As I go around town, many citizens talk about public transit and the buses being proposed for purchase by this Council. People are for and against the buses in varying degrees, but the overwhelming statement is that they hope we can afford it. For some people, they just want more open disclosure and information.
People are concerned that we are competing with private enterprise and that perhaps Council should not make any decisions with respect to expenditure on buses until after the election. It is quite a hot topic no matter where I go in Town. I have to agree that Southland should be brought into the picture and they must be on board with the Town's plans.
Public transit is something I support in principle for a number of reasons as stated in the Cochrane Sustainability Plan as a long term solution to many social, economic and environmental problems. However, it would be great if the community could be asked for their support of such a system before any significant money is spent. With community support, the Town can do anything successfully. Without community buy-in and request for such a service, introducing public transit at this time may lead to a divided community. Maybe more time is needed to properly review the proposals. If public transit as is proposed is a good thing for Cochrane and the region given the money during this "green trip" funding opportunity, it will still be a good thing after the election. What's the rush? I just hope nothing is rammed through to avoid a reasoned debate with all opinions and interests on the table. That is what people are saying, and I agree with them.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The last Saturday in September
Yesterday, as I campaigned around town I noticed the golden leaves everywhere along Cochrane's ravine systems and the Bow River. This is truly a lovely town, and fall displays the wonderful natural environment we enjoy. I spent half the day in Glenbow, the other half in Bow Meadows and the evening in the East End. I find that by meeting with citizens in all different parts of Town, I am able to get a better picture of the real common issues and shared community values.
In Glenbow, most people aare concerned about increased traffic and unmanaged growth, and several comments were made about vandalism of fences and yards. Several citizens were concerned with the Town's failure to maintain park areas. Of particular note, the Town has removed the playground equipment from a tot lot and never replaced it, nor did the Town take the time to re-landscape the area. As a result, the area has a garbage can and a few large rocks, and is empty space with an uneven surface for any kind of physcial activity, for example soccer or ball. The Town has done something similar in Cochrane Heights, whereby they removed all the playground equipment from a tot lot next to a residential area and simply did not replace it, even though the original developer dedicated the land for that purpose. The community association in Cochrane Heights has asked repeatedly for it to be replaced and the Town has done nothing about it.
I find it interesting that the Town asks community associations to attend meetings with a few members of council and adminsitration. The associations attend and relate their concerns, but nothing ever changes. I have to wonder if there is any point in these meetings or if they are just opportunities for certain councillors to extend offers to help to raise their political profiles. For example, in the East End, our community association has asked that the noise bylaw be enforced many times, and the noise issue seems to grow rather than lessen. It is really a problem for people who live adjacent to the industrial lands which were developed after the residential neighbourhood. We also told this group of councillors that we have serious concerns about the location of a proposed sidewalk, and the Town did nothing to assist the landowners to learn more about their plans-it was the community association that took over citizen notification and education about what Council was doing. If the Councillors really want to continue these meetings, they should make sure that the community associations have their issues addressed promptly so that there is something new on every agenda rather than posturing and rehashing and new promises every meeting. I would sure like to help make those sessions more collaborative and effective-and get something done!
In Bow Meadows, some citizens are still conerned that a promised pathway system in the Jumping Pound Creek floodway that was washed out in 2005 and again in 2008 has not yet been built. It seems as if the Town takes forever to get some of these simple projects done. I sure hope they have proper provincial and federal permits to work in the Jumping Pound floodway to reinstate the pathway there using the proposed culverts and hard infrastructure, all of which will likely be washed out again if the area floods in the future. There were more environmentally friendly and effective methods available to ensure that citizens had access to those hydrologically sensitive lands, but those were rejected by Council at the time. Hopefully, this project gets done quickly.
One citizen in Bow Meadows commented that he is tired of "fighting city hall", because it seems like every time there is an issue in Bow Meadows the whole community is expected to attend meetings to express their community opinions.
