That's It

The election has come and gone and Congratulations are in order to the newly elected council.

Thanks for following along on this blog.

As they say in the media world

-30-

Last Posting-October 17

This is the last message on this blog until after the election tomorrow. I wish all the candidates good luck and I will wait patiently. (But, what is it with all those signs leading up to the polling stations? As a friend of mine sometimes says-EGADS!)

Today was a very interesting day, as we met with people in three neighbourhoods. First, we met with residents in Sunset Ridge. The main issue concerned the twinning of Highway 22. People want long term solutions nad not bandaids as we are seeing with the turn lanes. I also heard a great deal about growth management and taxes. People in Sunset Ridge want to know what infrastructure is going to be built with the taxes they contribute. They want to know if it is fair for current residents to have to pay for infrastructure that is necessary only because of growth. Overall, people in Sunset Ridge say they are happy they moved here and enjoy the community, and the community events.

In Gleneagles, similar issues were raised about caring for current infrastructure needs before more growth is promoted. People asked questions about Walmart, and again the people were divided on the question, with youth still saying they wish big box stores did not have to locate in the downtown core.

Finally, in the East End, I talked with many neighbours, and it was a great way to end the campaign-chatting and laughing among friends.

My campaign team and me door knocked for almost two months and went to over 4,000 homes. We spoke to many people, and those discussions and ideas have been presented here. We had a wonderful time meeting everyone and hearing your stories and suggestions for improving Cochrane. Tonight, we rested and shared some tales of being on the trail. I am so thankful for my team, because without their help I would never have accomplished so much.

After two months, I can say that I am proud to live in this community, and it remains my community of choice for many years to come.

Tomorrow-please go and vote.

Today in Bow Meadows and West Valley

At 9:30 I started canvassing in Bow Meadows-despite the early hour, people answered their doors and took time to talk to me about the issues. I met some interesting people, and some old friends. Thanks to those who took time to vote today, especially Janet, my friend who made sure she voted! I was impressed.

Some of the issues there are speeding on the Bow River by speed boats, congestion on the Bow River, the pathway system that the Town just got finished, partying in the park until wee hours by young people, parking in the residential neighbourhood by people using the park, lack of maintenance of the public lands behind the houses, weeds, bylaw enforcement, and lack of bylaw enforcement, inability to get out of the neighbourhood easily during peak hours, lack of a second exit into the area, etc.

It was a full, and busy morning, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I spent chatting with people.

This afternoon, I went back again to West Valley. I really enjoyed the time talking with Wayne, Ken, Della, Colleen, and others who I don't know by name, and I know they will keep me on my toes if I am elected. I enjoyed sharing storied with everyone and look forward to representing all of you on council, when elected. (If elected?)

I enjoyed learning about concerns and issues that have already been dealt with elsewhere in this blog many times. The "painted pony" continues to raise its head, for example. Development and growth are also raised time and time again.

Thanks to everyone I met today for tkaing the time-it is greatly appreciated. Thanks to Myrna for the coffee and Judy for the great sign location!

The Bethany and Gleneagles Villas

On Friday, I spent the day in the snow! It was odd that Thursday was so warm and sunny and then Friday turned cold and wintery. I just wanted to put on a cozy fire and stay home, but with just three days left before the election I hit the streets instead. First, I visited the Bethany. Then I spent the rest of the day visiting people in the Villas. There is a story to be told there, but not on this blog. Generally, the people in the Villas are very supportive.

The pathways and weed issues are prevalent in that area, and the Town has done little if anything to control thistles and maintain a pathway system that connects the Villas to the golf course pathway system. I told people that CEAC does engage in weed pulls on a regular basis and that we currently have two CWY participants who are available for weed control. I know that this issue can be easily addressed given the new Weed Control Act. I would like to ensure that the Town has a stand alone weed control bylaw in place to help with this problem. Many invasive species can be controlled by hand pulling, so pesticides may not be required unless the weed infestation is out of control. There is one species that is out of control all along Highway 1A up the big hill, and as it was not dealt with this year will be worse next year. I hope to be able to work on those weeds next spring.

Like many people in other parts of Cochrane, people in Gleneagles really want the Town to lead by example and control weeds on public lands.

