By Pepper Parr
January 16th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
The good folks in the Bromley – Linwood neighbourhoods of ward 5 for the most part did not want sidewalks on their streets.
Despite the efforts of the ward Councillor Paul Sharman there will be sidewalks in the communities UNLESS the Mayor decides, during the lunch break they are currently on, to use her Strong Mayor powers – which she can do.
Let’s see how that goes later today.
This evening and tomorrow we will prepare news reports on what kept council at their desks for close to four hours in this one issue.
How much does a municipal sidewalk cost?
See, OpenCouncil | Updated January 4, 2024 at : https://opencouncil.ca/sidewalk-cost/
Residents: We don’t want or need the sidewalks.
1st World Problem Response: But you are getting them anyway.
Resident: Why not put the $100’s of thousands towards affordable housing instead.
I haven’t heard the result of this issue yet, but it will be interesting no matter which way it goes. If the Mayor lets the Council’s decision stand she will be ridiculed by the neighbourhood for not stopping Council forcing them to do what they do not want or need. On the other hand, if she does use her Strong Mayor Powers to stop the sidewalks she will be heralded as a hero by the neighbourhood but vilified by those who see an autocrat in full dress turning Council into a lame duck.
We shall soon see.
I have lived in east Burlington for 48 years, and Bromley and Linwood are near me. The amount of pedestrian traffic has remained constant over time. There is absolutely no need for sidewalks. The volume doesn’t warrant it, and I stated this to Councillor Sharman in a recent e-mail.
This is simply another pathetic example of wasteful spending, and a Council that can’t prioritize or say “no”. A stop sign was installed on my street last year, but traffic volume doesn’t warrant it. Similarly, Transportation Services installed a traffic light at the bottom of my street and Lakeshore Road. Again, unnecessary.
We have existing sidewalks in a poor state of repair and that are buckling. We have existing roads with potholes. We have curbs that are crumbling. If the City wants to tinker with something then fix this! Stop trying to fix things that don’t need fixing, and start concentrating on maintaining the existing infrastructure. And if area residents tell you they don’t want something …damn well listen and heed their advice!
And these unwanted sidewalks will cost how much in a City looking for ways to pare down a huge tax bill?
Situations of this nature support my idea of the need for residents to have 3 votes in a municipal election. The right to vote for their ward councillor, the mayor, plus councillors in other wards.
That might end council treating situations like this from a 1st world perspective.
I absolutely agree, every councillor gets to vote on what goes on in ward-2 but I don’t get to vote for what happens in there’s. Let’s shoehorn in some more high rises downtown and leave our wards alone.
The Residents in Ward 5, also don’t want their public Track and Field behind Bateman ripped up to put in a multi-million dollar parking lot… How many residents you might say? 700 and counting: https://chng.it/kfM5DxJ5gg
Sharman had submitted a petition on behalf of every single resident on that street who petitioned against this, yet the rest of Council and city staff are turning a blind eye!
Will her and council finally listen to them just as they should for the residents in the neighbourhood… They do not want this, stop ignoring your constituents and halt these divisive plans that the people don’t want!
The Mayor just scored money from the Feds to get more homes built, this area along with Spruce will need sidewalks and transit stops for the 4-family rental. Units shoehorned in between these single family homes.