In Bow Meadows, I was greeted with enthusiasm and much support, and it was the first community where anyone brought up the "brand" issue. People there are not very happy with how this Council pushed the new brand down our collective throats. It has left a bad taste to many citizens, and a "tendency to gag"! I have to agree.
In the East End, citizens were concerned about the Highway 1A and Centre Ave intersection where they have to wait for long periods to turn onto Highway 1A to leave for work in the city or to get off Highway 1A into town at night on the way home. There are near misses everyday. Probably the most important note from two families I talked with was the need for some part time jobs in town for stay at home moms who may want to work while the kids are in school. People look forward to the Walmart shopping complex and see this development as an opportunity to work part of the day at retail and other jobs as a means of second income. Everyone I talked to in the East End is worried about taxation and cannot understand the system or why taxes fluctuate. There is a great need for education on the market value system and the taxation rate and why the Town seems to continue to raise taxes unchecked. People do not want Cochrane to become an elitist community where only the wealthy can continue to live here.
One woman in the East End wants to have a pesticide bylaw put in place to control the cosmetic application of pesticides on both public and private lands, and I agreed that we waste a lot of money on pesticides to get rid of dandelions and the like. Of note, those chemicals flow directly off our lawns into the storm drains and into the Bow River and tributaries. I would be happy to help the Town to get such a bylaw in place to regulate and control the cosmetic application of pesticides, and promote naturescaping as an alternative to pesticide application as well as a water conservation strategy.
That's all for now! See you out there in a bit! Thanks to all of you for taking the time to chat with me. I am enjoying every moment.
In Glenbow, most people aare concerned about increased traffic and unmanaged growth, and several comments were made about vandalism of fences and yards. Several citizens were concerned with the Town's failure to maintain park areas. Of particular note, the Town has removed the playground equipment from a tot lot and never replaced it, nor did the Town take the time to re-landscape the area. As a result, the area has a garbage can and a few large rocks, and is empty space with an uneven surface for any kind of physcial activity, for example soccer or ball. The Town has done something similar in Cochrane Heights, whereby they removed all the playground equipment from a tot lot next to a residential area and simply did not replace it, even though the original developer dedicated the land for that purpose. The community association in Cochrane Heights has asked repeatedly for it to be replaced and the Town has done nothing about it.
I find it interesting that the Town asks community associations to attend meetings with a few members of council and adminsitration. The associations attend and relate their concerns, but nothing ever changes. I have to wonder if there is any point in these meetings or if they are just opportunities for certain councillors to extend offers to help to raise their political profiles. For example, in the East End, our community association has asked that the noise bylaw be enforced many times, and the noise issue seems to grow rather than lessen. It is really a problem for people who live adjacent to the industrial lands which were developed after the residential neighbourhood. We also told this group of councillors that we have serious concerns about the location of a proposed sidewalk, and the Town did nothing to assist the landowners to learn more about their plans-it was the community association that took over citizen notification and education about what Council was doing. If the Councillors really want to continue these meetings, they should make sure that the community associations have their issues addressed promptly so that there is something new on every agenda rather than posturing and rehashing and new promises every meeting. I would sure like to help make those sessions more collaborative and effective-and get something done!
In Bow Meadows, some citizens are still conerned that a promised pathway system in the Jumping Pound Creek floodway that was washed out in 2005 and again in 2008 has not yet been built. It seems as if the Town takes forever to get some of these simple projects done. I sure hope they have proper provincial and federal permits to work in the Jumping Pound floodway to reinstate the pathway there using the proposed culverts and hard infrastructure, all of which will likely be washed out again if the area floods in the future. There were more environmentally friendly and effective methods available to ensure that citizens had access to those hydrologically sensitive lands, but those were rejected by Council at the time. Hopefully, this project gets done quickly.
One citizen in Bow Meadows commented that he is tired of "fighting city hall", because it seems like every time there is an issue in Bow Meadows the whole community is expected to attend meetings to express their community opinions.