The issue of bareland condominium property taxes was raised loud and clear. People feel that if their condo property is not hooked up to and receiving similar services as other lots that they should not have to pay so much property taxes because they ahve to pay their own road clearance, park maintenance, sewer and water line upkeep, etc. I would like to look into this problem. There are 181 units in the Villas, and all pay significant property taxes. That is quite a bit of money collected by the Town for municipal purposes. They also pay the same water, sewer and other service distribution utility fees. In addition, their condo fees and maintenance fees are excessive. This is just to live in their homes. No-one explained the total impact of fees and taxes to many of these residents when the properties were purchased. I wonder why not?Perhaps it is time to reconsider the impact of all these fees and taxation policies on bareland condominium properties. Perhaps it is time to reconsider whether development of bareland condominium properties ought to be encouraged within our community. Just a thought. What do others think?

In August I was honoured to be profiled as a sustainability ambassador

Here is the link:

http://cochranesustainability.ca/take-action/ambassadors-judy/

I posted this in August, but maybe some new readers would like to learn more about the Cochrane Sustainability Plan- would be glad to chat to you about it.

Glenbow and West Valley-Visting Seniors

The last two days have been spent in Glenbow and West Valley and visiting seniors. Tomorrow I will get a chance to visit at the Bethany, and I hope to encourage people to get out and vote on Monday. Both days, I was helped out by Grace and Andy who make my job so easy-they are wonderful canvassers and I would be lost without them.

The two biggest issues in both Glenbow and West Valley were the brand and continued land development without services in place. People made many comments on the brand and as it turns out, this is a hot topic during this campaign. Many people are so upset that they will not be voting for anyone on the current council. It is not the expense, it is the fact that council did not listen to public feedback. This is the cornerstone of a number of issues. People feel that council does not care about public opinion. I want to work hard to restore public trust and have shared many ideas on how to do this.

I also heard a lot about unmanaged growth and lack of services. A few people stressed that the pool is an important facility, but they want a plebiscite. I heard loud and clear that people want an opportunity to vote on whether taxes should be increased to pay for the pool. We talked about options and partnerships and fundraising and people are quite excited about the possibility of being able to contribute in that way. One thing is for sure: if we have a plebiscite and the people vote against the pool, this council will not be able to proceed to develop it. That is an important consideration.

One person commented that I would add some knowledge and expertise to the planning process at the Town and she hopes I would ask to be a member of the Planning Commission. I am certainly interested, but first, I want to be elected and will be honoured to do whatever I can to improve my community.

Overall, the days have gone by quickly and, I think positively. I went to vote in the advance poll and it was very quiet. The next advance poll is Saturday 10-4 at the RancheHouse, and I hope to get to as many doors as I can before people go and vote.

Hope to see you at your door over the weekend if I haven't been by yet. Today I handed out my 3,450th brochure. I have about 650 to go so I hope I don't run out before Sunday at 7:30!

Monday and Tuesday

On Monday, Thanksgiving, I stayed home all day, made a turkey, pies, and all the fixings and had family and friends over for a feast. It was also my friend's birthday, and I made her a special cake which made her happy. I forgot how much fun it is to just sit and chat and play board games with family and friends.

Tuesday, I was out and about again. I visited people in Cochrane Heights, Glenbow and Riverview. Everywhere I went, people were happy to see me and I have never felt so appreciated as I feel after those visits. In some cases, people said they knew I would show up and had been waiting for the bell to ring. The smiles have been wonderful, and I feel like I am rediscovering so many friends.

The main issues in Cochrane Heights were the brand and the feeling that no-one on Council is listening to the people. One woman feels that the senior's centre being moved so far from the town centre is foolhardy and she wants it to be located in the old Rexall building. She says that the town has not really considered all the options and feels as if this is being pushed through like the brand-the public feedback is being ignored by the group designing the senior's centre at the rec centre. I need to learn more about this issue, to be sure.

On the other hand, I spent about a half hour talking with a senior in Bow Ridge who is pleased to move to the rec centre but feels the proposed space is multi purpose and too small. She wants the space dedicated to the seniors for their projects and programs and they don't want it to be used by every other group who needs space. That will interfere with their ongoing projects that they like to elave out and pick up to work on when they come and go. This facility will not resemble the current 50 and Over Club, which has many seniors feeling upset.

I also had a telephone call tonight from a senior who has taken part in the deliberations over the senior's centre and she is not pleased that I have not taken a stand on this issue in my newspaper ads or brochure. I said that I need to see the information and listen to everyone before I can decide anything. I have heard from several people that the centre is a done deal and that all decisions have been finalized. It is hard to get a good picture on this topic, given the different stories from people, all of whom I admire for their love of community and volunteerism.

