Comments on: Paving Over Paradise http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51 Always Fresh Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:40:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Poetency http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51#comment-303 Poetency Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:47:00 +0000 http://cobourginternet.com/wordpress/archives/78#comment-303 Have any "Art people" presented counter-proposals for the downtown Green Patch? Have any “Art people” presented counter-proposals for the downtown Green Patch?

]]> By: W. May http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51#comment-302 W. May Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:02:40 +0000 http://cobourginternet.com/wordpress/archives/78#comment-302 Having been born here, growing up here and still living here, its disappointing to see what has become of Cobourg. This recent council has been the deciding factor that we will not likely stay here after our son has graduated college. Can fountains break camel's backs? Yes!!!We were hesitant to accept the condos built at the west end of the marina...against the condos directly north looking onto the marina. We rarely go to the waterfront anymore because the leisurely walk generally turns to its downfall and loss of open space. I remember as a child going to the wading pool at Victoria Park, I took my son there when he was a toddler. It was a God send for mothers with toddlers. If anything it should be replaced using the "frink" funds. Its about time this town did something for younger members of the community. It seems to be only focused on the over 60 crowd. I'm in my 40's. There is nothing here that we find entertaining anymore unless you are into chamber music (although we are watching with interest the offereing of a country singer at the new Park Playhouse, we love country). We travel to Oshawa, Peterborough and Belleville. Traditionally the country/farm folk from north of Cobourg ( Cold Springs, Baltimore etc.) as they aged, downsized and moved to town in their golden years. I seriously doubt this is attainable anymore with the price of the new condo sprouting up all over town. I can say that I sure won't be able to retire here. Over the past 15 years our decent paying manufacturing jobs have disappeared and the council over these years have done nothing to attract new industry other than retail. Instead we've been turned into a retirement, arts and crafts town with little future for our young people. I seriously wonder at the Art people who chose the "art" for our town. We have our homely bronze business man who graces our main street and our water trough fountain across from the liquor store (boring!). I will point out though that I love the water/rock feature tucked in behind Victoria Hall. Its peaceful and we stop to see it when downtown. The committee loses points though for nearly letting the Golden Plough cairn, an important piece of our history, disappear. Why isn't a small piece of green grass, a meandering creek and attractive walk way left in the centre of our town good enough? In closing, if the cement pond is to cover this small piece of paradise, I suggest they add a cement wall with the councillors and mayor's names who supported it to go down in history as the council that "was like talking to a wall". I also have a great idea for the opening, we can all gather and sing Joni Mitchell's "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot. Having been born here, growing up here and still living here, its disappointing to see what has become of Cobourg. This recent council has been the deciding factor that we will not likely stay here after our son has graduated college. Can fountains break camel’s backs? Yes!!!We were hesitant to accept the condos built at the west end of the marina…against the condos directly north looking onto the marina. We rarely go to the waterfront anymore because the leisurely walk generally turns to its downfall and loss of open space. I remember as a child going to the wading pool at Victoria Park, I took my son there when he was a toddler. It was a God send for mothers with toddlers. If anything it should be replaced using the “frink” funds. Its about time this town did something for younger members of the community. It seems to be only focused on the over 60 crowd. I’m in my 40’s. There is nothing here that we find entertaining anymore unless you are into chamber music (although we are watching with interest the offereing of a country singer at the new Park Playhouse, we love country). We travel to Oshawa, Peterborough and Belleville. Traditionally the country/farm folk from north of Cobourg ( Cold Springs, Baltimore etc.) as they aged, downsized and moved to town in their golden years. I seriously doubt this is attainable anymore with the price of the new condo sprouting up all over town. I can say that I sure won’t be able to retire here. Over the past 15 years our decent paying manufacturing jobs have disappeared and the council over these years have done nothing to attract new industry other than retail. Instead we’ve been turned into a retirement, arts and crafts town with little future for our young people.
I seriously wonder at the Art people who chose the “art” for our town. We have our homely bronze business man who graces our main street and our water trough fountain across from the liquor store (boring!). I will point out though that I love the water/rock feature tucked in behind Victoria Hall. Its peaceful and we stop to see it when downtown. The committee loses points though for nearly letting the Golden Plough cairn, an important piece of our history, disappear. Why isn’t a small piece of green grass, a meandering creek and attractive walk way left in the centre of our town good enough?
In closing, if the cement pond is to cover this small piece of paradise, I suggest they add a cement wall with the councillors and mayor’s names who supported it to go down in history as the council that “was like talking to a wall”. I also have a great idea for the opening, we can all gather and sing Joni Mitchell’s “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