In Bow Meadows, I was greeted with enthusiasm and much support, and it was the first community where anyone brought up the "brand" issue. People there are not very happy with how this Council pushed the new brand down our collective throats. It has left a bad taste to many citizens, and a "tendency to gag"! I have to agree.
In the East End, citizens were concerned about the Highway 1A and Centre Ave intersection where they have to wait for long periods to turn onto Highway 1A to leave for work in the city or to get off Highway 1A into town at night on the way home. There are near misses everyday. Probably the most important note from two families I talked with was the need for some part time jobs in town for stay at home moms who may want to work while the kids are in school. People look forward to the Walmart shopping complex and see this development as an opportunity to work part of the day at retail and other jobs as a means of second income. Everyone I talked to in the East End is worried about taxation and cannot understand the system or why taxes fluctuate. There is a great need for education on the market value system and the taxation rate and why the Town seems to continue to raise taxes unchecked. People do not want Cochrane to become an elitist community where only the wealthy can continue to live here.
One woman in the East End wants to have a pesticide bylaw put in place to control the cosmetic application of pesticides on both public and private lands, and I agreed that we waste a lot of money on pesticides to get rid of dandelions and the like. Of note, those chemicals flow directly off our lawns into the storm drains and into the Bow River and tributaries. I would be happy to help the Town to get such a bylaw in place to regulate and control the cosmetic application of pesticides, and promote naturescaping as an alternative to pesticide application as well as a water conservation strategy.
That's all for now! See you out there in a bit! Thanks to all of you for taking the time to chat with me. I am enjoying every moment.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Signs
In case anyone wonders, I do not have any signs on public lands this election. I am only putting signs on private property where someone asks for a sign from me. This is to prevent vandalism and I refuse to litter public lands with signage.
I noticed today that someone has torn down all the signs that were posted by the Alliance Church, and I would ask people to stop doing such a wasteful and destructive act. These signs are paid for by the candidates and are valuable private property. There is no need to touch what does not belong to you, as my mother would say.
Please, let's all be respectful of one another this election and support the candidates who are working so hard to become your representatives. To show how serious I am about this, I will take the time to stop by the Alliance Church on my campaign today and put those signs back up-and candidates-I know you read this-use screws instead of staples on your stakes-staples don't work and give vandals a means to destroy your hard work keeping signs in place-if you have used staples I won't be able to put them back if I see them lying flat!.
Let's work hard together and play fair for the next three weeks! Elections are about community building, not wasteful and childish vandalism or stupid acts of retaliation and vengence!
I noticed today that someone has torn down all the signs that were posted by the Alliance Church, and I would ask people to stop doing such a wasteful and destructive act. These signs are paid for by the candidates and are valuable private property. There is no need to touch what does not belong to you, as my mother would say.
Please, let's all be respectful of one another this election and support the candidates who are working so hard to become your representatives. To show how serious I am about this, I will take the time to stop by the Alliance Church on my campaign today and put those signs back up-and candidates-I know you read this-use screws instead of staples on your stakes-staples don't work and give vandals a means to destroy your hard work keeping signs in place-if you have used staples I won't be able to put them back if I see them lying flat!.
Let's work hard together and play fair for the next three weeks! Elections are about community building, not wasteful and childish vandalism or stupid acts of retaliation and vengence!
East End and Glenbow
Last night, I worked in the East End. There are many concerns about traffic and noise, and of particular interest, one family raised concerns about a tow truck business and day homes operating from residential areas in other parts of town without proper office in the home permits. Bylaws are another concern, because people think no-one enforces the bylaws and complaints are not resolved in any way anyone can predict.
The entire transportation network throughout the community is questioned because of increased traffic due to growth in all sectors. People using Griffin Road to access recreational facilities are competing with industrial traffic, logging trucks, school buses, etc and the intersections need improvements-for example, why not have right turn lanes at the four way stop at River and Griffin so that people can move through the intersection without having to wait at a four way stop for those going through the intersection east west? There is plenty of room to accommodate these right turn lanes. I thought the issues raised were very helpful and the proposed solutions reasonable.
