keoadmin
09-20-2005, 10:02 PM
Apparently all the stop-progress/anti-everything groups are getting together in one big bunch to launch a takeover of the city council agenda. Call them by their new name * Kingston Association of Electoral Districts * or call them by any number of individual titles * Sydenham Ward Tenants and Ratepayers’ Association, Kingstonians Concerned About LVEC, Citizens for Responsible Development Kingston, Valley Lands Group * it would be pretty hard to find any initiative many of the same folks haven’t objected to since practically the days of Sir John A. Now they are banding together under what amounts to a big lobby umbrella because they feel council isn’t listening to their concerns.
Well finally, finally, after 200 years, Kingston has a council that doesn’t let neighbourhood lobby groups run the city. I for one agree with the mayor’s comments in the media earlier this week. Just because council doesn’t bend to the whims of a few doesn’t mean council isn’t listening to the public. In fact, the current council has spent so much time listening and consulting and gathering input on issues like LVEC and the multiplex arena it’ll be a miracle if the arenas ever get built. Citizens have been consulted practically to death. Citizen advisory groups. Citizen steering committees. Planning meetings, statutory and not. Business plan meetings. Council meetings. Task force consultations. Stop-the-arena meetings. Phone-ins, write-ins, email, surveys, petitions, websites. You name a possible public debate forum and Kingston’s probably got two.
According to the media, Kingston Association of Electoral Districts would have us believe that we need protection from the “irreversible damage” being perpetrated by council. Let’s look at the legacy of “irreversible damage” this council is reversing:
• Sewer pipes that deteriorated to the point that millions of litres of untreated human waste is flowing into the nation’s water supply
• Thousands of highly educated and highly skilled Queen’s and St. Lawrence graduates leaving Kingston because they can’t find a job.
• A local economy that is in the toilet.
• A shortage of swimming pools, arenas and parks for our children.
Irreversible damage is when the oldest farmer’s market in Canada and one of the city’s premiere tourist attractions deteriorates to the point that citizens have to beg for donations and sell naming rights to make it look decent.
And irreversible damage is when developers in our community waste millions of dollars on project approvals only to have neighbourhood lobby groups pressure council to overturn their projects.
The very last thing Kingston needs is a bigger and better neighbourhood-focused lobby group. We need jobs, an economy, infrastructure and progress. We don’t need more stalling. If the Kingston Association of Electoral Districts wants to drive the council agenda, let the members stand for election next November.
-- I.M.Pertinent
Well finally, finally, after 200 years, Kingston has a council that doesn’t let neighbourhood lobby groups run the city. I for one agree with the mayor’s comments in the media earlier this week. Just because council doesn’t bend to the whims of a few doesn’t mean council isn’t listening to the public. In fact, the current council has spent so much time listening and consulting and gathering input on issues like LVEC and the multiplex arena it’ll be a miracle if the arenas ever get built. Citizens have been consulted practically to death. Citizen advisory groups. Citizen steering committees. Planning meetings, statutory and not. Business plan meetings. Council meetings. Task force consultations. Stop-the-arena meetings. Phone-ins, write-ins, email, surveys, petitions, websites. You name a possible public debate forum and Kingston’s probably got two.
According to the media, Kingston Association of Electoral Districts would have us believe that we need protection from the “irreversible damage” being perpetrated by council. Let’s look at the legacy of “irreversible damage” this council is reversing:
• Sewer pipes that deteriorated to the point that millions of litres of untreated human waste is flowing into the nation’s water supply
• Thousands of highly educated and highly skilled Queen’s and St. Lawrence graduates leaving Kingston because they can’t find a job.
• A local economy that is in the toilet.
• A shortage of swimming pools, arenas and parks for our children.
Irreversible damage is when the oldest farmer’s market in Canada and one of the city’s premiere tourist attractions deteriorates to the point that citizens have to beg for donations and sell naming rights to make it look decent.
And irreversible damage is when developers in our community waste millions of dollars on project approvals only to have neighbourhood lobby groups pressure council to overturn their projects.
The very last thing Kingston needs is a bigger and better neighbourhood-focused lobby group. We need jobs, an economy, infrastructure and progress. We don’t need more stalling. If the Kingston Association of Electoral Districts wants to drive the council agenda, let the members stand for election next November.
-- I.M.Pertinent