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Vol. VII
No. 6E

Latest Update
June 30, 2009

The Crystal Beach
STRAND

The Little Blog That Could -
and Did! 1000+ Hits a Day

© Sharon E. Bowers 2009

e-mail: crystalbeachstrand
@gmail.com

Phone: 905-992-0105

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contributors to this site.

501 DAYS UNTIL
NEXT MUNICIPAL
ELECTION
(November 12, 2010)

We Will Not Forget

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The Crystal Beach
STRAND

The On-Line Voice of Crystal Beach since 2002

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NEXT

SEE ALL THE DEVELOPERS WHO
DONATED!
The Doug Martin Official Campaign Donation
List of 2006. See it HERE.

In an article in the Niagara Falls Review on Monday, June 29,
Mayor Doug Martin and Ward 5 Councillor Martha Lockwood
both made statements regarding the announcement of the
formation of a new group called
Keep Bay Beach Lands Public Association
that has come together to fight the Molinaro Plan to build two
twelve story towers on public beach front property. Part of the
group's mandate is to present an alternate plan for the Bay
Beach Properties to be improved with the help of government
grants and fund raising. Since 2002, groups and citizens have
come forward with ideas and suggestions for the property, but
the town has been determined to sell off the property. Twice
before council backed down from its plan due to public
opposition. When town staff recommended the Molinaro Plan,
those who expressed opposition to the plan were told that "it
was not a done deal" and there would be plenty of time for the
people to express their opinion on the plan. Instead, it seems
that the proposal juggernaut is too far gone to look at
alternatives. At least that's what the mayor said in his statement
to the Review. Meanwhile, Councillor Lockwood wants to see
funding in place before she'll consider an alternative. Yeah, like
the town's Economic Development Corp. was able to convince
council to seek grant money to the tune of $3 million for
"tourism initiatives" and gave $2 million towards the race track
which will never, ever bring a "return on the investment" like
what is expected of the Bay Beach Properties.
In any other town on water that has in its possession a beautiful
public beach with beach front property and parking lots, the
mere thought of allowing private development on that property
would be considered idiotic. So, we must assume that the staff
who recommended this travesty, and the councillors who voted
for it, are either incompetent or they have a "hidden
agenda." Either way, they are about to give away/sell our
town's greatest asset. Just remember this: the CAO and the
town planner do not live in Fort Erie, yet they are part of the
senior staff that has recommended the privatization of our
public beach lands.
Note to Mayor Martin: are you going to now claim that you were
misquoted - like your town planner has claimed? And who really
is the liar here? The town planner who said in the Fort Erie
Post that the town applied for grants to fix up Bay Beach and
was "not successful." We have researched this thoroughly and
the Town of Fort Erie has not, to anyone's knowledge applied
for any grant money or infrastructure money to fix up Bay
Beach although the property fits the criteria for such grants.
A senior staff member, speaking on behalf of
the town, and misrepresenting the facts is
either grossly incompetent - or he's involved
in some sort of separate agreement to
deliver the Bay Beach Properties to a
developer.

NEW DISEASE:
Rinovirus ... when words and quotes made by a town
planner result in the demand for retractions from the
press. This is a symptom of a much more serious disease
that results in lack of transparency and trust in local
government.
Often fatal; it can be cured by ELECTIVE SURGERY.

"Keep Bay Beach Lands
Public"
Signs Removed by
Town Employees

Allegedly acting at the behest of Ward 5 Councillor Martha
Lockwood, town employees were witnessed taking down signs
located in public roadsides - the same places where "Save the
Hospital" and other campaign signs have been allowed to remain
untouched. This "selective" removal of signs is a violation of
Charter Rights and will be pursued through legal channels. To town
employees who removed the signs: we know it wasn't your idea;
you were only doing your job. We know who's responsible.

ON LINE PETITION AVAILABLE
SIGN UP HERE

"Mayor Doug Martin said he's open to hearing what the group has
to offer, but added it will be difficult to stop the current process
and entertain another plan. "
Niagara Falls Review

A young man named Dakota displays a hand-made sign and his
creative "petition-on-a-tee-shirt" as he stands with hundreds of
others on the sandy berm overlooking the public beach at Bay
Beach. He was part of a rally in support of "Keeping ALL the Bay
Beach Lands in Public Hands" that took place on Saturday, June
27, in Crystal Beach. The event was organized by a group of
concerned residents of the lakeside community in Fort Erie.
A town-endorsed plan to give over the upland portions of the
publicly owned property to a developer in exchange for amenities
to be built on the public beach has met with fierce resistance in the
quaint, beach village. Residents fear that they soon will live in the
shadow of two massive twelve story condo towers that would be
placed on the lake side of the property if the Burlington-based
Molinaro Group goes ahead with its plans.

BAY BEACH RALLY
ROCKS!

Full Story and More Pictures HERE

Ward 4
Councillor Tim
Whitfield stands
with his back to
the crowd at the
Bay Beach Rally
On the left is
Gaming
Corporation
Head Russ
Wilson and Ward
5 Councillor
Martha
Lockwood is on
his right. Although
invited to speak to
the issue at the
rally, both
councillors
declined.

"Coun. Tim Whitfield, who supports the
Molinaro Group's proposal and was at
the rally, said he's frustrated by the
"misinformation" and "innuendo" that
resulted from the event."

Niagara Falls Review

READ MORE ON PAGE FOUR