In Glenbow, taxes was the main issue. People are worried that the council will want everything and raise taxes out of control and that people will not have a say. One woman said that we all need to learn that we can't have everything. She thinks that we need a plebiscite to determine whether to build a pool or not. We talked about facility cosntruction, partnerships and tax rates.

I talked with several people in Glenbow who say that they are pleased to have me on the ballot and that they are considering one vote for me because who else could they support? I am curious about this.

This sentiment was echoed in several senior's residential complexes. People there said no-one else has bothered to come by and explain anything about the election and so they were happy I stopped in. All in all, the last two days have made me more confident and hopeful that I may be elected. I must keep at the doors and allow people to tell me their issues-and if elected I must get to work to get some resolution to these matters. Council must rebuild trust and faith in the electoral system as a first step.

Tomorrow I will be at the doors from 11:00-7:30 with three different members of my campaign team. I am truly blessed to have such a committed group and I hope having us stop by is helping everyone learn more about the process.

Sunday I was in Bow Ridge

Last Sunday I canvassed from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm without a break in Bow Ridge. The area is very beautiful, well laid out and the people were wonderful to chat with, welcoming me into their homes and spending time chatting. I felt very honoured with the many compliments and encouragement I received. it was great to see people out raking leaves and cleaning their yards for winter.

Some folks were concenred with the lack of sidewalks and pathways in Bow Ridge and how people have to walk in the streets to get from one level to another and then down the road to conenct to the park. We did find two different sets of staircases, but what people are talking about is the ability to push a carriage and have a smooth surface to travel over to get to the park area.

One woman really feels we need more recreation programs for little people that are unparented-where she can drop her kids for a few hours where they can play and socialize. I talked with her about the preschools and playschools in Cochrane and some of the activities offered by different businesses, like dance and gymnastics. She said she would check those out as well. I also talked to her about the Parent Link and that seems to be well used by her and her friends with small children.

The concern about traffic and lack of access while growth continues in Jumping Pound Rise was a common issue repeated at almost every home where I stopped. People want to be able to get out of that area in an emergency, and feel that the development is adding to a growing traffic problem.

Most people want the town to enter a phase of growth management with "getting the house in order" before more residential growth is approved. They want the existing developments finished before we start developing any more lands.

One woman told me that she finds the people who work at the recycling depot very rude and unfriendly-she says that as a result she takes all her recycling to Calgary and she shops there too. We chatted about the blue box program and she was very excited about that because she will not have to deal with the recycling depot staff. I use the depot all the time, and do not find the operators rude, but my husband sure does and has complained to me about it. Interesting!

I was very happy with the response I received in Bow Ridge and am very sorry if we disturbed anyone's Thnaksgiving Dinner. Thanks for all the time you spent with me at your doors.

On Saturday last weekend I was in West Terrace

I was very fortunate to be able to canvass most of West Terrace last Saturday-I still have a few homes to go in that neighbourhood, and I did go back there this morning to chat with people in a cul de sac and make sure my signs were still up. It seem like someone likes my signs because several have gone missing from private property.

The conversations I had in West Valley were mostly with respect to the brand. People were not impressed with the process council used to push that through. They want council to listen to public feedback and not ignore it.

One woman is concerned with the density of day homes in one part of West Terrace. She feels that Council should look at where these facilities are being developed and the imapct they have on residential communities for parking and traffic.

Traffic was a big issue for almost everyone I talked to, as well as speeding and lack of a second access to the area. Another huge issue was weeds in public areas and the lack of maintenance of these public spaces by the town.

I had a long chat with two people about the warm water pool and we discussed the possibilities for funding its development as a stand alone private facility, or as a part of the leisure pool being proposed-also know as the aquatic centre. Both saw the value in having such a facility in Cochrane and believe that it could be operated by Alberta Health.

Five different people complained that there is a lack of responsiveness when they send issues to the council for resolution. Many feel that they are ignored.

One man spent a great deal of time talking to me about my term as mayor. He explained the issues and how he was unsure about whether he could support me this time around. I enjoyed the conversation and learned a lot from it-generally, he, like everyone else I met in West Terrace, wants to feel that council members care, listen to the public and have the best interests of the citizens at heart. He was very pleased that I want to keep taxes as low as possible-this is a huge issue for many people.

