Former Councillor Rick Craven has become a contributor for the Bay Observer

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

August 20, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

People sometimes wonder where retired politicians go when they no longer have a public they can speak to every day.

Bay Observer logo

Rick Craven’s new address: https://bayobserver.ca/

Former Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven has found a place where he can use his city hall connections and speak to the public whenever his publisher can find space for him.

He loves his Ward, he knows his constituents and their needs. Is there life beyond city hall for Rick Craven?

Rick Craven did a lot for ward 1 when he represented Aldershot on city council.

Craven has become a contributor to the Bay Observer, a publication that was a print format until COVID-19 knocked the wind out of its sails.

Publisher John Best quickly pivoted to an online version and has done well in the short time it has been online.

Well enough for Craven to call Best and ask if they could work together. Craven and Best go back some distance.

In his most recent article Craven interviewed developer Marcel Leclerc, President of Chelten Homes who said:

“Burlington used to be looked at as an oasis of sanity between Oakville and Hamilton. It’s not viewed that way any more” said Leclerc.

The blame for his difficult experience goes beyond planning staff:

“I do understand that planners are subject to whatever political culture they have at the time”

Craven Chelten Homes

A Chelten Homes development

“The culture has changed down there and everyone’s afraid to approve something that should be approved for the community because you have a few minority loud voices”.

Leclerc’s observations came at the same time city councillors received a report indicating that the Planning Department is over worked and under staffed. Interim Director of Community Planning Jamie Tellier wrote that; “there are significant workload drivers” including; 50 active major development files involving 40 tall or mid rise buildings, 30 major development pre-consultations, 11 appeals of major developments to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal, 31 appeals of the Interim Control Bylaw plus ongoing projects related to the official plan, zoning bylaw, housing strategy and urban design guidelines.

Tellier wrote that the Planning Department “is out of balance“. At last week’s Committee meeting he described a department riddled with secondments, contract staff and vacancies. At one point he said the situation is “a mess”. City Manager Tim Commisso said half the staff are not in permanent positions.

Tellier said that although the planning department has a lot of superstars; “We just can’t respond to the demands of a maturing City”. He said the goal is to implement a one window service for customers.

Looking forward to when Craven interviews the Mayor or writes a critical piece on her. Those two, the Mayor and the former Councillor, also go back some way.

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5 comments to Former Councillor Rick Craven has become a contributor for the Bay Observer

  • Alfred

    Hans.

    The Provincial Government decides where development will go in Burlington. You will soon realize you voted for false gods as the City loses one OMB decision after another The Provincial elections determines development in Burlington. You punished councilors that were honest and followed Provincial guidelines the City must obey and traded them in for a Mayor that you think can make up her own rules. A lot of people with much more experience than our Mayor set up this system so that can never happen. Covid has bought her some time. But the demand for housing is going through the roof and the applications are stacking up. The system to process these applications has collapsed. The Developers would be better off to circumvent the City and go straight to the OMB. The taxpayers in this community would be better off as well.

  • Lynn Crosby

    He does love to write, former Councillor Craven. I wonder what he’ll use the space to write about? Hmmmm. Hopefully not more rot like this: https://burlingtongazette.ca/rick-craven-at-his-worst-to-sully-his-own-reputation-like-this-is-disappointing/

    I recall John Best and the Bay Observer (BO) giving Peter Rusin space shortly after the election, to speak about development matters, as if he was somehow worthy of respect and the best choice to interview after his “run” at a ward 3 council seat where he used it to produce offensive attack ads disguised as election materials. Eventually that article was removed. That told me a lot about the BO. Your comment that Best and Craven “go back” makes sense.

    Reading your article last week about James Ridge, and now this one, it seems to me there’s quite a lot of lingering bitterness for some people. Time will tell what Craven decides to do with this opportunity to publish his thoughts on developers, city hall, and whatever else he might like to write about, but I’m guessing we’ll see them linked on certain anonymous social media accounts – such a small circle.

  • Hans Jacobs

    Re “….everyone’s afraid to approve something that should be approved for the community because you have a few minority loud voices…”. The majority of voters in the last election were much more than a minority of loud voices. The results of that election spoke loud and clear that voters did not want to turn downtown Burlington into another Mississauga and they punished the councillors that had betrayed them. Marcel Leclerc appears to be unable to accept or understand that.

  • Albert

    I wonder why he wouldn’t join a tremendous Publication like the Gazette?