Today I will be in Glenbow and Bow Meadows. I hope to get everywhere before the election so I better get a move on!
The entire transportation network throughout the community is questioned because of increased traffic due to growth in all sectors. People using Griffin Road to access recreational facilities are competing with industrial traffic, logging trucks, school buses, etc and the intersections need improvements-for example, why not have right turn lanes at the four way stop at River and Griffin so that people can move through the intersection without having to wait at a four way stop for those going through the intersection east west? There is plenty of room to accommodate these right turn lanes. I thought the issues raised were very helpful and the proposed solutions reasonable.
Today I will be in Glenbow and Bow Meadows. I hope to get everywhere before the election so I better get a move on!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Riverside Place; Riverview and Carolina Drive
When canvassing, it sometimes gets dark before you complete a neighbourhood. Somedays, I spend the whole time circling the community and finishing off neighbourhoods where this has happened. Yesterday, I really enjoyed all these visits, despite the rain.
In Riverside Place, I met Paul and Ed who took the time to tell me about their common issues with the Millenium Creek restoration which has altered the nature of the spring fed creek they used to enjoy. I will definitely be looking into this matter. Sometimes, these restoration projects can interfere with nature, so to speak, and this is what seems to have occurred. Apparently, that area used to have several species of birds and now they are gone. This indicates interference with food sources and nesting habitat. It is worth looking into. As well, while the sound barrier is much appreciated, it is a concern that the bottom of the barrier was never finished properly. That should be attended to. The concern is that the Town does not follow through on its construction contracts to completion and we get substandard installations. I checked the sound barrier on the way out, and the residents' concerns are valid.
In Riverview, several citizens spoke with me. I did not find those missing eyeglasses on my tour-sorry! However, I did speak with two families quite extensively. The major concern is speeding, but second to that is the concern that the neighbourhood is being redeveloped without Area Structure Planning. For example, Rocky View is selling its property near the bridge, and the Town is not acquiring it as was assumed. Who is buying that land, and for what purposes? While some citizens welcome Walmart, some are worried about the fate of the local business community who cannot compete with such a large retailer downtown. All are pleased to have the Domtar lands redeveloped after clean-up, and hope that the Town will require a sidewalk on Griffin Road to connect them to the new commercial area and the Safeway/Canadian Tire complex. They were also concerned that there is no direct connection between Riverview and Bow Valley School where their children attend. I agree that there should be walking paths to enable a healthier lifestyle for the kids to get to school rather than having to be bussed.
People I spoke with in Riverview are concerned with the Fireside development in the southwest corner of Town. They were worried about the Town's treatment of wetlands and natural habitat, and don't understand why development was allowed to leapfrog over the country residential homes adjacent to George Fox Trail. I too am concerned by this development and have spoken out many times about the issues. The development should not have preceded a proper Area C Area Structure Planning process that was promised during annexation talks with Rocky View. It seems that the last two councils have breached that annexation agreement in several ways. The relationships between Cochrane and Rocky View were fantastic in 2004, and I wonder what is going on.
There are also issues with lack of maintenance of green spaces and playgrounds, and care for trees that were planted in the park areas. This issue is common everywhere I go-the Town is not maintaining the parks and common areas with any level of attention that people can enjoy.
I finished off the evening on Carolina Drive. Great conversations there. I was very happy to chat about the Town's Request For Proposal process that does not seem to target local entrepreneurs and businesses. The "shop local" mantra of the late 1990s has been set aside, even though shopping locally is one of the 13 Pathways of the Cochrane Sustainability Plan. The Town needs to ensure that local entrepreneurs are sought out in the RFP process and can fairly tender on projects. For example, if the Town wants Dell computers, no local company can bid on that because only Dell sells Dell. Maybe what the Town needs to do is look at what they want the computer system to achieve and then ask for proposal from local companies who can provide those exact specifications at the most reasonable price. If you say you want IPads and IPhones only Mac can provide those. If you want the computer capabilities of those specific models maybe we could ask the local computer agencies to tender on the required specifications. As well, introducing Macs into the Town is not cost effective because we have PCs throughout the corporation. Interesting, huh!?
