| The Crystal Beach STRAND Making Waves Since 2002 Dedicated to Keeping ALL the Bay Beach Properties in Public Hands © Sharon E. Bowers 2010 e-mail: crystalbeachstrand@gmail.com Phone: 905-992-0105 LEGAL DISCLAIMER The Crystal Beach Strand has made every reasonable effort to ensure that the information displayed on this website is accurate and responsible. The Crystal Beach Strand does not accept responsibility, or legal liability, for information that may have become incorrect, or misleading due to the passage of time or other conditions. Every reasonable effort is made to keep all information displayed current and up to date. To the best of our knowledge information is accurate at the time of writing and publication. Any opinions expressed on this web site are the opinion of the editor and contributors to this site. The Crystal Beach Strand is entirely self-funded. We do not solicit advertising. Donations are now gratefully declined. Please contribute to the charity or the candidate of your choice. Let's all do our part to make Fort Erie better. |
| It's Just Like Bay Beach! A Public Lake Front Property! Great View! Is Waverly Beach Park next to be developed into condos? |
CLOSED MONDAYS Coming Soon: *Amelie *The Blind Side Plan 51 4th Kind Men Who Stare at Goats The Fantastic Mr. Fox *Precious Pirate Radio The Road Cheri Strand Recommended Please Call: 905-894-9911 Admission: $5.00 |
| 256 Days Until Next Municipal Election (October 25, 2010) |
| Latest Update February 7, 2010 |
| The Crystal Beach STRAND Making Waves Since 2002 |
| Vol. VIII No.2B |
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| Locals in The Beaches win precedent-setting OMB case. Read More HERE. |
Molinaros up the ante as they enter into
negotiations to buy parking lot on Erie Road to
build more condos. Meanwhile, behold what it will
look like in Crystal Beach if the rezoning is
approved. Major disruption of live and businesses
in Crystal Beach should this go through. So much
for revitalization.
negotiations to buy parking lot on Erie Road to
build more condos. Meanwhile, behold what it will
look like in Crystal Beach if the rezoning is
approved. Major disruption of live and businesses
in Crystal Beach should this go through. So much
for revitalization.
| JOIN A NEW FACEBOOK GROUP: THE TOAD ZONE Get a Special Toad Zone Button Go To The Strand's Fowler's Toad Page |
"Council has decided on the issue..."
And to Ann Marie Noyes, "You're
delusional."
And to Ann Marie Noyes, "You're
delusional."
| Crystal Beach. Sleeping Beauty? |
The mayor said it:
Crystal Beach is
dormant, waiting for
the Molinaro Project
to wake it up.
Comment on the
Crystal Beach is
dormant, waiting for
the Molinaro Project
to wake it up.
Comment on the
| MARCH MADNESS COMES TO COUNCIL ~ MARCH 1 Come to Fort Erie Town Council on Monday, March 1, 2010 to see the town council vote to allow the rezoning of the Bay Beach Properties so that the Molinaro Group can build a twelve story tower on public waterfront land. We don't expect any of the four councillors who voted in favour of the project to change their votes, but we do expect to make voters aware of this because it is plain that a great many people are in opposed to it. |
| What's in that tea anyways? One sip and you're willing to give away public waterfront property. |
Why the History of Crystal beach is so
important. See Page Four.
important. See Page Four.
So said EDTC D. Head Jim Thibert in his presentation as a "servant of the council."He was one of thirteen delegations to speak out in favour of granting the Molinaro Group its rezoning application to allow the high rise developer from Burlington to build a twelve story condo tower on public beach front lands. By the time those speaking in opposition came to the podium, over two hours had passed. A crowd estimated at 200 sat quietly through the presentations of those in favour but few were able to remain to hear all the opposition remarks as the meeting went on until after !:00 a.m. Even the hired planner, Ron Palmer, who was there to hear the pros and cons of the application in order to make a recommendation to council, left before midnight. In the various presentations in favour of the application, the original intent for the purchase of the Rebstock property has now been amended to include selling off portions to spur economic development. That was never the intent when the property was purchased in 2001. There was a option to sell off the north side parking lots in order forthe town to purchase more waterfront property. A few members of what is often called Vershoenerung Committee spoke in favour of the Molinaro Project, one even praising Ward 5 Councillor: "Thank God, for Martha Lockwood as our councillor." (Of course the mayor let that remark stand as well as Jim Thibert's insult of Ann Marie when she asked him a question.) This despite a firm list of dos and don'ts supplied with the agenda and a reiteration of those rules before the meeting began. The treatment of the presenters was very one-sided, highlighted with the laughable, deliberate ignoring of two speakers, Tom Lewis and John Papadakis until the very end. Many of the people who attended were new to the council experience. Many were appalled at the behaviour of the mayor, Tim Whitfield, and especially Jim Thibert. Many also pledged to get more involved in the election process and to attend more meetings. Martha Lockwood was even called out on her behaviour by presenter Lisa Susin who sarcastically thanked Martha for her "attention." Both Martha and Martin did not even look at, or appear to be listening to the presenters who were opposed to the rezoning. Martha was seen making faces when certain points were made, despite the very polite behaviour of the audience. Tim Whitfield sat ready to pounce on every presenter if they dared to go "off topic," while Ann Marie's questions were subject to interruptions by the mayor as "off topic." None of this was lost on the many who came to this meeting hoping to hear what both sides had to say. Instead, the mayor, in a feeble gesture to explain away the many yellow sign on his own street, said that he went around and talked to his neighbours and told them the truth, and the signs came down. Sorry, mayor,that is a lie. The people who canvassed your neighbourhood did not tell lies, notrdid many of the signs come down. They were still there a couple of weeks later when I took pictures of them. Time will tell on all of this, but we will not be surprised when Ron Palmer, the consultant hired by the town for over $30K comes back with a recommendation to approve the rezoning, despite all the evidence and sentiment to the contrary. Here's a guy who co-authored the seminal C.A.U.S.E. Study in 1996 which states very clearly that the town should buy the Bay Beach Properties if they become available and make it into a public park. It did offer that the parking lots might be sold off to fund further waterfront acquisition. But it also said that Crystal Beach should retain its cottage look. |
| BAY BEACH ISSUE MAKES THE NEWS The Buffalo News that is. And that article makes Niagara at Large |
| It took the Buffalo News to write a proper story of the Bay Beach Issue in a fair and balanced light. Even though the article did feature a picture of Fort Erie Times employee and Ward 5 Councillor Martha Lockwood, it did present both sides of the issue in a fair light - unlike certain local newspapers (cough, cough.) Then the story was picked up by an independent blogger named Doug Draper who published it on his site and commented on it. And the real shocker and a major boost to the spirits of those opposed to the Molinaro Plan was former mayor Wayne Redekop's opinion that "...the 12-story condominium is completely out of character with the neighborhood." Thank you for that, Mr. Redekop. We've been saying that all along. He also explained the original idea to sell off portions of the Bay Beach Properties had changed when the old cottages that stood on the site for decades were torn down, thus opening the vista to the lake. It became important that the town retain the whole south section for public use while entertaining the idea to sell off the north section in order to purchase more waterfront properties. But public opinion, going back as far as 2003, changed all that. And it became apparent that the entire Bay Beach Properties, including the parking lots were important for the future of keeping Crystal Beach as a tourist attraction. On a hot summer's day thousands of people stream into the village to enjoy the beach and the area. Most businesses rely heavily on that summer influx to survive over the winter. Every year, there are more and more permanent residents moving to the area, attracted by the reasonable housing prices and the quiet ambiance of the village. Oh, and one other thing: location. |