There's a lot of 'F' words in this municipal election, says Ward 11 candidate John Lindsay.
“Frustration, failure, fallacy, fabrication, fantasy, foolish, foolhardy, faith, folly and facts, some F words to describe our soon departing Sudbury city council after four years in office,” he writes.
Hope for a new direction in 2014 faded quickly when the new council approved Maley Drive, Lindsay writes, and then again when the new arena was approved for the Kingsway.
“Again, like Maley Drive, despite considerable public opposition, the city approved the Kingsway location which prompted zoning appeals to the new Local Appeals Planning Tribunal,” he writes.
“What also appeared somewhat foolish is the city providing valuable parking spaces on a lot in the downtown business district for the Place des Arts building when it might be better located in the arts district closer to the Sudbury Theatre Centre and arena.”
Full text of Lindsay's letter:
Frustration, Failure, Fallacy, Fabrication, Fantasy, Foolish, Foolhardy, Faith, Folly and Facts, some F words to describe our soon departing Sudbury City Council after Four years in office.
There was some faith that the election of a new council in 2014, except for two returning members, would provide positive new direction however this soon turned to frustration when all except one, voted for Maley Drive despite public concern, especially considering that approval was only for a portion of the route with no apparent consideration of where the money would come from for completion at likely three times what the current section has cost, and with no indication on when this will be undertaken and who will pay and when our present infrastructure and in particular roads are in desperate need of attention.
Also, approved by this council were more special “legacy” and supposedly ‘transformative” project wants and indeed some fabrication in the supposed need for a new downtown library, art gallery, a multi-use space and conference centre downtown. A new arena/event centre was to have been downtown until a private developer proposed the project be built on land he owned on the Kingsway for $60 million which soon became $100 million when the city became involved and would include a casino on the property plus other amenities. Again, like Maley Drive, despite considerable public opposition, the city approved the Kingsway location which prompted zoning appeals to the new Local Appeals Planning Tribunal (LPAT).
What also appeared somewhat foolish is the city providing valuable parking spaces on a lot in the downtown business district for the Place des Arts building when it might be better located In the “arts district” closer to the Sudbury Theatre Centre and Arena.
The recently named “Arts Junction” to include a new downtown library, art gallery and convention/auditorium complex will cost an estimated $125 million plus the $50 million value of the present area to be destroyed which has caused dismay to many who feel it is adequate as is the present library and art gallery, and we have enough other venues for conventions and performances. There exists the fallacy that these public projects will provide economic benefit when there are no facts to support these assumptions and the city was being foolhardy in spending money we don’t have or by going into debt.
What is truly frustrating is the failure of council to ignore our factual current economic situation which should require a more prudent and responsible approach to financial considerations. With no population or industrial growth predicted nor increase in our assessment base and uncertain provincial and federal funding many consider it irresponsible to spend on projects with little prospect of economic return or to endorse the folly of a casino which will take money out of the community.
These are some of the F words that could be used to describe the performance of our present council, there could be others less polite, however, let us only hope that the council to be elected on Oct. 22nd will be more in touch with reality and not become involved in more fantasy endeavours which we can ill afford and do not fundamentally need.
John Lindsay, councillor candidate – www.johnlindsay.ca 705-507-6037
