Councillor Valentinis And The New Route

I am a bit slow when it comes to maps and directions. That is why a friend of mine who works for a company that makes portable GPS devices for cars sent me one to help prevent me from getting lost! [If you want one, dear reader, let me know and I can send you info about it ]. I say this to explain why it took me so much time to understand why some of what Councillor Valentinis said at Council on Monday night bothered me.

I always take very seriously what Councillor Valentinis has to say. As I said before, I wish that he had run for mayor during the last election.

I don't think I have ever heard him speak as emotionally as I did on Monday night at Council when he was complaining that the Bi-national picked going down the Talbot Road corridor rather than going through "agricultural" and vacant lands in LaSalle. After all the argument went, aren't existing homes more important than "future" developments. The Mayor also picked up on that theme.

I finally figured it out. Didn't Schwartz suggest using the same Talbot Road corridor (but not including the Ojibway nature reserve) that the Councillor and Mayor were now objecting to and they and the rest of Council supported him unanimously! I am sure that the Bi-national people were as surprised by the viciousness of the attack as I was.

Here is what Sam said:

• Option 1
  However the major impact of the route would be on the Town of LaSalle’s future town center plans. The proposed route bisects the town’s proposed urban center and a number of planned residential neighborhoods.
  
  Option 2
  As in Option 1, the Talbot Road – Huron Church Bypass Combination would have considerable impacts to the Town of LaSalle, especially to areas that are currently being planned for town commercial districts and residential areas.
  
  Option 3
  Unlike the first two alternatives, this route would largely bypass proposed urban and residential centers within the Town of LaSalle. Property takings would be substantially reduced from those needed in the first two alternative routes.
  
  Conclusion
  
  We think all four options must be developed in greater detail and receive public exposure to identify issues, faults and improvements. However, because of the potential impacts Options 1 and 2 would have on the future of the Town of LaSalle, SSC does not recommend pursuing them...Consequently, at this point, our preferred option is #3.

This is one of the few times that I respectfully do not understand why the Councillor is taking the position he did. Or have I missed the point the Councillor was making?

Options using Talbot Road seemed to be just fine for the City's guru and for Council yet now that decision was being attacked. I wonder if that will mean that some Councillors who have finally figured out that the Mayor's Schwartz strategy did not work and who have had reservations about that strategy will now feel free to speak out finally and develop their own independent position in time for the next election.

I assume that the attack must be part of the David Estrin strategy and that a number of the remarks by the Mayor and Councilors were designed to help the City out if a lawsuit is to be started. The City's position---talk tough and carry no stick!

Adn do not worry about legal fees, the City has a slush fund of $15 million to pick them up rather than to build roads and sewers.