor Van Bynen and Deputy Mayor Taylor give a rat's patootie about preserving our neighbourhoods - whether it be Glenway, Davis Drive,or Main Street.
Last week, the province of Ontario announced plans to increase intensification for Places to Grow communities from 40% to 60%. For many years, Newmarket's un-dynamic duo has been chirping loud and clear that they advocate for 100% intensification in Newmarket.
They are and have always been on the side of the developers.
But before we rush in an put a high rise condo tower on every street corner and pave over our parkland to create more parking lots (as is their plans in the River Walk Commons area), let's take heed of what the Mayor of Barrie, a community in the midst of intensive development, has recently reported. (You can read Jeff Lehman's comments here)
No doubt about it, intensification will lead to a higher cost of living in our town. Housing prices will rise. It will be more expensive to live in Newmarket if the Gruesome-Twosome succeed.
Clean water, wildlife and natural heritage are all under attack under the controversial Taylor/Van Bynen's plan.
They want to take away the power of the people to appeal to the OMB and instead make themselves the final arbiter of what gets built and where. Remember when former Mayor Ray Twinney was arrested on corruption charges? That's the era that Taylor and Van Bynen want to return to. Ah the glory days of council members accepting bribes from developers. Who doesn't want to return to that?
There is another path of course. We could demand sustainable development that respects our current neighbourhoods, preserves and actually builds more green space, and keeps home ownership more affordable. There is another way that ties new job growth to development.
Yet Van Bynen and Taylor believe that whatever works in Toronto will work in Newmarket. I think that's a false premise. Toronto can sustain the development because there are jobs in the city. Newmarket's housing will not be affordable because we don't have any economic growth here. Our residents must drive to Toronto for work. Bike lanes and bus rapid way systems that travel East-West across Davis Drive don't connect residents to local jobs.
And somehow the bike lane and Viva Davis Drive bus seem like the perfect illustrations of what's wrong with the flawed planning behind Taylor/ Van Bynen's unbridled growth strategy
It always amazes me to talk to people who honestly believe that Mayor Van Bynen and Deputy Mayor Taylor give a rat's patootie about preserving our neighbourhoods - whether it be Glenway, Davis Drive,or Main Street.
Last week, the province of Ontario announced plans to increase intensification for Places to Grow communities from 40% to 60%. For many years, Newmarket's un-dynamic duo has been chirping loud and clear that they advocate for 100% intensification in Newmarket.
They are and have always been on the side of the developers.
But before we rush in an put a high rise condo tower on every street corner and pave over our parkland to create more parking lots (as is their plans in the River Walk Commons area), let's take heed of what the Mayor of Barrie, a community in the midst of intensive development, has recently reported. (You can read Jeff Lehman's comments here)
No doubt about it, intensification will lead to a higher cost of living in our town. Housing prices will rise. It will be more expensive to live in Newmarket if the Gruesome-Twosome succeed.
Clean water, wildlife and natural heritage are all under attack under the controversial Taylor/Van Bynen's plan.
They want to take away the power of the people to appeal to the OMB and instead make themselves the final arbiter of what gets built and where. Remember when former Mayor Ray Twinney was arrested on corruption charges? That's the era that Taylor and Van Bynen want to return to. Ah the glory days of council members accepting bribes from developers. Who doesn't want to return to that?
There is another path of course. We could demand sustainable development that respects our current neighbourhoods, preserves and actually builds more green space, and keeps home ownership more affordable. There is another way that ties new job growth to development.
Yet Van Bynen and Taylor believe that whatever works in Toronto will work in Newmarket. I think that's a false premise. Toronto can sustain the development because there are jobs in the city. Newmarket's housing will not be affordable because we don't have any economic growth here. Our residents must drive to Toronto for work. Bike lanes and bus rapid way systems that travel East-West across Davis Drive don't connect residents to local jobs.
And somehow the bike lane and Viva Davis Drive bus seem like the perfect illustrations of what's wrong with the flawed planning behind Taylor/ Van Bynen's unbridled growth strategy
Tuesday, 3 May 2016
Making Rental Happen in the Town of Newmarket
Over recent years, people engaged in social media noticed a trend from certain Newmarket politicians to hashtag "Make Rental Happen" after their posts.
