‘Zero action taken’
Dear Editor:
RE: ‘Arrogance of council,’ Feb. 15.
After reading this letter, I have to say that the writer is bang-on for what is happening in our town with the developments being pushed through.
At least the building at corner of St. Andrew Street East and Gowrie is providing at least one parking spot per unit, although still inadequate. The 350 St. Andrew Street residential building is providing 21 spots, for 36 residential units by manipulating the C1 zoning of the property. Is it only me that finds something dramatically wrong with this? Actually no, it’s the majority of business owners downtown and residents – but all that seems to have fallen on deaf ears at the council level.
We have a parking issue in Fergus; it has been brought up over and over again with nothing happening to solve the problem. So let’s just make it worse by approving buildings downtown that won’t have enough parking to support their residents – great idea. Lots of talk of a parking strategy, but zero action has been taken to improve the issue.
The minimum parking requirement for an apartment building is one per unit. The 350 St. Andrew St. building is residential regardless of how it is being pitched – 36 units, 36 minimum spots, not 21!
The developer suggests tenants won’t need cars. Really? That’s interesting. With the closest grocery store 1.3km away, are they walking back and forth to shop? All these tenants must have employment downtown as they won’t have cars to commute to work – not the case I’m willing to bet. Where do visitors park? Units that have multiple vehicles per unit, what happens there?
There is a three-hour parking limit on streets and municipal lots, with no overnight parking between Nov. 1 and March 31. So I again ask the developer, his planner and council to answer that question that has been asked of you many times with no intelligent responses.
When this building is full with tenants with vehicles that exceed the 21 spots, where are your tenants going to park with an extremely under-supplied amount of parking downtown ?
The burden is on the developer to provide adequate parking for his tenants, not the township and not businesses downtown.
Sean Mulligan,
Fergus
‘A heavy cost’
Dear Editor:
RE: Transportation issues, Feb. 22.
While I agree that public transportation would be welcomed from Fergus/Elora to destinations such as Guelph or Kitchener, this would come at a heavy cost.
According to the Ontario government, mileage reimbursement is currently calculated at $0.61/km. This is what is presumed to be the cost of operating a motor vehicle. A 30km trip would pay/cost $18. If you drive your own car, in reality it costs $18 to make that tripb (gas, insurance, wear and tear, etc.)
How much would residents really want to pay for a trip to Kitchener? One hundred per cent of the cost? Fifty per cent?
Because, if the rate residents are looking for is $3 (or so) it just can’t happen. If residents are willing to pay $18 or more depending on distance, then it might be possible, with enough ridership.
Paul Gooch,
Elora
‘Sluffing off’
Dear Editor:
RE: Local school boards change April PA day due to solar eclipse, Feb. 22.
So, the local school boards are moving their April 19 PA day to April 8, the day of the eclipse? The reason given is that they want children to stay home rather than be let out of school during the eclipse on the 8th.
They state: “The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority.”
If they are really so concerned with safety of the students and it really is their top priority, I would suggest they should keep their April 19 PA day and on the 8th not let children out at 3:30pm but keep them inside, occupied until the eclipse passes.
Wouldn’t that be a better approach than sluffing off the responsibility to thousands of families who will now have to make special arrangements for children who are not in school on the 8th?
Dushan Divjak,
Elora
‘Laughing stock’
Dear Editor:
It is interesting to see our famous Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promising Ukraine all this extra money to build up their economy and build museums, etc.
As a senior Canadian watching our federal government giving billions of our tax dollars away and building up a massive deficit to be burdened onto my grandchildren, I find it interesting that very little of this promised money will ever come to materialize.
Just ask the east coast, which was promised help to rebuild after a hurricane; or ask B.C., which was promised money to rebuild after massive floods. They are still waiting for that promised help to fully materialize.
So will Trudeau’s Ukraine promises ever occur? Not likely. After all, he promised more ammunition over 18 months ago for Ukraine and still we have not given the two manufacturers the go ahead to produce it yet.
This current Liberal government is full of unkept promises, and we have become the laughing stock of the world. But we got “sunny ways” – or do we??
Paul Roberts,
Fergus
‘Like a sunflower’
Dear Editor:
RE: Love in your life (Open Mind column), Feb. 15.
Almba Zalli’s column shook the creative roots in my tiny heart and led my wandering soul across the trite Valentine desert.
Her insight and evaluation of Plato’s vision of “their own worth” is accurate and necessary. In the garden of words, “amatonormativity” blooms like a sunflower in her column; that theme is one of borders, the ones consumer society builds and then limits the kindness outside the fences and “your connection to the world.”
She reminds the reader of our uniqueness and the miracle we are with two feet, two hands of our own, that has the ability to provide love in today’s desert. I appreciate your insights, humbled by your clarity to express them, and hope that you continue to see the Alba Zalli who shared her passion.
As an aside, my partner received a sump pump on Valentine’s Day. Did I cross the line?
Jacobus de Bock,
Alma
Democratic society?
Dear Editor:
For your readers who have not yet heard the news about a federal court action pursued by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (and several others) regarding the Emergencies Act; they may be interested to know that on Jan. 23, the federal court ruled that the Liberal government’s invocation of the act was an unjustified violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The citizens of Canada must ask themselves the question of whether or not we still have a democratic society?
Other victories for the Justice Centre include the defense of a nurse in Saskatchewan who expressed an opinion that the COVID-19 vaccine should not be mandatory (the charges from the province’s College of Nurses were dismissed).
The Justice Centre in Alberta is advocating for thousands of doctors, nurses, and other workers in British Columbia who were fired in 2021 for not taking the COVID vaccine and who would like to return to work.
The BC government still prevents some from returning to work despite severe under-staffing.
Pat Woode,
Fergus
‘You can do better’
Dear Editor:
I am new to Fergus, having purchased our “old” new house in early December. We are truly enamoured with Fergus and all it has to offer. In particular, we are big walkers, and soon to be cycling again. The surrounding network of trails is so appealing and lovely. If I don’t get out for a hike once per day, I just don’t feel quite right.
Lately, as the snow and ice have been melting, I am disappointed to observe that a great deal of those who walk with their furry family members are not treating the trails responsibly. There is a great deal of dog poop appearing – and fresh dumps pretty much every day.
I would expect more respect from the dog walkers and locals of their gorgeous trails. They really are a superb bonus to living in the surrounding area, but not when they are covered in dog poop.
Fergus residents, I am sure you can do better.
Virginia Gallop,
Fergus
‘Time for a change’
Dear Editor:
RE: Pierre’s gaffes, Feb. 15.
I found it rich of the writer to state Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre doesn’t understand the Constitution in regards to separation of power with provinces.
Our current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, for political purposes, is constantly stepping past provinces on a regular basis – and yes for political gains.
One example is his housing minister meeting with city mayors directly in provinces (not in Quebec of course as the premier there ensures he puts the feds in their place). The PM is constantly with mayors announcing housing deals.
Also, the Liberals are putting conditions on zoning, etc. for funding. That was the Conservative leader’s idea months ago, remember? Remove NIMBYisms and regulations at municipal levels and attach funding to those housing stipulations. Something our premier supports as well.
Trudeau accused the Conservative leader of picking fights with municipalities. Let’s not forget the PM’s take-it-or-leave-it approach on health care funding with the provinces – hardly collaborative.
Don’t get me wrong, we have dental and potentially soon drug coverage programs which eventually will be downloaded to provinces. We haven’t fixed the main program (ie. – health care system) and we are adding on. The Liberals are rich in their criticisms … time for a change in Ottawa.
Doak McCraney,
Guelph