Monthly Archives: November 2016

11.26.16
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There’s specificity in one area, a date in court


city_scope_logo-cmykHeld over for another big year . . . The Sutherland Saga.

Watch the City of St. Thomas and David McGee, owner of Sutherland Lofts, pick up where they left off in 2016 . . . back in court.

That’s right, after issuing another work order late in October against the owner of the four-storey Sutherland Press building, McGee has tossed it back in the city’s corner with the declaration, see you in court.

On October 28, the city slapped a new unsafe building order on McGee with what city manager Wendell Graves called a very specific time line.

“They have until Dec. 15 to provide a detailed work plan and schedule to get the thing remedied and then work has to commence by the 9th of January,” Graves told this corner. Continue reading →

11.19.16
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Unlike London, carding is not a trending topic in St. Thomas


city_scope_logo-cmykIt was what we called in radio, a cluster-buster.

A Tweet from Police Chief Darryl Pinnell Friday morning sure cut through the clutter.

“Let the @STPSmedia “Collection of Identifying Information in Certain Circumstances” training begin!” proclaimed the message, with accompanying photo.

Sounded for all the world like they’re delving into carding, a trending topic up the road in London.

A phone call to St. Thomas Police media contact, Const. Jeff DeLeeuw, confirmed they were in training but it’s not what you think. Continue reading →

11.15.16
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Joe Roberts is pushing back to change the system


15jt01robertsjpgFor Joe Roberts, pushing his shopping cart across Canada is the ultimate in paying it forward.

On Day 199 of his cross-country trek to raise awareness of youth homelessness, 49-year-old Roberts stood on the steps of city hall over the noon hour and talked about legacy.

“I’ve reached a point in my life where I wanted to pay it forward,” advised Roberts who, in his earlier years, was anything but a role model: homeless, addicted to drugs and living under a bridge in Vancouver.

“Seems like when we get to our late 40s we start asking questions about legacy and I wanted to do something with the story to point to what we needed to help prevent other young people from experiencing some of this. It’s not everyone who is fortunate to have a mom like mine.” Continue reading →

11.12.16
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Can the Burstein boys of Brampton breathe life back into Elgin Mall?


city_scope_logo-cmykConsidered the poor cousin of enclosed shopping malls by its previous owner OneREIT, Elgin Mall has wonderful potential according to the small, family owned real estate investment company that acquired the 263,000-square-foot property last month.

Brothers Jay and Mory Burstein are adamant their intention is not to demolish the retail centre that first opened in 1975.

“Our goal is to try and lease the vacant space as quickly as possible and try to make this mall the vibrant place it once was,” Jay assured in an interview this week.

An optimistic game plan for a mall that is operating at a roughly 50 per cent vacancy rate. Continue reading →

11.10.16
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Elgin Mall the place to go again?


A small real estate investment company in Brampton is determined Elgin Mall will again be a happening place.
Operating under the name Elgin Mall Inc., the family owned firm last month completed the purchase of the 263,000-square-foot property from OneREIT.
Elgin Mall was the only similar-sized property listed in OneREIT’s holdings and with just over 50% occupancy, the mall was the least-tenanted of the real estate investment trust’s many properties.

Continue reading →

11.05.16
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Health care system is not broken, but there is waste – Paul Collins


city_scope_logo-cmykIn a lengthy interview on Paul Collins‘ penultimate day as president and CEO at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, he dwelt on the Great

Expansion, the facility’s designation as a regional stroke centre and a greater role for STEGH as a regional player.

We’ll pick up this week with the suggestion the health care model in this province is broken.

“I don’t think the system is broken,” asserted Collins. “But I think there are some elements of the system we need to be paying attention to. How does the aging population affect this hospital. We talk about alternate levels of care. These are folks who come to the hospital because they need care, but then when it’s time to be discharged, the question where is the safest place for them to be discharged to – long-term care, in their own home or a nursing home? Continue reading →

11.02.16
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City issues new Sutherland Press building work order


A month after failing in its bid to proceed with demolition, the city has again slapped a work order on the Sutherland Press building and owner David McGee.

On Sept. 27 at the Elgin County Courthouse, Justice Gorman ruled a previous order issued in March of this year warning of demolition for failure to comply were null and void due to improper delivery and lack of specificity on the part of the city.27jt01sutherlandjpg

That order called for immediate replacement of spalling or damaged bricks and securing the roof, which had suffered a partial collapse.

Last Friday, city manager Wendell Graves confirmed a new unsafe building order has been issued to McGee.

Continue reading →