Top 5 Stories for 2010

It’s that time of year again. Time to look back at the year that’s almost over and quantify which stories were more important than others. I know it sounds like I’m being sarcastic, but there is something to recommend taking a moment and seeing where we stand and backtracking just how we got to this point. So without further adieu, I offer, in my estimation, the five biggest news stories in Guelph in 2010.

5) The Garbage Fail Bids

If the new Organic Waste Processing Facility hadn’t already gotten enough confused and/or negative press, then the news that the City is going be trading plastic bags for plastic bins put it over the top. There was already a matter of uncertainty as to the numbers in the final bill for both the construction and operation of the OWPF, but the added expense of buying new bins and converting the City’s fleet of garbage trucks to service them, created a Red Alert level of rhetoric in this past fall’s Municipal Election. While legitimate questions remain, like how Waterloo will get its garbage processed for cheaper than we will, this is a provincial mandate, and ultimately a very sound, environmental direction. Still, a lot of people are against the move on the basis of storage, hygiene and transport of the bins, which are, ironically, a lot of the same reasons why people were against Wet/Dry when it was introduced a decade ago.

4) Reefer Madness

So for years, four shady characters in Downtown Guelph have been selling pot to anyone that needed it, and the Guelph Police finally arrested this gang back in May. The trouble was that the characters in questions were the owners and employees of the Medical Cannabis Club of Guelph, and the drug users they were selling to had subscriptions from their doctors. Basically, the Police busted the MCCG for operating “outside [the] guidelines and regulations” set by Health Canada for the sale of medicinal marijuana. But the biggest crime wasn’t the ever static grey area that seems to be our country’s legal policy about pot, but the fact that dozens of the MCCG’s customers, people suffering and in need of the relief marijuana provides, were left out in the cold as to where they could now secure their prescriptions. Some dubious questions still surround why the MCCG got a police smackdown, while the Club itself is in legal limbo till 2012. So much for Guelph’s reputation as a “caring community.”

3) Moan Temple Pilots

Speaking of which, there was the bizarre affair of the proposed Sikh temple in the south end. I say “bizarre” because despite a million reassurances from everyone short of the reincarnated soul of Sikh founder Guru Nanak Dev that the temple will have an occupancy of 400 people max, neighbours in the Claire and Victoria Roads area were still against it. There was some overt racism to accompany the impression of covert racism in the passionate, though half-hearted, arguments against, but it all came to naught anyway. The appeal by Westminster Woods Residents’ Association was withdrawn from the Ontario Municipal Board after members heard that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the appeal. Look for construction to begin on the temple next year.

2) Staffing Solutions Fail

While a lot of the 2010 budget negotiations fell in the waning days of 2009, the full effect fallout didn’t really hit until the new year was upon us. In the budget, it was passed that all City Staff had to take five unpaid days off in the calendar 2010 year. The hope was that the City and the unions could work out a scheme were the five days off could be spread out enough to avoid a state where the City would have to be closed for five days. This didn’t turn out to be the case. The so-called “Karen Days” (named for, and with exception by, Mayor Karen Farbridge) frustrated Guelphites, especially the skip weeks for garbage pick up and the no Sunday service for Guelph Transit in August. While many candidates in the election towed the “Never Again” mantra, we’ll have to see what happens during the 2011 budget deliberations next month.

1) Never Bet Against Karl Hungus

So despite all the rage – property tax rage, Karen Days rage, construction rage – only 33.9 per cent of the eligible electorate in the City of Guelph came out to vote in the Municipal Election. At election headquarters at City Hall, the votes were counted and the lights were off by 10:30. And in the end result, only two of the incumbents running again, Mike Salisbury and Vicki Beard, were voted out. The implication: we’re mad as hell, but what are you going to do? The aftermath, if you follow the comments in the blogosphere is renewed anger and low expectations for the new council. But really, what else is new, and who else is to blame?

Meds, Temple, & Trains

Get the Meds Out

If your reading this on Thursday (and why wouldn’t you? The new Echo comes out on Thursday and you’ve been dying to read it naturally), then you have two more days to get to your local pharmacy to safely dispose of your old medication thanks to Safe Communities on the Grand and the City of Guelph. “This medication clean-out event is intended to provide safe, convenient ways for people to get rid of old medications,” said a City press release. “It’s also intended to reduce environmental pollutants that result from society’s use of medications, trace amounts of which can end up in the world’s water supply.”