Again, two younger families are concerned that Walmart will locate in Cochrane and destroy the downtown business community. I am surprised by the number of younger families who do not want Walmart. This morning a senior echoed their view. Generally, seniors I meet do want a Walmart in town because they feel they can afford to shop at Walmart for many goods and services and prefer not to travel to Calgary.

I also met a number of families who like the current council and feel they have done a good job. Generally, people support the current mayor and will probably vote for him because he is sticking to his platform.

I enjoyed West Terrace, and will be in that area and West Valley again tomorrow-all day! I hope to see you when I come by!

Black henbane

In case anyone wants to know what this plant looks like, here it is. The seeds are poisonous to animals and people.

On Saturday, West Terrace

All day Saturday, we campaigned in West Pointe and West Terrace. It was interesting to talk to so many people about new issues that had not surfaced elsewhere. I spoke with many old friends, and I was surprised by some of the things they had been hearing, gossip mostly.

In West Pointe, the biggest issue is the lack of care of the municipal reserves and lands along the Bow River. Weeds are everywhere. People want to know if the Town has issued the final acceptance certificate, and if so, why hasn't the Town done anything to maintain the area? They would also like a tot lot closer to West Pointe. There is a small municipal reserve near the pumphouse that could accomodate a tot lot, and it seems to me that space should be used for that purpose. Right now, it is just a weed patch. Last year, I went into that area on two occasions and pulled black henbane and thistle. As a result, there is very little black henbane left and the thistle is manageable with another weedpull this spring. I hope the Town will follow through, as the riverbank ought to be properly attended to. There is also a storm water outfall that is causing significant erosion of the river bank and sedimentation of the water. The Town should look after that right away.

October 9-10: West Terrace and Bow Ridge

The last two days, my sister Michi and I canvassed in West Terrace and Bow Ridge. We met so many people (and their dogs and cats, all of which were wonderful animals) and discussed so many issues it is hard to know where to start. I will do my best to summarize our visits in the tomorrow when I get my notes in order. Right now, my thoughts are on the turkey I will be serving tomorrow for Thanksgiving, the pies I have to make, the vegetables to peel, etc. All in all, I have plenty to be thankful for. Especially my sister, Michi! She is fantastic.

To all the people who follow this blog-Happy Thanksgiving. To all who may have had their dinner interrupted today when I came by, sorry for the disruption and I hope your Thanksgiving with family and friends was delightful.

October 8, 2010-West Pointe and Riverview

Yesterday, I canvassed during the day in West Pointe and met several families who shared their concerns with me. More on that later.

Sunterra

I campaigned in Sunterra with my friend Sharon and her son Cairan. We were able to finish the entire area in about two hours, and we talked with about 25 families. Generally, the people who live in Sunterra who took time to chat with us were encouraging and offered several suggestions for improvements in the Town.

First, they recommend that the Town be more responsive to citizens when citizens file complaints. For example, they would like their pathway system improved to ensure that the kids can get to school quickly. They say that they complaints are not properly addressed, and the Town and councillors regularly ignore their requests.

Second, they want a marked crosswalk for the kids when they come down the hill from Sunterra because it is a very dangerous place for the kids to cross 4th Avenue to get to their schools-apparently there was a crosswalk that the town deliberately removed. This is a big question mark-why?

Third, the Town needs to do better maintenance in the cemetery, especially with respect to headstones that seem to be sinking. This is very stressful to the families of thoe who are buried there. The residents also complained of burning odours from the processes being used at the cemetery to maintain the area. I checked out the issue, and could not detect any smell, but it should be investigated if it is a recurring issue.

Fourth, several people asked what I think about the new logo, and I was candid in giving my opinion on that-I am not a fan. The new logo does not reflect my sense of community or what Cochrane is all about. I am not sure why we need to "rebrand" at all-it was, in my opinion a colossal failure and waste of time and money.

There were many questions about the pool, performing arts centre, transit and growth: generally, people want the Town to get its hosue in order before allowing any more growth.

Many thanks to Sharon and Cairan. Your help and support mean a great deal to me. To those in Sunterra who spent time talking with me, I would love to be your voice on council for the next three years.

October 6-9, 2010

This has been an intense period of door to door campaigning in three areas of Town: Riverview, Sunterra and West Pointe/West Terrace. Overall, support has been excellent with many different issues raised at the doors. I am trying to get to talk to everyone, and I am making good progress.

