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| Former Mayor Speaks Before Council on Bay Beach Issue February 22, 2010 |
“Thanks for opportunity to address council.
I would like to speak to you this evening about Crystal Beach over the past 15-20
years, from my perspective – as it was, as it has been and as it is, as well as how it
might be. I hope that my comments will help to re-focus the lense on matters before
you, and that you will accept my comments in the spirit in which they are made.
Two reasons for (my) delegation:
1. (I) recently received a message from a friend who has been very actively
involved in the revitalization of C.B. over the past decade: she expressed
disappointment and despair about the proposed Bay Beach development
2. I was reminded of the words of Elie Wiesel, renowned humanist and activist,
from his 1999 millenium speech: “Indifference, then, is not only a sin, it is a
punishment”
By that he meant that each of us in civil society has an obligation to speak up
on important issues. If we fail to do so, not only do we fail in our civic responsibility,
but we are condemned to live with the decisions made by those in authority, no matter
the consequences.
You are charged with making the decisions that guide and build this community. I
believe that each of you is doing the very best that you can. My responsibility, as a
resident\citizen, is to impart to you my knowledge and perspective with respect to
matters on which you must make decisions.
You may recall what C.B. was like around the time of the closure of the amusement
park:
* Absentee landlords of summer cottages let their properties become run down
* Part of the area became a destination for welfare recipients from other
communities because of the low cost housing
* There was a lot of senseless vandalism
* Municipal infrastructure was deteriorating
* The area developed a very negative reputation
Small groups of dedicated residents decided to change things. They solicited the
assistance and cooperation of the Town. They sought ways to improve streetscapes,
clean up the neighbourhood, establish a plan for renewal. Some of the important
milestones included:
* The C.A.U.S.E. study
* Work on the boat launch
* Creation of the C.B.I.A.
* A neighbourhood clean up program (that resulted in scores of junk cars being
towed out of the area a decade ago)
* The revitalization of the park at Victoria Circle
* Organized efforts to beautify the area
The Town assisted in most of these endeavours and also addressed the coloured water
problem and insfrastructure deficiencies, encouraged the completion of the Crystal
Beach Waterfront Park and acquired the Rebstock property at Bay Beach.
I know something about the purchase of Bay Beach. It was one of two waterfront
properties that the Town was considering purchasing at the time. We really only
wanted to acquire the beach, but the owner would not separate the beach from the
balance of the property. The plan was to acquire the property, retain the beach and
access for public use and sell the balance of the property in order to generate funds to
purchase more waterfront as opportunities arose. The vision was to recapture over
years, perhaps decades, beach and waterfront for the public, something that I refer to
as a birthright of the residents of our community. You may recall that the Town
Council of the day adopted a policy to guide future acquisitions of waterfront
property.
In short order, the Town demolished the dilapidated cottages on the Bay Beach
property, thus inadvertently opening up the vista to the lake. Not surprisingly, the
residents liked it. The majority expressed their views in the 2002 Charette, in
subsequent consultations and during the preparation of the Crystal Beach
Neighbourhood Plan. This led Council to revisit “the plan” for the property at the
end of 2005.
No community can fulfill its true potential without the support of the residents. I
have heard all of you express the sentiment, at one time or another, that volunteers are
the backbone of our community. This is as true of Crystal Beach as of anywhere
else.
I have concern about how the proposal for development at Bay Beach has divided our
community. I am concerned when I am approached by dedicated, long-term
volunteers of the area who feel that they are being ignored and who despair that what
they have worked toward over the past 15 years is in jeopardy. To be clear, when I
speak of “volunteers”, I mean those individuals who have committed time, energy and,
often, their own resources, to improving, revitalizing and promoting Crystal Beach,
not those individuals who seem to pop up at every opportunity to oppose and
criticize anything the Town proposes to do, no matter what. I understand that the
dedicated volunteers of Crystal Beach are not unanimous in their views regarding Bay
Beach. But a large majority do not agree with the Town’s current proposal. I believe
that for you to proceed without having due regard to their views will hamper your
efforts to build and to guide this community.
Crystal Beach has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts over the past decade. With
the continued efforts of the dedicated volunteers and the municipality, it will prosper
and be an important aspect of the life of Fort Erie. The challenge before you is to
maintain the energy, the passion and the commitment of those volunteers, while
capturing the opportunities for success in that part of our community.
Therefore, let your decisions regarding Crystal Beach and the future of the Bay
Beach property be guided by a vision – a clear vision – for the community. Not staff’
s vision. Not just your vision. But a vision that encompasses that of those who have
committed themselves to the success and prosperity of their neighbourhood and this
community.”
I would like to speak to you this evening about Crystal Beach over the past 15-20
years, from my perspective – as it was, as it has been and as it is, as well as how it
might be. I hope that my comments will help to re-focus the lense on matters before
you, and that you will accept my comments in the spirit in which they are made.