According the press release, residents can empty their old or unused pills from their containers and place them in a plastic bag, then empty the bag into disposal containers at one of the following pharmacies: Guelph Medical Pharmacy, Royal City Pharmacy IDA, Westmount Pharmacy, Prime Care Pharmacy, Campus Drugmart, Surrey Prescriptions, and the Shoppers Drugmart at Stone Road Mall. But remember to leave the packaging and all liquid medications at home, they are not accepted.

The City also wants to remind people that that they can safely dispose of prescription and over-the-counter medications free of charge at the City’s Household Hazardous Waste Depot, year round. The Depot is located at 110 Dunlop Drive and is open 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Staff says Temple’s a go

Just before press time came news that city staff had delivered their report on the zoning bylaw amendment that would allow a Sikh temple to be built on Claire Rd. (Readers might remember the hubbub made about the issue earlier this year). According to staff, the re-zoning is A-OK with a couple of amendments including the planting buffer trees along the west side of the property and ensuring parking lot lights are turned off overnight. Of the more contentious issues, like the size of the temple itself, looks to stay the same. The recommendation will be brought before council on June 7^th.

Do the Locomotion

Save the date - June 15th - if you want to see a big old steam-powered locomotive be hoisted by crane on to a flatbed truck and transported a few hundred metres away to its new resting place. "This week we’ll start building the new concrete pad and tracks," said Andrew Janes, Project Manager in a City press release last Thursday. "We’ll build a temporary bridge over the tracks, and move the train itself in June."

The relocation of locomotive 6167 is the first step in turning the stretch of Carden between the train station and the bus terminal into the new intermodal transit terminal. The next step, later this summer, will be the “removal” of the Greyhound station to make room for a new bus platform that will accommodate both Guelph Transit and regional bus services. The VIA rail station will then be renovated to house the administrative offices of VIA, Guelph and GO Transit. Construction on the $8 million facility is expected to be finished by March 2011.

There’s a new Transit Schedule

In case you haven’t noticed already, Guelph Transit is currently on a summer reduced-frequency schedule (and just in time for Environment Week). Buses are now running routes every half hour Monday through Sunday effective as of last Sunday. From the City of Guelph website: “Routes operating out of St. George’s Square arrive in the Square at 15 minutes to the hour and 15 minutes after the hour, Monday to Saturday from 5:45 a.m. to 12:15 a.m., and Sunday from 9:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.” The website also reminds everyone that there will be no buses brought to you at all on Sundays during the month of August. The regular schedule will become active again on September 5. For more details and new schedules and times go to the Guelph Transit website at guelphtransit.ca.

Death, Taxes and Temple

Farwell Bev

The City of Guelph lost a passionate and intrepid voice in local politics last week when Bev Izzillo-Ustation passed away after a lengthy fight against cancer at the age of 74. Before five gos at the Mayor’s chair and twice running for city council, Izzillo-Ustation as an advocate for the group Persons United for Self Help (PUSH), an organization that focused on taking down barriers and meeting the needs of those with visual and hidden disabilities. She pressed for accessibility in all areas of public space and was instrumental in improving access by pressing for curb cuts, automatic doors and ramps. To many Politicos though, Izzillo-Ustation was most known for her fiery, grassroots campaigning. She was usually the candidate for open and honest government and in what would be her last election, up against incumbents Kate Quarrie and Karen Farbridge, she enthusiastically declared that “It’s my turn now.” Bev Izzillo-Ustation is survived by four grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. As expressions of sympathy, donations to Marianne's Place and/or the Salvation Army would be appreciated.

Temple debate packs house

It was standing room only in the council chamber gallery last Monday as an update on the proposal for a Sikh temple to be built in the south end came back to city council. Mayor Karen Farbridge laid down the law up front that there would no tolerance for racially-charged language or outbursts from the floor. Over a dozen delegations got up to speak during the evening, many in support of the Sikhs and their efforts to get out of the old beer store on Stevenson, but there were several people speaking on behalf of the Westminster Woods neighbourhood and were opposed to the move. A few others said that they were open to the temple’s construction with concessions, and as the meeting ended there were words of support from other members of Guelph’s faith-based community. To get the full scoop, head over to Guelph Politico at http://www.guelphpolitico.blogspot.com

NDP enters the race

Although election talk has been on the QT lately, the local NDP has officially acclaimed a nominee to lead them to a possible Guelph victory in the next federal election. Last Thursday, at the CAW Hall on Silvercreek, Guelph NDP members voted for Bobbi Stewart to run as their nominee. Stewart brings with her a wealth of experience as a social worker, especially in 20 years of work for Family & Children’s Services of Guelph & Wellington County.