The Town's RFP process is something I want to look at carefully. It is unacceptable to have 2-5 people tendering proposals for the work we need done in any project. Why are we not attracting a whole bunch of tenders? Who is on the RFP list? How do you get on the RFP list? Great questions that I will review once elected.
Water supply was the topic of the evening with one citizen. We discussed the transfer system and the selling of water. Cochrane needs a secure water supply, and once elected I will go after it. We cannot continue to grow without a secure water supply in place.
In Riverside Place, I met Paul and Ed who took the time to tell me about their common issues with the Millenium Creek restoration which has altered the nature of the spring fed creek they used to enjoy. I will definitely be looking into this matter. Sometimes, these restoration projects can interfere with nature, so to speak, and this is what seems to have occurred. Apparently, that area used to have several species of birds and now they are gone. This indicates interference with food sources and nesting habitat. It is worth looking into. As well, while the sound barrier is much appreciated, it is a concern that the bottom of the barrier was never finished properly. That should be attended to. The concern is that the Town does not follow through on its construction contracts to completion and we get substandard installations. I checked the sound barrier on the way out, and the residents' concerns are valid.
In Riverview, several citizens spoke with me. I did not find those missing eyeglasses on my tour-sorry! However, I did speak with two families quite extensively. The major concern is speeding, but second to that is the concern that the neighbourhood is being redeveloped without Area Structure Planning. For example, Rocky View is selling its property near the bridge, and the Town is not acquiring it as was assumed. Who is buying that land, and for what purposes? While some citizens welcome Walmart, some are worried about the fate of the local business community who cannot compete with such a large retailer downtown. All are pleased to have the Domtar lands redeveloped after clean-up, and hope that the Town will require a sidewalk on Griffin Road to connect them to the new commercial area and the Safeway/Canadian Tire complex. They were also concerned that there is no direct connection between Riverview and Bow Valley School where their children attend. I agree that there should be walking paths to enable a healthier lifestyle for the kids to get to school rather than having to be bussed.
People I spoke with in Riverview are concerned with the Fireside development in the southwest corner of Town. They were worried about the Town's treatment of wetlands and natural habitat, and don't understand why development was allowed to leapfrog over the country residential homes adjacent to George Fox Trail. I too am concerned by this development and have spoken out many times about the issues. The development should not have preceded a proper Area C Area Structure Planning process that was promised during annexation talks with Rocky View. It seems that the last two councils have breached that annexation agreement in several ways. The relationships between Cochrane and Rocky View were fantastic in 2004, and I wonder what is going on.
There are also issues with lack of maintenance of green spaces and playgrounds, and care for trees that were planted in the park areas. This issue is common everywhere I go-the Town is not maintaining the parks and common areas with any level of attention that people can enjoy.
I finished off the evening on Carolina Drive. Great conversations there. I was very happy to chat about the Town's Request For Proposal process that does not seem to target local entrepreneurs and businesses. The "shop local" mantra of the late 1990s has been set aside, even though shopping locally is one of the 13 Pathways of the Cochrane Sustainability Plan. The Town needs to ensure that local entrepreneurs are sought out in the RFP process and can fairly tender on projects. For example, if the Town wants Dell computers, no local company can bid on that because only Dell sells Dell. Maybe what the Town needs to do is look at what they want the computer system to achieve and then ask for proposal from local companies who can provide those exact specifications at the most reasonable price. If you say you want IPads and IPhones only Mac can provide those. If you want the computer capabilities of those specific models maybe we could ask the local computer agencies to tender on the required specifications. As well, introducing Macs into the Town is not cost effective because we have PCs throughout the corporation. Interesting, huh!?