On Wednesday evening, I campaigned in Riverview by myself until dark. The next evening I went back with Andy, and on Thursday, I went back to finish the final cul de sac. Issues raised included everything from use of the greens for more housing, which I strongly oppose now and into the future, to raising taxes, and growth. The Riverview entrance sign is in terrible disrepair and citizens want the Town to clean it up and restore to its original state.Citizens want to know if the Town is checking to ensure that the developer of the condos in the east side of Riverview is meeting the conditions that were imposed on the development. Apparently, there are a number of conditions that were never met, and the developer has failed to come through on his promises of trees, landscaping and improvements on the greens.

Two families in Riverview had similar questions about ensuring that there are blue box type receptacles along the Riverview pathways for pop bottles and cans-they say that everyone just throws these valuable recyclables into the garbage cans, and the town could be collecting and returning them for cash if the Town provided these receptacles-sounds like a good idea.

The same two families made inquiries about the gravel being cleaned and separated on the Domtar lands. They want to know who owns that gravel and why the Town is not charging the developer business taxes for gravel mining operations and gravel products that are being collected and sold to LaFarge. Why is the Town deferring all taxes on this site when the developer who owns the land is clearly profitting from the sale of minerals, no different than Burnco or Robinson extraction operations. Great questions. I hope to find out more and post here later.

There were many questions about the dumping of gravel and topsoil in the floodplain area near the recreation centre and why that is being done and by whom. Generally, there is dust and noise associated with all the operations in the Domtar and industrial area, and people want to make sure air quality is safe and that the Town enforces its noise bylaw.

Overall, people are happy to see me in Riverview and are saying that they will be voting. I was asked about advance polls:

October 12: RancheHouse 4-8
October 14: RancheHouse 4-8
October 16: RancheHouse 10-4

Also, if a person wants to find out more about mail in ballots they can call (403) 851-2526.

Monday, October 4, 2010-East End Cochrane

I had the pleasure of campaigning in the East End on Monday before attending the Legion Ladies Auxillary meeting, where I was made a member. My friend Mona has been after me for years to come on board and I am glad I finally did it in memory of my family members who participated in World War II. I have to say I look forward to the November Poppy Tea at the Legion, and I have raffle tickets to sell. For $1.00 you can buy a ticket and if you win, a basket of goodies put together by the Ladies is yours. The Ladies Auxillary provides all the food for the events they host and man can they cook! You don't want to miss it!

In the East End I talked primarily with young families (between the ages of 20-30) about the issues. They were very concerned about the length of time it has taken the developer on Mountain Street to finish the condos there, and the condition of their streets. Apparently, they called the Town many times about the project and nothing has been done-like paving the back alley and keeping Mountain Street open for normal traffic. It does appear that the condos are now complete, but the lack of Council's and adminsitration's responsiveness to their calls made people cranky. This is a common problem throughout Town as I go door to door. Council has not listened-they have made empty promises and spoken platitudes but nothing gets done. One man said that Council may pretend to hear but if you disagree or continue to call on issues you are put on the do-not-respond-to-this person list! Wow! I must be on that list, too!

In the East End, people are concerned about Centre Avenue and the intersection with Highway 1A, as well as the failure of the Town to keep up with services and infrastructure given the extensive sprawl. One young man said "Sustainability! Really! What does that mean to you? This is not sustainability when it takes a half hour to get from one end of a 17,000 population town to the other end." I said I would come back and talk to him more about the Sustainability Plan, and he was agreeable.

I had many discussions about what should be Council's priority projects, and most people I talked to want existing infrastructure improved and maintained before we go into debt for major projects. This is important, as the media seem to think that Council priorities should be big ticket items like the pool and arts centre. What people are telling me is that they want safety, mobility and security of basic services like water and sewer as first priorities. Not new expensive tailored parks: instead, they want existing municipal lands maintained and weed free before we invest in any grandiose new infrastructure! Interesting indeed, and I have to agree with what I am hearing.

Tuesday, during the afternoon, I campaigned in the East End again, and the issues were the same. One woman remarked that we need to look at tax incentives to get more commerce and industry to locate here. She noted that we have a lot of empty commercial space in the East End and industrial area and she is concerned that the current council has not attracted more business. I was reminded that a woman on Chinook Drive where I talked to people before the Forum on Sunday night, had discussed with me the possibility of getting a panel of downtown businesses together to form a Downtown Business Association to create a strategic plan for maintaining the historic downtown while attracting compatible and supportive businesses in the industrial area. I know where to start to get this going when elected.

