Survey poor use of taxpayer dollars
Dear Editor:
As one of the 260 online respondents to the recent Wellington North Resident’s Satisfaction Survey, I was quite disappointed to read in the most recent issue of the Community News that the results of the on-line survey were essentially dismissed, and that I had evidently wasted my time by participating.
According to the survey firm (Deloitte) the telephone responses of 100 residents bear more legitimacy, especially if those respondents chose to deliver a more “positive” message to our council.
This is the worst kind of cherry picking and seems intended simply to serve as a feel good “check the box for public consultation” exercise.
I would suggest that if, as the article indicated, Deloitte could not place credence in the results of their own online survey then they have done a poor job performing it.
It calls into question the purpose of conducting an on-line survey at all.
As someone who approached this as a good-faith participant in the on-line survey (I was initially pleased to be invited to share my views) I now believe that portion of the exercise used a questionable methodology, delivered no value, and was a poor use of our tax dollars.
Steve Bowley
Wellington North
‘Laughable letter’
Dear Editor:
RE: Just like Trump? (April 27).
I enjoy reading most of your letters to the editor, but rarely write one myself.
However, I could not pass on the opportunity to respond to a truly laughable letter from our friend from California, Jim Trautman, who obviously is quite knowledgeable about Canadian politics.
He warns all Canadians to not vote in the next election for that evil Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Well Jim, who would you advise us to vote for? Oh, I know, that lovable scandal-ridden, ethically challenged scamp Justin Trudeau and his coalition socialist sidekick Jagmeet Singh.
Rather than boring us with your fake news, you might want to concentrate on the state of affairs in your own backyard, under the great leadership of your genius governor, Gavin Newsom.
Under his watch people are leaving the state in droves due to high crime, excessive taxation, job-killing regulations, and urban decay (been to San Francisco lately?).
It’s too bad in the recall election in your state that the voters didn’t elect Larry Elder, a man of integrity, honesty and common sense. Perhaps, then your state may have had a chance for recovery.
Rob Walker,
Minto
‘Don’t shoehorn’ it
Dear Editor:
In regards to the Centre Wellington meeting, where a developer requested a variance to build a five-storey apartment building at the corner of St. Andrew and Gowrie streets in Fergus.
The issues for the local resident/neighbours is the meeting had some nice presentations, and some garbled ramblings I’m not sure made any point whatsoever.
The people in favour of the thing were people looking for places to rent, not those neighbours whose current “small historic town feel”, lifestyle and property value will be negatively impacted by it. I’m one of the negatively affected, along with approximately 30 or 40 others that own residences within 70 or 100 meters. I have spoken with many of them; not a single one is in favour.
The “shell game” with the lack of parking is apparent. These nine spots at the other buildings Gillis owns are currently full most days of the week.
This is not a “good will” exercise to provide affordable rental units. This is an exercise in maximizing return of investment for a building; otherwise, build the allowable three-storey unit which will have more parking per unit.
Tell the four or five adjacent heritage properties on St. Andrew Street’s north side, whose back yards will be shaded out by this building from noon to dusk every day, that there’s low impact.
As for sight lines, the balconies on the currently not permitted fourth and fifth floors will be able to see right into my yard southwest of the building, destroying the privacy that was a big reason we purchased this property in the first place. NIMBY is right in this case! Put these tall buildings in neighborhoods where the space is designed for them.
To those looking for apartment rentals, go support the 100-unit apartment proposal near Zehrs in south Fergus. Furthermore, demand more apartments be built in each new subdivision, instead of the 800-plus single family/townhouse style units planned on the outskirts of Fergus and Elora for the next year or so.
I might add that most of these new developments are on farmland, so don’t play the “build up in town to save farmland” argument.
Please don’t shoehorn a building that doesn’t belong in our historic zone, and doesn’t fit the current bylaw rules.
Mike Baker and family,
Fergus
Rental housing needed
Dear Editor:
An open letter to Centre Wellington council.
Thanks to the wonders of technology I was able to attend the public meeting to consider the two rental projects being considered in Fergus and Elora from Vancouver Island. Thanks to Pierre Chauvin for explaining the scope of the projects and to the concerned citizens taking part.