In a media statement, Stewart says that if elected she will continue to fight for the party’s core beliefs including medicare, labour and social justice. “We are the Party most in-tuned to the needs of average Canadians and we have bright, passionate leaders,” she said. “I agreed to seek this nomination because of my strong belief in our Party and to stand up against Harper’s arrogance, black and white thinking and the erosion of our democracy. I will also speak out against the Liberal corporate agenda as their approach will never solve our economic crisis,” she added.

Valeriote offers tax help

Need tax help? Well our local MP Frank Valeriote is happy to oblige with a series of free Tax Preparation Clinics host by the Community Volunteer Tax Program, in cooperation with the Canada Revenue Agency. The Holy Rosary Parish will host Drop-in sessions on March, 20, 23 and April 6. Another tax Drop-in clinic will take place at the Italian Canadian Club on March 16, while a session at Onward Willow – Better Beginnings will be taking appointments for its April 14 clinic. Recent immigrants to Canada, meanwhile, will be able to take part in special sessions at Immigrant Services – Guelph Wellington on March 12, 19, 23 and April 9 and 16. For more information you can contact Valeriote’s constituency office at (519) 837-8276 or valerf1@parl.gc.ca.

Temple Debate, Farbridge 3-Peat & Valeriote's Guests

Temple debate gets more heated

Even before the city council planning meeting this past Monday, the heat was already turned up on the proposed construction of a Sikh temple in the southend of the city. The proposal to develop a four acre site along Claire Rd between Victoria Rd and Tolton Dr has been highly controversial with neighbourhood residents due to potential increases in noise and traffic to the area, as well as the temple’s planned size and height. Initial community feedback at a meeting in December highlighted these concerns especially, but in that time a new element has emerged in the debate: The Race Card.

A website called Stop The Temple went online last month as a way for people against the construction of a Sikh temple to organize. However, if you go the site (found at http://stop-the-temple.info/) and register, it’s not just the power of community organizing you’ll be struck by. Charges of racism and, indeed, hate crimes have been levied against some of the people posting on Stop The Temple. Here’s a sample:

“So any middle eastern minority wants something, they’d better get it! If we oppose we are all racist, and discriminating! God forbid we offend these people. Last I checked, they are suicide bombers, child molesters, they kill their kids because they go out after dark, rapists, Con artists, Scammers. Sorry no offence I don’t want to take the risk of hundreds more moving to this community, and opening hundreds of corner stores, pizza pizza's and subways. Enough is enough. You have Brampton. Move there, stay there, and leave our city alone.”

And then there’s the next comment entitled “Next a mosque”

“First it’s a Sikh Temple. Next it will be a Mosque. Both are violent cults and next it will be a memorial to martyrs aka terrorists. We must stop this eastern influence.”

In 1964, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart tried to explain the definition of "hardcore" pornography and obscenity. I think his words, in relation to the two quotes above, should be considered in our discussion today about what racism is: "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced . . . [b]ut I know it when I see it…"

Head over to Guelph Politico at guelphpolitico.blogspot.com for an update on the debate.

Farbridge set to run for third term

Mayor Karen Farbridge announced to a small group of supporters and the media last Wednesday that she was indeed embarking on a bid to win the City’s top job for a third term. “I am excited at the opportunity to serve my community as mayor,” said Farbridge in a City press release. “Our city requires experienced leadership to meet the challenges that are ahead of us, build on successes, and continue the good work we have begun.” Farbridge was first elected as mayor in 2000, but lost to Kate Quarrie in her 2003 re-election bid by 4,000 votes. She then defeated Quarrie by over 5,000 votes in the 2006 election. The Municipal Election will take place on Monday October 25, 2010. To hear Farbridge’s announcement speech head over to Politico.

More Special Guests Courtesy of Valeriote

Our local MP Frank Valeriote has been going out of his way in the bringing of special guest to town in the last couple of weeks. First there was Liberal leader Michael “Iggy” Ignatieff and the week after that it was Justin “You Know My Name” Trudeau. Coming up on Saturday, Guelph will welcome MP for York West Judy Sgro for a townhall on seniors and veterans issues at the Evergreen Seniors Centre. Sgro is the former Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the current Liberal critic for Seniors and Pensions. She’ll be taking audience questions and discussing your concerns starting at 10 am. For more information, get in touch with Valeriote’s constituency office at 519-837-8276 or valerf1@parl.gc.ca