Generally, people of all ages in the East End are encouraging me to keep up the pace, and are glad to see me. One couple said they were so disillusioned with the current Council that they were not going to vote until I came and talked to them. They said that the time I spent and the attitude of respect I showed them as "ordinary citizens" has convinced them to vote. I am humbled. They also said if I am on Council, they want to help, not only in the community association, but in projects across Town.

I apologize to anyone who is disturbed by my door knocking at 7:45 because I do try to make 8:00 my cut off.

Long Time Since the Last Posting-Campaigning

I will be writing a new post later about the Forum. The newspapers certianly glossed over the issues raised, and I would like to inform my blog followers of the important questions that were raised there. Wait for me on this.

I have been out campaigning every night since the Forum, getting back late with work and all my other volunteer work to attend to until late in the wee hours of the morning. Some of you may be receiving email responses from 3:00 am. So, this blog has had a repose. But I am ready to fill you in on my walk abouts. Look to the latest post above.

Cochrane Heights and the All Candidates Forum

Yesterday, I knocked doors in Cochrane Heights with my friend Grace. Some of the issues we heard from citizens concerned old sewage infrastructure, issues with tree cutting and lack of tree cutting, Domtar land redevelopment and the process involved from a historic perspective, the lack of growth management to ensure facilities and services are in place, and lack of follow up and follow through by Town council members and adminsitration to address citizen issues. Some people in Cochrane Heights feel that the town does not care about them. High taxes and lack of explanation of the net benefit of taxation were also raised as issues: one person wondered why the Town did so much hiring and consultant engagement during a recession and queried why our staff are not able to do some of the work given to consultants.

The Town really should take a good look at underground infrastructure that is being put to the limit in older parts of Town when tied into new pipelines and underground services from newer communities. This common concern that we do little to maintain our existing infrastructure and to ensure it can handle tie ins from newer areas, was expressed as a major problem that causes thousands of dollars to homeowners in the area without any hope of compensation by the Town.

There was some discussion about the branding process and how that was handled by the current council. Overall, the old friends I saw again, and the new people I talked to were encouraging and wished me success, and I am grateful to everyone who took the time. I will get back into Cochrane Heights before the end of this week.

In the evening, I attended the All Candidates Forum at Frank Wills Hall that was hosted by the Cochrane Settlement Community Association. It was well attended by people from all over town, and I will submit a separate posting for some of my observations from that event. It was very good of the community association to hold the forum and give candidates an opportunity to meet with interested and engaged citizens and with each other.

Riversong

I was delighted with Riversong, but agree with the citizens I met there that the residential road into their community should not also be an industrial road for gravel trucks. This has been an ongoing issue for many years, even before the development started, and still nothing has been done to ensure that the gravel pit operator has more appropriate access to his lands that does not interfere with residential peaceful enjoyment of property. Gravel truck operations so close to a school is also not appropriate-this is a residential neighbourhood; not an industrial area.

Since the developer turned the residential road over to the Town, the Town does not sweep the streets or keep the dust down like the developer used to. The Town is not monitoring the industrial traffic to ensure that the road is not being damaged-it is being damgaed already by heavy truck usage. The operator runs fulltime, and the dust and noise are huge problems for citizens in the area.

Like people in Gleneagles, the people in Riversong are very concerned about high taxes and are not sure why the Town can contemplate an increase in taxes when they are already so high. They would like to see the Town enter into a public consultation process so that they can understand the benefits they receive for the high taxes paid. They want the Town to stop the urban sprawl and get facilities in place before continuing to grow if it means more increases in their taxes.

Tomorrow I will be in Cochrane Heights with my friend Grace. I wonder what issues I will discover in that part of Town? See you there.

Gleneagles and Riversong

Thanks for following this blog. I hope you are finding it informative as you prepare to make your choices for council members in the election on October 18th. If you are unsure of where to vote, you can email me at stewart.jmm@gmail.com. You can also link in to the Town's website and find election information there. http://www.cochrane.ca/

Today, Kelsey canvassed with me in Gleneagles and we finished two entire communities and part of a third. What a varied and interesting neighbourhood, and Kelsey is a wonderful and motivating canvasser to be out and about with, to be sure.