I was extremely upset, angry and hurt following the meeting that my community was not ready to embrace housing for people versus the worship of the gas fired engine and the heritage of the past. One of the presenters referred to “the magic of Elora.” Sadly there are several pressing realities in 2023. Our community has been designated to grow and there is urgency around planning for the costs of climate change. We need rental housing stock in our communities.
This spring, due to aging issues, we have made the decision to leave our beloved home of 50 years for a move to Fergus or Elora. This was also prompted by a medical reality that I am at risk of impaired sight which has the potential to affect my driver’s license.
All of a sudden my reality has changed dramatically. I need a walkable, safe community where I am able to access services, medical care, pharmacy, food, social amenities, library, spiritual community and, maybe most importantly, a place to connect to the natural world by walking, biking or inexpensive taxi service.
To my dismay there is virtually no housing stock to match that criteria. Then I attend a public meeting and two projects would check many of these boxes. But what I heard was largely opposition, with the exception of two speakers.
The opponents to these projects are concerned about height of buildings in heritage districts, and parking. The request for four storeys is to make provision of elevators economically feasible to provide accessible living spaces. Folks, I can not carry groceries up three flights of stairs now and there may be a day in the not-too-distant future that leaving a wheelchair or scooter at the bottom of a stairwell will not be an option. Two speakers insisted that there are spaces to build these rental units where they could effectively “put me away” from the heritage district. Really?
We have young people losing hope about their uncertain future with the climate crisis that we as elders are refusing to address. These two projects do address this issue in a small but very significant way by demonstrating that life without a vehicle is a viable alternative to the worship of the car and the protection of heritage districts.
I am supporting these projects 100% and sincerely hope that our council will support them before MPP Ted Arnott and Doug Ford legislate 23 storeys instead of four in these locations, as they have done contrary to the Guelph Official Plan. Let us give due consideration to those who need this rental accommodation now, not 20 years from now.
Burna Wilton,
Centre Wellington
‘Last thing we need’
Dear Editor:
RE: “Primarily ceremonial,” April 27.
I’m always astounded at the knee-jerk replies to news stories that are essentially meant to stir up government institutional bashing exemplified by the typical right-wing voter, as that which is reflected in Craig Sullivan’s letter to the editor.
They question the relatively minuscule spending of some insignificant but necessary budget line that a news story has sensationalized, and in turn they end up attacking the very leaders and branches of government which were specifically put in place to ensure the democracy that we all enjoy is secured for future generations.
Sure, always question government revenue and spending policies, but instead of only responding like Mr. Sullivan does, I encourage your readers to dive deeper into revenue and spending issues.
Start by researching modern monetary theory. Economist Stephanie Kelton has a simple Ted Talk about it. Next, guide your research by inquiring into why incomes of the working class have fallen far behind the incomes of the CEO corporate class over the last 50 years. Follow that with asking why governments feel the need to provide multi-national corporations with huge financial windfalls (like that recently provided to VW) to entice them to locate on home turf. Also crucial in this educational journey is to review the history and progress of the globalization movement, who initiated it, and why.
I’m confident that sincere inquiries by critically thinking individuals into these sorts of topics and questions will conclude with a solid understanding that the very last thing we need to curtail with the hope of addressing (the myth of) government debt are the minuscule amounts spent on the PM’s vacations and the ceremonies related to the role of the governor general.
David Fast,
Ariss
Snail issues
Dear Editor:
I’m a student at John Black Public School in Fergus. There’s a problem with garden snails in our community. Garden snails are an invasive species in Fergus and the rest of Ontario. They lay up to 80 white eggs at one time, however they lay them in soil so it’s hard to find them and crush them. They also can reproduce without mates as they have both male and female reproductive parts.
Snails attack seedlings, roots, tubers and young plants; this leaves holes in the leaves and snail slime on the veggies they go across. Their slime may carry diseases like e-coli and other dangerous bacteria. You can use baits and traps to catch them to use to then get rid of them. You can kill the snails with salt, chemicals and pesticides.
If you see a snail you should pick them up and check them for diseases. If they have none then you should put them in a one gallon tank and water them everyday. You should also feed them vegetable scraps and crushed up eggshells or cuttlebone for protein.
Alex Polsterer,
Fergus