Two reasons for (my) delegation:
1. (I) recently received a message from a friend who has been very actively
involved in the revitalization of C.B. over the past decade: she expressed
disappointment and despair about the proposed Bay Beach development
2. I was reminded of the words of Elie Wiesel, renowned humanist and activist,
from his 1999 millenium speech: “Indifference, then, is not only a sin, it is a
punishment”
By that he meant that each of us in civil society has an obligation to speak up
on important issues. If we fail to do so, not only do we fail in our civic responsibility,
but we are condemned to live with the decisions made by those in authority, no matter
the consequences.
You are charged with making the decisions that guide and build this community. I
believe that each of you is doing the very best that you can. My responsibility, as a
resident\citizen, is to impart to you my knowledge and perspective with respect to
matters on which you must make decisions.
You may recall what C.B. was like around the time of the closure of the amusement
park:
* Absentee landlords of summer cottages let their properties become run down
* Part of the area became a destination for welfare recipients from other
communities because of the low cost housing
* There was a lot of senseless vandalism
* Municipal infrastructure was deteriorating
* The area developed a very negative reputation
Small groups of dedicated residents decided to change things. They solicited the
assistance and cooperation of the Town. They sought ways to improve streetscapes,
clean up the neighbourhood, establish a plan for renewal. Some of the important
milestones included:
* The C.A.U.S.E. study
* Work on the boat launch
* Creation of the C.B.I.A.
* A neighbourhood clean up program (that resulted in scores of junk cars being
towed out of the area a decade ago)
* The revitalization of the park at Victoria Circle
* Organized efforts to beautify the area
The Town assisted in most of these endeavours and also addressed the coloured water
problem and insfrastructure deficiencies, encouraged the completion of the Crystal
Beach Waterfront Park and acquired the Rebstock property at Bay Beach.
I know something about the purchase of Bay Beach. It was one of two waterfront
properties that the Town was considering purchasing at the time. We really only
wanted to acquire the beach, but the owner would not separate the beach from the
balance of the property. The plan was to acquire the property, retain the beach and
access for public use and sell the balance of the property in order to generate funds to
purchase more waterfront as opportunities arose. The vision was to recapture over
years, perhaps decades, beach and waterfront for the public, something that I refer to
as a birthright of the residents of our community. You may recall that the Town
Council of the day adopted a policy to guide future acquisitions of waterfront
property.
In short order, the Town demolished the dilapidated cottages on the Bay Beach
property, thus inadvertently opening up the vista to the lake. Not surprisingly, the
residents liked it. The majority expressed their views in the 2002 Charette, in
subsequent consultations and during the preparation of the Crystal Beach
Neighbourhood Plan. This led Council to revisit “the plan” for the property at the
end of 2005.
No community can fulfill its true potential without the support of the residents. I
have heard all of you express the sentiment, at one time or another, that volunteers are
the backbone of our community. This is as true of Crystal Beach as of anywhere
else.
I have concern about how the proposal for development at Bay Beach has divided our
community. I am concerned when I am approached by dedicated, long-term
volunteers of the area who feel that they are being ignored and who despair that what
they have worked toward over the past 15 years is in jeopardy. To be clear, when I
speak of “volunteers”, I mean those individuals who have committed time, energy and,
often, their own resources, to improving, revitalizing and promoting Crystal Beach,
not those individuals who seem to pop up at every opportunity to oppose and
criticize anything the Town proposes to do, no matter what. I understand that the
dedicated volunteers of Crystal Beach are not unanimous in their views regarding Bay
Beach. But a large majority do not agree with the Town’s current proposal. I believe
that for you to proceed without having due regard to their views will hamper your
efforts to build and to guide this community.
Crystal Beach has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts over the past decade. With
the continued efforts of the dedicated volunteers and the municipality, it will prosper
and be an important aspect of the life of Fort Erie. The challenge before you is to
maintain the energy, the passion and the commitment of those volunteers, while
capturing the opportunities for success in that part of our community.
Therefore, let your decisions regarding Crystal Beach and the future of the Bay
Beach property be guided by a vision – a clear vision – for the community. Not staff’
s vision. Not just your vision. But a vision that encompasses that of those who have
committed themselves to the success and prosperity of their neighbourhood and this
community.”
Cheryl Schonewille shows
her idea for how the Bay
Beach Properties could be
improved and kept in public
hands. She spoke about her
concerns for the future of
Crystal Beach if the zoning
amendment is approved
allowing the Molinaro
Group to take over a large
portion of the south side
waterfront land to build a
twelve story condo tower.
her idea for how the Bay
Beach Properties could be
improved and kept in public
hands. She spoke about her
concerns for the future of
Crystal Beach if the zoning
amendment is approved
allowing the Molinaro
Group to take over a large
portion of the south side
waterfront land to build a
twelve story condo tower.