Newmarket Council was seemingly engaged in advocating for more rental opportunities in our community.
After all, we know that our region has the lowest percentage of rental dwellings in the Greater Toronto Area. 11.5% of York Region households are rentals, as opposed to 28.4% in the GTA.
In 2012, there were just 33 new rental units completed in York Region.
To say that renters can go live "someplace else" isn't a solution. Newmarket businesses need employees and customers to fuel economic growth.
So the solution is simple. Newmarket Council has to (hashtag) "Make Rental Happen."
Along comes the Clock Tower proposed development, which plans to construct 165 rental units on Main Street. It's important to note that Main Street has received significant investment of Town of Newmarket resources - time, money, manpower - over a 30-year period.
Council has an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. It can "make rental happen" and it can inject a significant amount of potential new customers into a shopping district that needs the economic boost.
What does our Newmarket Council do when faced with a Win-Win situation?
Lead by the controversial Regional Councillor John Taylor, Council decides to do everything it can to ensure this project fails.
I invite you to read John Taylor's blog (Really I do - because taxpayers like you and me apparently paid John Taylor via his council expense account almost $2,000 to post his opinions on line). You can click here to see what your tax dollars paid for.
I think the lesson in all of this is that residents expect a heck of a lot more from our elected officials to (hashtag) "Make Rental Happen" than a tweet, Facebook post or a vacuous resolution.
Yet when it comes to making those tough decisions, our Council, lead by John Taylor, would rather prevaricate and pander.
That's not leadership.
Newmarket Council was seemingly engaged in advocating for more rental opportunities in our community.
After all, we know that our region has the lowest percentage of rental dwellings in the Greater Toronto Area. 11.5% of York Region households are rentals, as opposed to 28.4% in the GTA.
In 2012, there were just 33 new rental units completed in York Region.
To say that renters can go live "someplace else" isn't a solution. Newmarket businesses need employees and customers to fuel economic growth.
So the solution is simple. Newmarket Council has to (hashtag) "Make Rental Happen."
Along comes the Clock Tower proposed development, which plans to construct 165 rental units on Main Street. It's important to note that Main Street has received significant investment of Town of Newmarket resources - time, money, manpower - over a 30-year period.
Council has an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. It can "make rental happen" and it can inject a significant amount of potential new customers into a shopping district that needs the economic boost.
What does our Newmarket Council do when faced with a Win-Win situation?
Lead by the controversial Regional Councillor John Taylor, Council decides to do everything it can to ensure this project fails.
I invite you to read John Taylor's blog (Really I do - because taxpayers like you and me apparently paid John Taylor via his council expense account almost $2,000 to post his opinions on line). You can click here to see what your tax dollars paid for.
I think the lesson in all of this is that residents expect a heck of a lot more from our elected officials to (hashtag) "Make Rental Happen" than a tweet, Facebook post or a vacuous resolution.
Yet when it comes to making those tough decisions, our Council, lead by John Taylor, would rather prevaricate and pander.
That's not leadership.
Saturday, 23 April 2016
Newmarket Council Prefers the View from Outer Space
Construction has barely begun on the Yonge Viva bus lanes and already we are seeing the same sort of nonsense that plagued a similar project on Davis Drive for many years.
Coordination and planning are really impossible tasks for York Region and the Town of Newmarket.
It seems that the people in charge couldn't manage to plan for a one-car parade.
Yonge Street is very likely the busiest street in Newmarket. It's important to keep all traffic flowing in both directions during the period of construction.
But already we've seen examples where traffic is being blocked on both sides of the street for days at a time.
I am not talking about vehicle traffic, although there have been single lane closures that have snarled traffic too.
I am talking about pedestrian traffic.
The other day, I had an occasion to walk a significant stretch of Yonge Street. Between Mulock and Eagle, the sidewalks on both the east and west sides were either closed with a sign, or blocked by trucks and heavy machinery.
There is no way for a pedestrian to get by.
