Alma fire, May 28, 2008
Dear MPP’s,
Today marks 2 years to the day that we lost beautiful & historic Alma College,in St.Thomas,Ont.Sadly nothing has been done on the property to preserve and protect the 2 remaining structures and outdoor amphi-theatre.On Wed May 28th,2008 a fire brought down this magnificent structure,after former culture minister Aileen Carroll turned a blind eye to the neglect and destruction,that continued on a daily basis.
Continue reading
In what surely has to be one of the oddest television interview segments in some time, Dan Reith, host of Politically Speaking, sat opposite Mark Cosens earlier this month and deftly forced the mayoral wannabe into damage control mode.
The bombshell question from Reith that had Cosens backpedaling furiously came right out of left field, as follows.
“Yourself, or a company controlled by you, received a $40,000 community improvement loan from the city which, subsequent to the bankruptcy filing, still remains outstanding and owing to the city. Is that true?”
What followed is nothing short of a Gray Line Mystery Tour, starting with this opening rebuttal from Cosens.
“That is something I’m really not able to talk to in a sense it wasn’t a decision I made. It was a decision made by the city, without my involvement in that decision and I don’t think that’s something that can be held against me for running for mayor because of that.
“It’s something that hasn’t been fully disclosed at this point in time either. So, that may get cleared up as well. At this point in time, it’s hard to say what that might do to my bid.”
Continue reading
ST. THOMAS, ONTARIO and ELGIN, ONTARIO– Feb. 26, 2010) – Today, front line Children’s Aid workers will ask local MPP Steve Peters to come to the aid of vulnerable children and families by pressing the government to fix a faulty funding formula that has kept Children’s Aid Societies (CASs) in a funding crisis for years.
“In 2006, the government legislated CASs to do much more to improve safety and better outcomes for children and families, but has not kept up its side of the equation with adequate funding,” says Marcia Andkilde, Unit Chair of CUPE 841.5, representing front line workers at the St. Thomas and Elgin Children’s Aid Society. “We’re calling on our MPP to step up and advocate for long-term provincial funding in the coming provincial budget to sustain child welfare programs in our community.”
Continue reading
After signing the appropriate paperwork Tuesday at city hall, Downtown Development Board chairman Mark Cosens delivered what will surely be the understatement of the year.
“Over the next eight months we will, I am sure, be having a full, lively and engaging debate about how it is we move our city forward.”
You have to delve back no further than the closure of Talbot Street in the summer of 2008 to get the essence of how the hopeful mayor Mark and the incumbent Mayor Cliff Barwick regard each other’s political abilities.
Continue reading
Posted by Ian:
While he has yet to file his nomination papers, Mayor Cliff Barwick took the opportunity Monday night to wrap up his New Year’s address to council with a call to city voters to put their trust in him for one more term of office.
“As I approach the zenith of my political career,” said Barwick, “I earnestly believe my civic duty will be fulfilled and personally complete,to serve just one more term as head of council. To that end for just one more time I will be asking for the trust and confidence of the public.”
So, just four days into the new year, the mayoral race has its first entry, as a result putting the onus on challengers to declare their intentions sooner, rather than later.
Continue reading
ST. THOMAS, ON, Nov. 20 /CNW/ – The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the City of St.Thomas celebrated the start of construction of 12 affordable rental units in two housing developments. The developments are supported by over $924,000 in funding through the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program.
Joe Preston, Member of Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and Steve Peters, Member of Provincial Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London on behalf of the Government of Ontario; along with Cliff Barwick, Mayor of St.Thomas, made the announcement.
Continue reading
Sitting through yesterday’s announcement finalizing the location of the new, consolidated court facility for St. Thomas and Elgin, it was, quite honestly, difficult to grasp the enormity of this long-
awaited undertaking.
And, the historical significance of this project that, quite
literally, is a process begun decades ago.
While short on facts and figures detailing the modern and accessible consolidated courthouse that will incorporate the current facility on Wellington Street (older than Canada itself) into its design, the price tag being bandied about is in the neighbourhood of $100 million.
That’s right … $100 million for what surely is the biggest
government investment ever in this area.
Continue reading
What’s more likely to transpire first — a new consolidated courthouse for St. Thomas and Elgin or the Leafs returning to respectability?
With their impressive preseason record (faded somewhat by an opening night loss to the Habs, of all teams) the latter may be the safer bet.
That possibility prompted local barrister and solicitor Mervin Riddell to vent his frustration via a letter to City Scope.
“I urge city council to end the impasse with the province and support the construction of a new consolidated court facility,” he writes.
Ah, but here’s the kicker.
“At a location other than the 4 Wellington St. (existing Elgin County courthouse) location. The city’s lack of support for a new location will, in my respectful opinion, only continue the present delay and the absolute embarrassment of the facilities already in place.”
Continue reading
Restoration of the Elgin County courthouse would prove cheaper than construction of a new consolidated court facility in St. Thomas.
That was the guarantee from London developer Shmuel Farhi to a capacity gathering Thursday at the St. Thomas Public Library on hand to hear his proposal to fully retrofit and add on to the Wellington Street facility that pre-dates Canada.
Continue reading