]]> By: W. May http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51#comment-301 W. May Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:29:56 +0000 http://cobourginternet.com/wordpress/archives/78#comment-301 Having Having

]]> By: johanna ter Woort http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51#comment-300 johanna ter Woort Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:18:18 +0000 http://cobourginternet.com/wordpress/archives/78#comment-300 Start calling Eddie Greenspan and insist on a "pro bono" for the good burghers of Cobourg:assure him this is a case he can DEFINITELY win.That is,if Ben Burd is correct in stating that he can not find a resolution of Council to "engage" the firm of Totten Sims and Hubicki and Associates. Mayors of cities cannot spend $ 128.000 on a proposal to dismantle the urban landscape ,chosen by their citizens,without the authorization of a MOTION presented in Council,and passed by their Councils. That is the Municipal Act and no mayor is above the law. At least some members of his Council would have asked some questions.....like..." did the firm of Totten Sims and Hubicki and Associates not just get paid for the green space they designed for this location , which was APPROVED by a PUBLIC process????.....like.."is the Cobourg electorate that stupid to pay the same firm for a NEW concept they obviously did not think of the year before???? ...like .... "Did we not just lose Kraft manufacturing jobs and Belden jobs and should we not spend our money wisely? ".....like ....."if they could not get it right the first time,why pay them again for a new concept?" ...like "should we not engage some other firms?"( all questions a reasonable councillor would have asked). Mayor Delanty and this firm superimposed "their personal dream/ambitions/self-interest" ,their personal agenda, on the electorate and the citizens have overwhelmingly indicated that the public purse will NOT be available for their purposes. Mayor Delanty did cast the deciding vote to tender a project not publicly approved: he should be held accountable in another arena. Let's start a "draft Eddie Greenspan" campaign. Start calling Eddie Greenspan and insist on a “pro bono” for the good burghers of Cobourg:assure him this is a case he can DEFINITELY win.That is,if Ben Burd is correct in stating that he can not find a resolution of Council to “engage” the firm of Totten Sims and Hubicki and Associates.
Mayors of cities cannot spend $ 128.000 on a proposal to dismantle the urban landscape ,chosen by their citizens,without the authorization of a MOTION presented in Council,and passed by their Councils. That is the Municipal Act and no mayor is above the law.
At least some members of his Council would have asked some questions…..like…” did the firm of Totten Sims and Hubicki and Associates not just get paid for the green space they designed for this location , which was APPROVED by a PUBLIC process????…..like..”is the Cobourg electorate that stupid to pay the same firm for a NEW concept they obviously did not think of the year before???? …like …. “Did we not just lose Kraft manufacturing jobs and Belden jobs and should we not spend our money wisely? “…..like …..”if they could not get it right the first time,why pay them again for a new concept?” …like “should we not engage some other firms?”( all questions a reasonable councillor would have asked).
Mayor Delanty and this firm superimposed “their personal dream/ambitions/self-interest” ,their personal agenda, on the electorate and the citizens have overwhelmingly indicated that the public purse will NOT be available for their purposes.
Mayor Delanty did cast the deciding vote to tender a project not publicly approved: he should be held accountable in another arena.
Let’s start a “draft Eddie Greenspan” campaign.

