Guelph: putting the brakes on development

[phishtaper]

In what most expected to be a tight race between pro-development incumbent Mayor Kate Quarrie and former mayor Karen Farbridge, Farbridge was swept into power with more than 50% of the vote, compared to 35% for Quarrie. See full results here.

Not reaching the lofty goal of 50% voter turn-out so hardly fought for by the Guelph Civic League 40% of voters did turn out (compared to 26% in nearby Cambridge, 29% in Waterloo and 23% in Kitchener) and they spoke loudly. In addition to Quarrie's crushing defeat, also turfed out were virtually all of the pro-development, program-slashing city councillors, making way for a new slate of progressive, environmentally-aware, and responsible-growth councillors.

This is a great day for Guelph! Hopefully, the Royal City will once again become the beautiful city it can be.

[timouse]

yay!

passing through guelph a few weeks ago, i caught my first glimpse of the Sprawl Mart...it looks for all the world like a castle sitting up on the hill overlooking guelph.

boo-urns!

let's hope that the progressive folk elected yesterday do their thing.

[Deeps]

Yeeeehawww the move toward GuelpIngtonAssauga hath been halted.

Fuck mindless developers and the politicians that seek to line their pockets before they allign their community's 175+ year history with it's future.

Deeps

[MK]

When did "development" become a dirty word. Isn't it synonymous with "growth" and "progress"?

[Deeps]

Not when it sprawls unplanned and builds communities where none can walk to to their basic needs.

[edger]

Development in and of itself is not a dirty word. Unfortunately the "social" and "community" dimensions of development are often completely disregarded, and viewed as inferior after-thoughts to growth. "Progress" is not synonymous with growth if growth is measured solely by the amount of land that is paved over, the amount of box-stores that spring up, etc. This type of "progress" can actually undermine development. Particularly forms of development that is actually meaningful in the lives of real people, and sustainable. It is possible to have adequate and healthy economies without undermining the health and well-being of the people of which they are comprised. In fact, they are not separate systems. We need policies that promote multiple gains instead of perpetuating the illusion that economy, environment and society are separate entities.

Way to go Guelph! Great news by the sounds of things!

[phishtaper]

When did "development" become a dirty word. Isn't it synonymous with "growth" and "progress"?

a fair question. what we have seen in Guelph over the past couple of years isnt your run of the mill "development", though. it has drastically increased taxes, overwhelmed and eventually destroyed the ground-breaking wet-dry waste program, virtually drained a local aquifer, obliterated farmland, caused traffic nightmares and brought local highways to a standstill, built thousands of new houses marketed at TO-bound commuters, and has explicitly paid for some city councillors' bids for office. yes, of course, some growth is necessary, otherwise a city would die. but, this growth has been rampant and out of control and has simply not paid for itself - at the expense of a much needed new city hall, new libraries and fire stations. voters simply called for responsible growth.

[afro poppa]

I think a big part of Farbridge being elected was that the CSA (the University of Guelph's main Student Government) pushed for everyone to vote for Farbridge. She was also very kind to students and answered many questions and e-mails personally. As far as Quarrie goes, she didn't even bother showing up to a debate on campus and completely ignored the student vote. Silly her, because I am guessing many of the people that voted were students as there was a lot (and I mean A LOT) of pro-voting stuff on campus for the past few weeks.

[The Chameleon]

Good for Guelph! They have already had to allow Wallmart in but, hopefully this will steam the tide of sprawl.

[Deeps]

The Effort of the Guelph Civic League had a similar impact on the general populus. They didn't flat out say vote for Farbridge but they ran an online poll of their members and sent the results to households around the city.

The results were left leaning as any member of the GCL is a person who actually went out of their way to get involved in a civicly minded organization. Their tactics were slightly underhanded given that up until about 2 weeks ago they said that the GCL would not support any candidates, and was only interested in improving voter turnout, but then as I said above they sent out out cards that stated "this is who your neghbours support" .... neighbours being members of the GCL and essentially the GCL.

Thank god for the efforts of the CSA and GCL, the moldy figs are heading out of city hall.

