By Pepper Parr
September 11, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The last time your city council met was July 15th- they meet again three times next week – on Monday at 1:00 pm as a Committee of the Whole where it looks as if everything is going to be talked about in a closed session.
They should return to the Council Chamber all tanned and rested. Now to make wise decisions on your behalf.
There is to be a presentation by General Manager Scott Stewart, Allan Magi, Executive Director of Corporate Works and Ron Steiginga, Manager of Realty Services.
The agenda says they are talking about Downtown Real Estate. The city owns a considerable amount of real estate in the downtown core – parking lots, city hall, the Art Gallery and a number of other lots here and there.
The practice is to review these holdings and determine if there is anything Council wants to do that is Strategic in nature.
Steiginga did his best to acquire a small piece of property adjacent to the Art Gallery – the owner of the property was too long in the tooth to bite that bait that Steiginga offered.
The deal Steiginga got for the city on the sale of the waterfront road allowance between Market and St Paul isn’t one that he will be remembered for – but that ship has left harbour. The public will watch with some anticipation for the Windows on the Lake that are to be created on the land the city didn’t sell.
The public will get to walk along this space which will become a Window to the Lake – the obstacles you see in this picture were not put in place by city – they were put in place by property owners who didn’t want the public to enjoy public land. That day is now over.
There was some encroachment on city land by a private driveway – it looks as if that has been resolved.
One hopes that the Mayor is not foolish enough to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony and go for another of the photo ops of which he is so fond when the first window on the Lake is opened.
The first meeting on the Monday looks like a pretty tame event.