On Monday, Newmarket Council will vote to adopt David Suzuki's Blue Dot resolution, and our Council members will pat themselves on the back about how much "work" they've accomplished to achieve a greener planet.
"Blue Dot" refers to what planet Earth looks like from outer space.
It's a good metaphor for our Newmarket Council. They prefer to talk about things like "global warming" and "CO2 emissions"- which are frankly beyond the municipality's reach.
Yet on local issues, like pedestrian safety concerns, you can't find a single accomplishment that you could attribute to them.
Time and again, our Newmarket councillors vote against a new sidewalk, or in support of paving over parkland in favour of creating more parking spaces.
They keep their focus on the blue dot view from outer space as opposed to real action they can take right here, right now.
Coordination and planning are really impossible tasks for York Region and the Town of Newmarket.
It seems that the people in charge couldn't manage to plan for a one-car parade.
Yonge Street is very likely the busiest street in Newmarket. It's important to keep all traffic flowing in both directions during the period of construction.
But already we've seen examples where traffic is being blocked on both sides of the street for days at a time.
I am not talking about vehicle traffic, although there have been single lane closures that have snarled traffic too.
I am talking about pedestrian traffic.
The other day, I had an occasion to walk a significant stretch of Yonge Street. Between Mulock and Eagle, the sidewalks on both the east and west sides were either closed with a sign, or blocked by trucks and heavy machinery.
There is no way for a pedestrian to get by.
On Monday, Newmarket Council will vote to adopt David Suzuki's Blue Dot resolution, and our Council members will pat themselves on the back about how much "work" they've accomplished to achieve a greener planet.
"Blue Dot" refers to what planet Earth looks like from outer space.
It's a good metaphor for our Newmarket Council. They prefer to talk about things like "global warming" and "CO2 emissions"- which are frankly beyond the municipality's reach.
Yet on local issues, like pedestrian safety concerns, you can't find a single accomplishment that you could attribute to them.
Time and again, our Newmarket councillors vote against a new sidewalk, or in support of paving over parkland in favour of creating more parking spaces.
They keep their focus on the blue dot view from outer space as opposed to real action they can take right here, right now.
Monday, 18 April 2016
Gruesome-Twosome Tag Team Wrestling Takes Over Newmarket Council
A number of concerned citizens approached Newmarket Council today to be heard on a variety of issues including:
- exorbitant development charges
- lack of action on electing a York Region Chair
- a vacuous resolution on OMB reform
- recommending a lobbyist registry
- Main St. BIA
The amount of venom being spewed by council members in response to polite, well spoken, citizens was jarring. Perhaps the lowest point was when Councillor Sponga accused the President of the Main St BIA of lying. (But maybe lower than that, was while this was going on, none of his Council colleagues objected to Joe Sponga's accusation with a point of privilege).
When a Mayor and Council feels it must go to war against every member of the public that speaks at a Council meeting, then we know it's time for a change in Newmarket.
The Mayor and members of the Newmarket Council owe the public a huge apology for acting in such an ill mannered way at today's meeting.
And the Mayor and members of Council need to reflect on why they are so aggressive towards the public they are supposed to be accountable to.
Saturday, 16 April 2016
Stronach bagman Hinder refused seat on York Regional Police Services Board but 'Glenway/Slessor Square' Brad Rogers is chosen
Remember when Christina Bisanz talked about laying down in front of bulldozers to stop the Glenway development?
Well it better not come that, because one of the newly appointed members of the York Regional Police Services Board is Brad Rogers of Groundswell Urban Planners Inc. His company is behind such controversial Town of Newmarket developments as Glenway and Slessor Square. His influence within the York Regional Police could spell trouble for any potential protests against his upcoming projects from local residents.
And while these appointees are officially "provincial appointments" there can be no doubt to residents how close Brad Rogers is with the municipal level politicians at York Region Council. As Groundswell Urban Planners Inc is primarily focused on Newmarket and Georgina, it's safe to say that Newmarket Mayor Tony Van Bynen and Regional Councillor John Taylor were both consulted and signed off on his appointment.
With Brad Rogers' new appointment, the curtain has been pulled back to reveal how tight the Mayor and Regional Councillor are with developers - especially those associated with the Glenway and Slessor Square mega projects.