The Town's RFP process is something I want to look at carefully. It is unacceptable to have 2-5 people tendering proposals for the work we need done in any project. Why are we not attracting a whole bunch of tenders? Who is on the RFP list? How do you get on the RFP list? Great questions that I will review once elected.
Water supply was the topic of the evening with one citizen. We discussed the transfer system and the selling of water. Cochrane needs a secure water supply, and once elected I will go after it. We cannot continue to grow without a secure water supply in place.
Nomination Day
September 20 was nomination day. There are 10 people running for 6 council seats and the Mayor is challenged by one person. This will be an interesting election after all.
Immediately after filing my nomination papers, I hit the trail. First, I finished canvassing a neighbourhood in Sunset Ridge. Major intersections, speeding, lack of bylaw enforcement, developer apathy towards common areas, and extensive erosion were common concerns. I was shocked to see the amount of erosion that is happening there and really concerned that the Town does not require better storm water management and erosion control from the developer. There is construction debris in the ravines and the common areas are full of weeds as noted in an earlier post. It seems that there is a lot of talk and no action, and people are "fed up". One citizen said he doesn't believe anyone at the Town cares about the new residents, and he said given the troubles they have, their taxes (around $4,000 a year) should be pro-rated. I was very concerned that his street floods when it rains-in a new subdivision this is a red flag that the storm drainage system is defective-the Town's engineering department should make sure this is addressed before the Final Acceptance Certificate is issued for that infrastructure, otherwise the community will have to pay to fix that drainage system in the future.
Of interest, there are fossils in the area that don't seem to have gathered any attention from the Town or Province. One landowner was concerned that the developer was given permission to strip and grade prior to proper historical resource investigations. I will look into this once elected, and will visit the area where he said the fossils are located when I canvass further into the subdivision.
When I left Sunset Ridge, I went to Riverside Place, then into Riverview to finish a neighbourhood there, and in the evening I canvassed among my neighbours on Carolina Drive. My box of fliers is diminishing, and I feel great. Thanks to everyone who is keeping pace with me on this blog, for all the laughter and encouragement. I will post the other conversations I had last night in a new posting.
Immediately after filing my nomination papers, I hit the trail. First, I finished canvassing a neighbourhood in Sunset Ridge. Major intersections, speeding, lack of bylaw enforcement, developer apathy towards common areas, and extensive erosion were common concerns. I was shocked to see the amount of erosion that is happening there and really concerned that the Town does not require better storm water management and erosion control from the developer. There is construction debris in the ravines and the common areas are full of weeds as noted in an earlier post. It seems that there is a lot of talk and no action, and people are "fed up". One citizen said he doesn't believe anyone at the Town cares about the new residents, and he said given the troubles they have, their taxes (around $4,000 a year) should be pro-rated. I was very concerned that his street floods when it rains-in a new subdivision this is a red flag that the storm drainage system is defective-the Town's engineering department should make sure this is addressed before the Final Acceptance Certificate is issued for that infrastructure, otherwise the community will have to pay to fix that drainage system in the future.
Of interest, there are fossils in the area that don't seem to have gathered any attention from the Town or Province. One landowner was concerned that the developer was given permission to strip and grade prior to proper historical resource investigations. I will look into this once elected, and will visit the area where he said the fossils are located when I canvass further into the subdivision.
When I left Sunset Ridge, I went to Riverside Place, then into Riverview to finish a neighbourhood there, and in the evening I canvassed among my neighbours on Carolina Drive. My box of fliers is diminishing, and I feel great. Thanks to everyone who is keeping pace with me on this blog, for all the laughter and encouragement. I will post the other conversations I had last night in a new posting.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Thank you for following my blog
For all of you who are following my blog, thanks a million! It is great to meet you and talk to you about what you are reading here. I hope it is providing you with food for thought and information about other parts of your community.
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