Deeps

Edited November 14, 2006 by Guest

[zero]

Everyone's making sage points. I've been pretty intensely involved in covering this election and have spoken to both candidates for instance. I think it came down to Quarrie really not retaining her base of support. The voter engagement was a big factor whether students, GCL types or what have you. Quarrie just couldn't run a meeting on a basic level, you could see her clerk from time to time roll her eyes at Quarrie's blunders- that sort of thing is telling. She's not the villain every one makes her out to be but she ain't progressive either. This is obviously a great thing.

[Deeps]

Zero,

Will you be writing and article for the echo on the election results?

[NewRider]

Zero,

Will you be writing and article for the echo on the election results?

providing he doesn't bring a toy gun to any interviews... yes!

[bradm]

Zero' date='

Will you be writing and article for the echo on the election results?[/quote']

providing he doesn't bring a toy gun to any interviews... yes!

You'd prefer he bring a real gun to interviews?

Aloha,

Brad

[phishtaper]

Their [GCL] tactics were slightly underhanded

yes, as much as this is a progressive and insightful organization, they sure did lose credibility as far as being "impartial".

[AdamH]

That's good news...I'll always have a soft spot for the city and I'm glad to hear it's taking the right kind of step.

I say that as we've now elected Larry O'Brien in Ottawa, which is shit. This morning in bridgehead I heard a guy actually say to his friend "Thank goodness that fucking queer Munter didn't make it in" Unbelievable!

[MoMack]

I love Guelph.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

... we've now elected Larry O'Brien in Ottawa, which is shit. This morning in bridgehead I heard a guy actually say to his friend "Thank goodness that fucking queer Munter didn't make it in" Unbelievable!

Brutal.

O'Brien is going to be a huge mistake, I predict - just on the "business model" of running a city. Seems to me that's how Mel Lastman rode into power, and the quality of life in the city took a nosedive (which, to be fair, coincided with the Harris years). What do people expect when their government is predicated on making money - rather than people - grow? What you get are the two things it inevitably leads to: heartlessness and corruption. Oh, and tackiness (but then, Lastman was the king of kitsch).

Good on Guelph for being smart.

[Jaimoe]

I too am pleased with this Guelph election result. However, Wal-mart isn't going anywhere. Even though it is one store, the doorway is open for other off-shoots of sprawl like power centres with Home Depots, Future Shops, non-centralized theatres etc...

Another good win for the anti-sprawl, anti negative developer movement was in Oakville. Kingston unfortunately, re-elected Harvey Rosen - a developer.

[Birdy]

It's funny, down here in Chatham we're practically begging Home Depot and other big box retailers to open up shop. They could very well play a key role in saving us, from a consumer attraction angle, in a town full of shoppers who hit the 401 every Saturday to get what they need. In an ideal world big box retailers/developers wouldn't exist, but they do, and our consumer society has become so used to their convenience, so used to it, that they'd prefer to drive an hour to do an all-in-one shopping trip, rather than hit four independent stores in their own town. bizarre.

where it becomes a problem is knowing when to stop, when enough becomes enough.

[phishtaper]

I too am pleased with this Guelph election result. However, Wal-mart isn't going anywhere. Even though it is one store, the doorway is open for other off-shoots of sprawl like power centres with Home Depots, Future Shops, non-centralized theatres etc...

it's already happened. check out the north of end of guelph. walmart opened last week only a block from home depot which opened earlier this year and its just down from that new turtle jacks which is right beside the cutest little A&W which of course is in the parking lot of the cineplex. :crazy: we lost our big box virginity a couple of years ago, so walmart was more symbolic, i think. but walmart and home depot are only the symptoms of the real problem - forced, and unsupportable, population growth.

Another good win for the anti-sprawl, anti negative developer movement was in Oakville. Kingston unfortunately, re-elected Harvey Rosen - a developer.

the Province's Places to Grow plan was supposed to provide a province-wide approach to managed and sustainable growth. problem is, they called for too much growth and now these battles are seen in cities all over the province. cheers to Oakville and all the communities that are managing to hold on to their identities.

and for those of you sick of politics in the cavern, come to guelph, see the slip, and see her naked.