Noticing that Ward 7 Councillor Christina Bisanz is in every photo-op with Mayor Van Bynen these days. it is hard to imagine that she didn't know about this controversial appointment beforehand too. This certainly wouldn't be the first time that she betrayed her election promises to Glenway residents in favour of developer interests.
The second newly appointed member, Khalid Usman, is probably best known for being the Treasurer of the the Frank Scarpitti Foundation. Seeing as Frank Scarpitti is the Chair of the York Regional Police Services Board, it isn't hard to see who influenced Mr. Usman's "provincial appointment."
Overseeing the York Regional Police annual budget makes the Police Services Board one of the most influential groups in local politics. The other citizen members of the Board include long term member and former Town of Newmarket Fire Chief John Molyneaux and failed Liberal candidate Bang-Gu Jiang of Markham. The politicians on the Board include Chair Frank Scarpitti, Deputy Chair Virginia Hackson, and York Regional Chair Wayne Emerson.
Most notably absent from the list is Steve Hinder, who our sources say campaigned quite openly for the appointment but was rejected. Hinder is known locally as being the bagman for Frank and Belinda Stronach, directing campaign donations to certain municipal council incumbents. He would be seen as someone who politicians might owe favours to, but he failed to get the support when it counted.
Note that Steve Hinder delivered fat campaign donations from the Stronachs and/or Magna to only four Newmarket politicians, including Van Bynen, Taylor, and Bisanz. The fact that these three politicians refused to back Hinder must really sting his ego.
Reasons as to why Mr. Hinder was denied an appointed are not made public but I'd like to think that this blog may have had some influence: (Click here)
Well it better not come that, because one of the newly appointed members of the York Regional Police Services Board is Brad Rogers of Groundswell Urban Planners Inc. His company is behind such controversial Town of Newmarket developments as Glenway and Slessor Square. His influence within the York Regional Police could spell trouble for any potential protests against his upcoming projects from local residents.
And while these appointees are officially "provincial appointments" there can be no doubt to residents how close Brad Rogers is with the municipal level politicians at York Region Council. As Groundswell Urban Planners Inc is primarily focused on Newmarket and Georgina, it's safe to say that Newmarket Mayor Tony Van Bynen and Regional Councillor John Taylor were both consulted and signed off on his appointment.
With Brad Rogers' new appointment, the curtain has been pulled back to reveal how tight the Mayor and Regional Councillor are with developers - especially those associated with the Glenway and Slessor Square mega projects.
Noticing that Ward 7 Councillor Christina Bisanz is in every photo-op with Mayor Van Bynen these days. it is hard to imagine that she didn't know about this controversial appointment beforehand too. This certainly wouldn't be the first time that she betrayed her election promises to Glenway residents in favour of developer interests.
The second newly appointed member, Khalid Usman, is probably best known for being the Treasurer of the the Frank Scarpitti Foundation. Seeing as Frank Scarpitti is the Chair of the York Regional Police Services Board, it isn't hard to see who influenced Mr. Usman's "provincial appointment."
Overseeing the York Regional Police annual budget makes the Police Services Board one of the most influential groups in local politics. The other citizen members of the Board include long term member and former Town of Newmarket Fire Chief John Molyneaux and failed Liberal candidate Bang-Gu Jiang of Markham. The politicians on the Board include Chair Frank Scarpitti, Deputy Chair Virginia Hackson, and York Regional Chair Wayne Emerson.
Most notably absent from the list is Steve Hinder, who our sources say campaigned quite openly for the appointment but was rejected. Hinder is known locally as being the bagman for Frank and Belinda Stronach, directing campaign donations to certain municipal council incumbents. He would be seen as someone who politicians might owe favours to, but he failed to get the support when it counted.
Note that Steve Hinder delivered fat campaign donations from the Stronachs and/or Magna to only four Newmarket politicians, including Van Bynen, Taylor, and Bisanz. The fact that these three politicians refused to back Hinder must really sting his ego.