In the first neighbourhood near the Mormon Church, I met many young families with so many interesting ideas. The area was developed as a bareland condominium property, and there are many concerns and issues arising from that property arrangement.

First, the entrance into Gleneagles off Highway 1A is an accident waiting to happen. It is time for the Town to put traffic control lights at that intersection-it is impossible to turn left to go down the hill into Cochrane on a Saturday. Turning right requires steady nerves and a sense that anything could happen-something must be done as soon as possible to rectify the situation there. Maybe some traffic lights?

Second, if you live in those houses, your children have to use acrosswalk that is dangerous to get to the school bus, and it is not appropriate for use by children. People who turn into Gleneagles from Highway 1A, or who are approaching Highway 1A from below the hill in other phases of Gleneagles speed along without paying much heed to that crosswalk. It needs to be better controlled, and perhaps some speed attenuation bumps or other devices to slow people down there is required. I watched traffic at that intersection and I would not allow my children to use that crosswalk to get to the bus unattended. Something more must be done, and a set of overhead flashing lights to remind drivers that pedestrians use that crosswalk are required.

Third, taxes are extremely high, given that the bareland condo has its own charges for internal street cleaning, snow removal etc. People wonder what they receive from the Town that justifies the high taxes. I explained the market value assessment process, the taxation process and the taxation review process. I hope people will take advantage of the information I provided.

Fourth, there is no pathway connection to the rest of the community-there is no where to walk safely, as there are no sidewalks and the only road to town is a windy two lane connector down the hill that is not suitable for pedestrian traffic given there are no sidewalks or associated pathways that run parellel. There are no paths, trails, garbage cans, snow removal-so what are citizens in the bareland condo paying such high taxes for? There is no room to park on the streets and there would be a problem if emergency vehicles had to access the neighbourhood. I am surprised that the Town planners allowed this bareland condo development that obviously does not meet the standards for other developments in Cochrane. What were they thinking?

Fifth, the noise!!!!! The homes adjacent to the fence that abuts Highway 1A are subject to so much noise that it is unpleasant to be outside. The Town will need to look into noise attenuation barriers soon-and I wonder why proper noise attenuation was not required of the developer. Why do the general taxpayers have to pay for something that was so obviously necessary and the responsibility of the developer at the time the lands were developed? THis has not resulted in a higher standard of living or better quality of life for these young families. It makes no sense to me that this development proceeded without sound attenuation from the onset.

People who live in these houses are very happy with their view and their neighbourhood, but they really feel that the council has not listened to them or addressed their concerns appropriately.

In Phase 1 of Gleneagles, people tended to be more concerned with growth, the need for a pool and taxes. Many people talked with me and encouraged me, and I was truly motivated. If elected, I will work hard to ensure that the citizens of Gleneagles are properly represented at the council table, as they do have a wonderful neighbourhood, but need to be listened to and their issues addressed.

I also began canvassing in the Estates of Gleneagles before running out of time. I was pleased with the reception there, and I think I encouraged a few people to attend the Forum at Frank Wills tomorrow night to see all the candidates in action.

I will address Riversong in a different post.

West Valley

Last evening, I canvassed in West Valley. I am pleased with the reception I am receiving, and thank everyone who took time to speak with me. It was nice to meet a family who are excited about the possibility of public transit and community gardens. Generally, people I talk with are unsure if we can afford a new transit system given the costs of maintenance. The same family was very concerned about urban sprawl and the new developments that are destroying natural habitat. We talked about the possibility of restoration of these environments, and I was able to explain about the CEAC project that is underway at the Toyota wetland that is an amazing partnership to restore the pond there.

Generally, the main issue raised in this community in West Valley was traffic congestion downtown, especially when there is a train passing through, and the amount of growth we are experiencing without proper services in place to accomodate all the new people.

Today, (Saturday) I convassed with Kelsey in three different communities in Gleneagles and then went off to Riversong in the evening. I missed the CEAC Film Festival, (I hope CEAC members will forgive me) but attended the Cochrane Music Society Barbeque with my husband who plays in the band and sings in the choir. The food was great, and it was great to chat with and see all my band friends again, as I used to play a trombone in the band until 3 years ago. Two of my friends told me I better come by their neighbourhood soon!!! I will create another post for what I learned from citizens today in Gleneagles and Riversong.

Tomorrow is the All Candidates Forum at the Frank Wills Hall from 7-9, everyone is welcome. Please come out! During the day I will be canvassing in Cochrane Heights.