posting
04-26-2010, 02:43 PM
Jason here. Well they took mercy on us poor Council watchers last week, and deferred discussion on the ‘Battle for Barriefield’ and the 3rd Crossing. That was because most of the time was taken by a good discussion on the possibility of buying the S&R building for the administrative headquarters of the City. Lost on a tie 6/6. Councillor Hutchison (absent) has a lot to answer for although, in truth, it is not known how he would vote on this. Every member of Council indicated how they would vote and why. What is not known is the motivation for the vote. Maybe even the Councillors don’t know. I suggest that hatred of the downtown is one motivating factor from some west enders, In the ‘yes’ votes it was hard to disguise the delight at the possibility of saving one of Kingston’s most historic buildings. Money – the increase over allotted capital budget was $4.1 million, is a problem- or at least some said it was. Garrison claimed that this was another LVEC. Even those in favour of the project could not deny that the costs were likely to escalate as the project wore on. At a projected $195 per square foot this is the high end but much below the projected $390 per square foot for a new building at the corner of Brock and Ontario Sts. The ability to control this vulnerable corner motivated Councillor Glover, but S&R was his fall-back position. Voting for were Rosen, Foster, Gerretsen, Glover, Hector and Smith. Against were Garrison, McLeod- Kane, Osanic, Meers ,Schmolka and Matheson. The debate last night indicates that concern about preserving heritage buildings has taken a giant leap forward. One might almost call it ‘mainstream’. I guess that is why Garrison referred to the downtown as ‘ a glorified museum’. On the ‘no’ side, the point was made that Kingston seems to be ‘building crazy’. On the ‘yes’ side that using the S&R building for city administration plus the Provincial Offences Court would increase pedestrian traffic. The ‘governance’ headquarters of the City would remain at City Hall.
The outcome of the vote means, I think, that the Master Accommodation Plan will have to be readdressed . It may be that the timing is just bad – a lot of capital projects are on the books. It may be that Council does not want the city’s administrative HQ downtown, or, in fact, anywhere. Another Council will have to deal with this question. It will make for an excellent election question.
On the subject of the next municipal, provincial and federal elections, everyone is waiting for the incumbents to make their intentions known. Rosen, Gerretsen and Millilken are all seen as getting ready to leave their posts and ‘possibles’ are lining up, not wanting to challenge the incumbents. Oh Ye of little courage! Why one might have to have a platform to challenge incumbents. Can’t have that!
The outcome of the vote means, I think, that the Master Accommodation Plan will have to be readdressed . It may be that the timing is just bad – a lot of capital projects are on the books. It may be that Council does not want the city’s administrative HQ downtown, or, in fact, anywhere. Another Council will have to deal with this question. It will make for an excellent election question.
On the subject of the next municipal, provincial and federal elections, everyone is waiting for the incumbents to make their intentions known. Rosen, Gerretsen and Millilken are all seen as getting ready to leave their posts and ‘possibles’ are lining up, not wanting to challenge the incumbents. Oh Ye of little courage! Why one might have to have a platform to challenge incumbents. Can’t have that!