Tag Archives: Valerie M’Garry

04.12.17
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Fate of Sutherland Press building remains in a holding pattern

Not unlike the two combatants, a panel of three appeal court justices failed Wednesday to make any significant headway in the eight-year standoff that is the Sutherland Saga.
The nearly three-hour hearing held at Toronto’s Osgoode Hall dealt with the city’s appeal of a decision handed down September 27 of last year by Justice Kelly Gorman, who determined a notice issued in March of last year warning of demolition of the four-storey structure for failure to comply with a previous work order was null and void.

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04.08.17
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Please grant us a sane and sensible community grant policy

city_scope_logo-cmykA seemingly innocent comment at the close of Monday’s reference committee meeting – held prior to the regularly scheduled council session – unwittingly could have the same impact as flinging a full can of gas onto a smoldering fire.
In the new business portion of the meeting, Coun. Mark Burgess waded into the mire that is council grants to community groups, a process that sees hundreds of thousands of dollars doled out on an annual basis.
The response to the good councillor’s remark was swift.

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03.18.17
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You have been forewarned, this ain’t her first St. Thomas rodeo

city_scope_logo-cmykQuestion for you. What’s a common factor in the demolition of a building and demolition of end-of-life vehicles? Well, in St. Thomas that would be Valerie M’Garry.
For nearly a decade, the London lawyer has steered her client – Sutherland Press building owner David McGee – through the court system, deflecting at every turn attempts by the city to demolish the structure built in 1913.
Twice this year, the hearings have stalled due to M’Garry’s ill health, but at the most recent appearance Ontario Superior Court Justice Peter Hockin left no doubt as to what lies ahead in the Sutherland Saga: the matter will be addressed May 24 with or without M’Garry.
“Mr. McGee should take that into account,” cautioned Hockin.

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03.14.17
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A scrap brewing over scrap metal

St. Thomas appears to have a bit of a scrap on its hands over, of all things, scrap metal and salvage.
At a public meeting held prior to Monday’s council session, an objection was raised in regard to a zoning bylaw amendment requested by Triple M Metal permitting an end-of-life vehicle waste disposal operation at their industrial metal recycling depot at 245 Edward Street.

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02.18.17
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It’s time to move on, the hostages are beyond the restless stage

city_scope_logo-cmykLaying down the law in the Sutherland Saga originated from an unlikely source this week in the form of Ontario Superior Court Justice Peter Hockin, one of the original cast members in the near-decade long run of this soap opera.
Tuesday at the Elgin County Courthouse, Hockin was set to preside over the hearing involving the City of St. Thomas versus Sutherland Lofts owner David McGee.
McGee, through lawyer Valerie M’Garry, is challenging an unsafe building order issued Oct. 28 by the city that gave him until Dec. 15 of last year to provide a detailed work plan and schedule repairs to begin early last month on the four-storey structure.
But, as was the case on Jan. 3, the hearing was a non-starter due to M’Garry’s ill health.

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02.13.17
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Ill health forces Sutherland Press building on to the waiting list

For the second time in just over a month, the future of the Sutherland Press building has been put on the waiting list due to ill health.
As the City vs. Sutherland Lofts hearing was set to open Monday at the Elgin County Courthouse, the lawyer for building owner David McGee advised Ontario Superior Court Justice Peter Hockin she was unsure if she could continue.
“I’m struggling with my health. I’m struggling,” admitted Valerie M’Garry, who sat slumped in her seat.

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02.11.17
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More sensitivity and less stunt when reaching out to the homeless

city_scope_logo-cmykThe promotion was called Sleepless In Our City, a well-intentioned fundraiser for the United Way of Elgin-St. Thomas. In capsule form, former MP Joe Preston and Tim Smart, the regional sales manager for a couple of local radio stations, were going to bundle up and spend the night sleeping – if possible – in the back seat of their respective cars. In the case of Tim, a Honda Civic.
(Full disclosure here, I spent several years as a volunteer on the United Way campaign cabinet and the entire team is to be applauded for raising in excess of $485,000 in this year’s campaign, as announced Friday evening.)
The media release from the United Way noted, “In Elgin St. Thomas, 20% of home owners and 42% of renters were spending more than 30% of their household income on shelter costs.”

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01.04.17
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Sutherland Saga on hold to start the new year

23jt01sutherlandjpgIt was a case of hit the pause button Tuesday at the Elgin County Courthouse as the Sutherland Press building saga entered a new year.
A scheduled hearing between the City of St. Thomas and David McGee, owner of the four-storey structure, failed to get off the ground  when his lawyer, Valerie M’Garry, was unable to attend due to illness.
McGee is challenging an unsafe building order issued Oct. 28 by the city that gave him until Dec. 15 of last year to provide a detailed work plan and schedule repairs to begin by next Monday at the boxy tribute to the city’s industrial era.

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12.30.16
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Sutherland Saga stretches into a new year

It may be the start of a new year with the glimmer of a brighter tomorrow, however in St. Thomas one thing remains a constant.

A near decade-long battle to level what the city deems an unsafe structure is headed back to the courts Tuesday in Round 3 of the Sutherland Saga.

David McGee, owner of the Sutherland Press building, will pick up where he left off in November — pleading his case to halt the city’s efforts to demolish the four-storey Talbot Street edifice constructed in 1913. Continue reading →