The following article appeared in the January 24 edition of the Guelph Mercury:
Ian Findlay was enjoying an unusual view from the front of his downtown video shop Tuesday afternoon.
“I’m having the main street exposure without having to change addresses,” the city councillor joked when reached on his cellphone. “It’s certainly opening things up a bit at this end of town.”
Findlay suddenly has a view of Wyndham Street from the front of his Baker Street store, as the demolition of two city-owned buildings on Wyndham Street got into full swing.
The former homes of the Family Thrift Store and Wyndham Art Supplies have been torn down by a crew from Hamilton’s A1 Demolition.
The demolition is part of the proposed redevelopment of Baker Street, which will eventually include a new main library branch.
A total of four buildings along Wyndham Street are to be removed to create an entrance into the Baker Street development, however the city has not yet completed the purchase of the remaining buildings on either side of the demolition site.
During the budget process in December, councillors approved the addition of $3.8 million to the 2012 capital budget to pursue the remaining properties.
Jim Stokes, the city’s manager of realty services, said Tuesday he could not comment on whether those other two properties — which include the current Guelph Concert Theatre — would also be demolished once the city takes ownership or if they would remain standing until the Baker Street project is ready to proceed.
“It depends on the deal we make with the owners,” Stokes said, refusing to comment further while negotiations are underway.
“I think we need to look at all the options (for the remaining buildings),” Findlay said, adding there are obviously different rules at play when buildings are municipally-owned. “My initial thought is we probably wouldn’t be able to use them.”
Stokes said once the buildings currently being demolished are fully removed, clean fill will be brought in to level the site which will then open as a temporary parking lot with a total of approximately 45 spots.
Findlay noted a lack of available parking in the core has been well-documented “so this will certainly help in the short term.”
The councillor added the demolition will be an encouraging sign for those waiting for a new main library branch.
“This is certainly one of the steps to seeing that happen,” Findlay said.
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I think it is disgusting that Ian would “chuckle” at something that broke people’s hearts and personally cost me $50,000. It is bad enough that he was able to vote on the matter while being in an obvious conflict, but then in a more perfect world he would not have been part of the process that picked that site in the first place. This town needs its conflict rules tightened up, no merchant should be able to vote on anything that could personally benefit them. It is lucky that I am above finding humour in the misfortune of others, or I might have chuckled myself when Nrtflix came to town.
You are absolutely correct Ray.
Due to a perceived conflict of interest, I resigned from the Library Search Committee and excused myself during the search debate at Council.
http://ward2guelph.wordpress.com/2007/04/24/findlay-resigns-from-library-site-selection-committee/
http://ward2guelph.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/councillors-straddle-conflicts-of-interest/
If you are able to find any decision regarding the choosing of the new Main Branch Library location that I voted on inappropriately, I will gladly resign my seat.
Hardly explains why you were on the DOWNTOWN Library committee in the first place as there were 11 other councilors less conflicted, or why you participated as part of an 11-2 vote to evict me when everyone knew the outcome going in. But then if you held yourself to the higher standards that I expect of our politicians then you probably wouldn’t have been one of only two council-members to vote against the Market Square compensation package, another perceived conflict.
A higher standard Ray? Didn’t you put a gun in your window with a note that said ‘which way to council chambers’? If you expect higher standards from others you should look at your own actions first. Displaying death threats probably isn’t the best way to do that!
Uh, you realize that I’m not a politician don’t you? Do you really fail to see the difference?
I think i can see the difference. the difference is ian didn’t display death threats in his store window and you did, right.
It wasn’t a “threat”, it was a death memorial for Carden St. Area merchants donated teddy bears, flowers, and a wreath. My only mistake was removing it after being tacitly threatened by the Chief of Police on behalf of City Council. This city averages 11 crimes a day, so the powers that be have to worry about idling and chickens and grafiti and now toy guns. It seems laughable, but there are serious undertones.
Ray
With all due respect , and I mean that sincerely, did you ever consider that you are your own worst enemy? You obviously care deeply about many issues that affect yourself and others and you are trying to right what you perceive as wrongs but you come across as such a nutbar sometimes that tend to alienate people who would otherwise be supportive.
I am actually a merchant who should be able to put what he wants in his window and not get harrassed. I am not a politician or an activist, just a merchant. I like to rattle cages, but that is more like a hobby and excedingly easy in this town. People are free to shop in my store or not, but they have to earn the right. It is a two-way street. I can’t see how I am my own worst enemy when I basically don’t care what people think. I’ve got enough people who like my stock that I survive, and everything else is gravy.
Ray:
Why the denial? Using even the strictest definitions of the words, you are both an activist and a politician.
As an aside, if you didn’t care what people thought, you wouldn’t be posting your opinions on the internet (your blog, this blog, 59 Carden St. blog, etc.) and making political statements in your store window (the aforementioned “death memorial”).
Don, things sometimes cut both ways. Like the commenter above who, failing to offer a critical and otherwise intelligent, insightful rebuttal to Ray’s comment, took the cheap way out, choosing to play the politically correct foul card. Works every time, doesn’t it? Worked for mayor farbridge’s 2010 re-election war-room, when they spun some innocuous comment that Ray made regarding a planned visit to a local school; in that case, the PC trump card laid said pretty much the same thing that the uniquitous mr. pau did above.
Double standards much?
(as an aside, it is this kind of thinking that has all but divided progressive politics to the point of rendering it effete and incapable of producing any meaningful change, not to mention why we are now, unfortunately ruled by authoritarian neo-cons hell-bent on dismantling the nation-state: largely because of crybaby politics like this. Maybe it is high time that those of you who insist on resorting to this gutter sniping, emotional reflexivity grew up.)
Ernie
Ray has more than a little PT Barnum in him. He has always had an element of showmanship to the way he presents himself and his business. I’ve met Ray and I didn’t think I would offend him . I doubt I have. Ray say’s he’s rattling cages for a hobby . Since he took a run at the Mayor’s office and he is so vocal about municipal issues I assumed he was trying to get a message across to a larger group of people. Some of his more eccentric behaviors may be a bonus for the store but I was questioning if he was distracting from his own political message. If ,as he say’s, he is not an activist or a politician then it’s a non-issue which is more or less what he said. As far as I’m concerned I asked an objective question and he answered.
If you want to talk about the spin on Rays comment I would ask the school board. They are the one’s who who kicked him out of the school.
Ray were you offended by my question?