Something just doesn’t feel right here. The lights are on, but is anyone in the council chamber?
Why would members authorize an expenditure of almost $20,000 to a consulting firm to complete a street light energy efficiency project when, surely, the expertise is right in our own backyard?
Why isn’t council utilizing the resources over at Ascent — the former St. Thomas Energy — to undertake this analysis?
Isn’t this kinda like what they do for a living?
And, hasn’t the city just come to an agreement with Ascent to provide IT services at city hall? Why not go back to the well and tap into their bank of knowledge?
Continue reading
Tag Archives: Elgin County Courthouse
What right does Ald. Johnston have to judge others?
The folks up in London have the Joe Fontana fiasco to live with while we are saddled with the Tom Johnston tango – a two-step marrying entitlement with denial.
To recap, Johnston received compensation as St. Thomas Energy/Ascent board chairman in the form of Detroit Red Wing season tickets over a three-year period, in clear violation of a city policy prohibiting such remuneration.
Johnston has neither fessed up in public to the under-the-table palm greasing nor has he offered to pay back the value of the hockey ducats.
All of which prompted a scathing letter to the editor from reader Bill Sandison which questions the role of mayor and council in all of this.
“Any reasonable mayor might have asked the RCMP to investigate, but instead Mayor Heather Jackson takes comfort that ‘It’s stopped and it absolutely will not happen again . . . Now you need to repay this, you need to make amends and admit you made a mistake.’”
Continue reading
Share this:
Algoma University aims to offer programs at Wellington Street P.S.
The City of St. Thomas, Algoma University, and the estate of Dorothy Fay Palmer have announced the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario university has expressed an interest in offering the first two years of its Bachelor of Arts program in St. Thomas at the former Wellington Street School P.S. site.
While the city acquired the property earlier in this year as part of the parking strategy for the consolidated court facility on the site of the Elgin County Courthouse, this proposed use of the heritage building would be of benefit to the entire community and an excellent use of the former school, states a press release from Mayor Heather Jackson-Chapman.
Continue reading
Share this:
Glorious morning sheds light on closed-door council voting
The June 30 ground-breaking ceremony at the Elgin County Courthouse thrust MPP Steve Peters into the MC spotlight – not unfamiliar territory for the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
It was an opportunity to savour the fruits of nearly three decades of personal lobbying.
“There was a period where I was concerned, but I think today just alleviates any of those concerns. It’s been a long time to get to this point, but it’s very gratifying to see that there’s going to be a future,” he observed.
Continue reading
Share this:
A female role model — she’s right in our own backyard
A week ago in this corner, we promoted several local individuals for consideration when re-naming Edward Street Public School.
Including Edra Sanders Ferguson, who was the first woman to practise law in St. Thomas, the first woman in the city’s history elected alderman and the first woman to run for mayor.
Now, add to those credentials the Order of Canada, one of our country’s highest civilian honours, which was awarded to Sanders Ferguson on Thursday.
Responding to this honour, she writes, “I was very surprised to receive this prestigious honour as I did not know I had been nominated. I have now learned that it was a young woman who nominated me. I would guess that most nominations are made by the rich and powerful. I am so pleased that a young woman without power or influence would take such an initiative — and be successful.”
Continue reading
Share this:
St. Thomas consolidated courthouse project moves ahead
For Immediate Release February 8, 2011
Preserving the past; building for the future
ST. THOMAS – Steps to preserve the unique heritage aspects of the historic Elgin County Courthouse on Wellington Street are underway, as the process to build the new St. Thomas Consolidated Courthouse continues.
Salvage operations will begin this week on some of the buildings on the courthouse property including the former Governor’s Residence.
Workers on the site will begin salvaging the bricks and slate roof from the former Governor’s Residence. Most of the salvaged materials will be presented to the City of St. Thomas for use in the restoration and repair of municipal buildings. The remainder of the materials will be available for sale to the community, the proceeds of which will go to the St. Thomas Municipal Heritage Committee for preservation work in the area.
Continue reading
Share this:
Next step in St. Thomas Consolidated Courthouse project
Court services about to move to interim site in preparation for construction
ST.THOMAS – The next step in the revitalization of the historic courthouse on Wellington Street will begin with the official move to the interim site.
The move to the interim site on Silver Street will occur in late December 2010, with court beginning at that location in January 2011. During the construction period, matters for the Superior Court of Justice
will be held at a temporary courthouse located at 1 Silver Street at the corner of Burwell Road. Once the occupants have moved from the current location, fencing will surround the entire Wellington Street
site to ensure the protection and preservation of the heritage courthouse and provide safety for residents and courthouse property. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2011 and be complete
in early 2014.
The project will extensively refurbish the existing courthouse and add a major addition while respecting the grandeur of the original courthouse and the surrounding residential neighbourhood. Construction at
the historic site will include the removal of some buildings in order to make way for the new courthouse which will incorporate the existing courthouse and the former Land Registry Office.
The new facility will consolidate two existing courthouses – the Superior Court of Justice at 8 Wellington Street and the Ontario Court of Justice at 145 Curtis Street – into one modern facility.
“I am extremely pleased to see that the consolidated courthouse project is continuing to progress according to plan and on schedule,” Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Steve Peters said.
“While those residents who require court services in Elgin-St. Thomas have waited for many years for this to happen, we will soon have a refurbished, modern facility that will serve our community for decades to come.”
Share this:
Request for qualifications issued for St. Thomas Consolidated Courthouse project
Posted by Ian: Soil testing began late last month on the south side of the courthouse property and today (March 5) the next step began in the long process to undertake a new consolidated court facility for St. Thomas and Elgin. Here is the announcement …
ST. THOMAS, ON, March 5 /CNW/ – Infrastructure Ontario released a request for qualifications (RFQ) today to design, build, finance and maintain a new consolidated courthouse in St. Thomas. The new courthouse will be constructed on Wellington Street on the site of the historic Elgin County Courthouse, which will be incorporated into the new courthouse design.
Currently, the region’s Ontario Court of Justice and Superior Court of Justice operate from two separate locations in St. Thomas. The new St. Thomas Consolidated Courthouse will:
– improve access to justice in the region by consolidating existing
courthouse facilities and services into one new location;
– have more courtrooms, better accessibility and security, and improved
health and safety standards.
Continue reading
Share this:
St. Thomas-Elgin Branch of ACO applauds preservation of Elgin County Courthouse
Members of the St. Thomas-Elgin branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario applaud the decision to preserve the historic Elgin County Courthouse by consolidating the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice under one roof.
“We’re thrilled that the project preserves the heritage of the 1853 courthouse,” branch president Suzanne van Bommel said. “Credit must go to where it is due – to Steve Peters, our member of provincial parliament. I know first hand his commitment to this project and how hard he has worked over the years to preserve this beautiful building.”
The decision illustrates that heritage conservation is fully compatible with modern requirements. The city and county get a modern, fully accessible courthouse facility that will create short and long term jobs located in the heart of downtown. ACO branch members believe that the project will have additional spin-off benefits, spurring further development in the west end of the city. It will also act as a model for other creative re-uses of the city’s many heritage properties.
The St. Thomas-Elgin Branch of ACO was formed in April of this year in response to the devastating loss of historic Alma College due to neglect and arson.
The Architctural Conservancy of Ontario was formed in 1933 with the express purpose to “preserve buildings and structures of architectural merit”.
For further information, contact:
Suzanne van Bommell, branch president, 519-200-6700
Serge Lavoie, branch secretary, 519-859-7763