Reasons as to why Mr. Hinder was denied an appointed are not made public but I'd like to think that this blog may have had some influence: (Click here)
Thursday, 14 April 2016
Vice Chair of the "Stink Letter" Newmarket Library is the Executive Director of Local Homeless Shelter
I want to send out a note of support to the employees of the Newmarket Public Library who are merely trying to do their jobs as best they can.
I couldn't imagine how embarrassing it would be to have someone approach you with a letter informing you that other people are complaining about your body odor. But I have to empathize that it must be equally awkward for the individual who is required to deliver that message too.
Don't blame these library employees folks. Instead, let's turn our attention on the policymakers for the Newmarket Public Library. The Newmarket Public Library Board has been mostly silent while employees are being vilified in the media, with the CEO stating he would be taking a "hiatus" from Twitter.
The Newmarket that I know is a great community. Our local churches engage in helping the less fortunate. Citizens come out in droves to fund raise for Syrian refugees or Belinda's Place homeless shelter. What a slap in the face it is for all the dedicated volunteers who work with the less fortunate and those who donate money to this cause to see our local government enforce such a socially offensive "stink" policy at one of our public buildings.
So who is behind this policy?
Tom Vegh - Ward 1 Councillor, Vice Chair of the Newmarket Library Board, and Executive Director of the Inn From the Cold homeless shelter.
Kelly Broome Plumley - Ward 6 Councillor and a former recipient of the Neighborhood Network's Character Community Award. She is also a member of the Newmarket Library Board.
Joe Sponga - Represents the ward in which the Newmarket Public Library is situated and also sits on the Newmarket Library Board. In 2014, Joe Sponga contemplated running for the NDP in Newmarket Aurora.
Knowing the people behind the "stink" controversy at the Newmarket Public Library reminds me of the Valley of the Hypocrites in Dante's Inferno. These damned souls were condemned to wear beautiful, dazzling coats that were lined with lead which weighed them down and prevented them from spiritually progressing.
Isn't that an appropriate metaphor for our Council members who rush in for every photo opp to appear to be doing great things in our community? But behind the scenes and away from the camera flashes, they are ordering Newmarket employees to hand out "stink" notices to humiliate those very same people they are supposedly helping.
And just like a coat of lead, such action really does prevent our local government from having a real effect on helping the people in need.
I couldn't imagine how embarrassing it would be to have someone approach you with a letter informing you that other people are complaining about your body odor. But I have to empathize that it must be equally awkward for the individual who is required to deliver that message too.
Don't blame these library employees folks. Instead, let's turn our attention on the policymakers for the Newmarket Public Library. The Newmarket Public Library Board has been mostly silent while employees are being vilified in the media, with the CEO stating he would be taking a "hiatus" from Twitter.
The Newmarket that I know is a great community. Our local churches engage in helping the less fortunate. Citizens come out in droves to fund raise for Syrian refugees or Belinda's Place homeless shelter. What a slap in the face it is for all the dedicated volunteers who work with the less fortunate and those who donate money to this cause to see our local government enforce such a socially offensive "stink" policy at one of our public buildings.
So who is behind this policy?
Tom Vegh - Ward 1 Councillor, Vice Chair of the Newmarket Library Board, and Executive Director of the Inn From the Cold homeless shelter.
Kelly Broome Plumley - Ward 6 Councillor and a former recipient of the Neighborhood Network's Character Community Award. She is also a member of the Newmarket Library Board.
Joe Sponga - Represents the ward in which the Newmarket Public Library is situated and also sits on the Newmarket Library Board. In 2014, Joe Sponga contemplated running for the NDP in Newmarket Aurora.
Knowing the people behind the "stink" controversy at the Newmarket Public Library reminds me of the Valley of the Hypocrites in Dante's Inferno. These damned souls were condemned to wear beautiful, dazzling coats that were lined with lead which weighed them down and prevented them from spiritually progressing.
Isn't that an appropriate metaphor for our Council members who rush in for every photo opp to appear to be doing great things in our community? But behind the scenes and away from the camera flashes, they are ordering Newmarket employees to hand out "stink" notices to humiliate those very same people they are supposedly helping.
And just like a coat of lead, such action really does prevent our local government from having a real effect on helping the people in need.
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