]]> By: Daniel J. Christie http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51#comment-299 Daniel J. Christie Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:32:13 +0000 http://cobourginternet.com/wordpress/archives/78#comment-299 The forward to Neil Postman's 1985 'Amusing Ourselves To Death'. http://www.serendipity.li/jsmill/post_1.html The forward to Neil Postman’s 1985 ‘Amusing Ourselves To Death’.

http://www.serendipity.li/jsmill/post_1.html

]]> By: Daniel J. Christie http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51#comment-297 Daniel J. Christie Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:57:16 +0000 http://cobourginternet.com/wordpress/archives/78#comment-297 Speaking of the preatorian guard, I trust you've followed my Parlaiment of Canada link to Gordon Gilchrist's criminal conviction? But look on the bright side. As I sit here pecking away, Conrad Black is on his way to start six-and-a-half years of stewing in his own juices. Next time you're in a room full of lawyers (geez- what a ghastly thought, eh?) pop the question: Who's the best criminal lawyer in Canada? Gauranteed, 8-out-of-10 will say 'Eddie Greenspan'. Then ask part 2: 'Name me a case that he's won? The silence will be deafening. About 97% of the Canadian population is so gosh-darn dumb that we're lucky we're not all dead from staring up at the sky with our mouths wide open during torrential downpours. We're lucky we can even dress ourselves or figure out how to stop a running toilet. We believe in anything that calls itself 'green', the goodness of our intentions (see: Afghanistan), that Tim Horton's is friendly and nice (as opposed to ruthless and predatory), that the death penalty is reversible, that an unlawful conviction can never happen to 'me', that The Leafs will rise again. We believe that ultimately the frink will attract visitors from Angor Wat, Bellacoola and The Steppes Of Ancient Rome. We believe it because we see the incalculable hoards descending like locusts to Rib Festivals, Christmas Light Festivals, Winter Festivals, Highland Whatever Festivals, Festival Festivals, Public Washroom Festivals, Condo Balcony Leaping Festivals -you name it. It's 1984. We're all on Soma. The Soma of nitwit HappyCommittees committed to keeping us happy. And we're so stupid all we really want is to be ooh-ahh happy and never have to think about the people who are all of about one-half-of-one-percent brighter than we are -our elected representatives. Speaking of the preatorian guard, I trust you’ve followed my Parlaiment of Canada link to Gordon Gilchrist’s criminal conviction?

But look on the bright side. As I sit here pecking away, Conrad Black is on his way to start six-and-a-half years of stewing in his own juices. Next time you’re in a room full of lawyers (geez- what a ghastly thought, eh?) pop the question: Who’s the best criminal lawyer in Canada? Gauranteed, 8-out-of-10 will say ‘Eddie Greenspan’. Then ask part 2: ‘Name me a case that he’s won? The silence will be deafening.

About 97% of the Canadian population is so gosh-darn dumb that we’re lucky we’re not all dead from staring up at the sky with our mouths wide open during torrential downpours. We’re lucky we can even dress ourselves or figure out how to stop a running toilet. We believe in anything that calls itself ‘green’, the goodness of our intentions (see: Afghanistan), that Tim Horton’s is friendly and nice (as opposed to ruthless and predatory), that the death penalty is reversible, that an unlawful conviction can never happen to ‘me’, that The Leafs will rise again.

We believe that ultimately the frink will attract visitors from Angor Wat, Bellacoola and The Steppes Of Ancient Rome. We believe it because we see the incalculable hoards descending like locusts to Rib Festivals, Christmas Light Festivals, Winter Festivals, Highland Whatever Festivals, Festival Festivals, Public Washroom Festivals, Condo Balcony Leaping Festivals -you name it.

It’s 1984. We’re all on Soma. The Soma of nitwit HappyCommittees committed to keeping us happy. And we’re so stupid all we really want is to be ooh-ahh happy and never have to think about the people who are all of about one-half-of-one-percent brighter than we are -our elected representatives.

]]> By: Art Cockerill http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51#comment-298 Art Cockerill Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:34:24 +0000 http://cobourginternet.com/wordpress/archives/78#comment-298 Daniel! Please leave the lion’s den this minute. You’re causing a disturbance, saying unpleasant things that make people think when you should be removing thorns, not driving them further home. That’s dangerous. Have you no shame? Has it not occurred to you that 1984 has come and gone. The time is long past since the proles were allowed a say. As for the next election to replace this appalling selection of praetorian guards with which we’ve been landed, as one Manfred Schumann advises, forget it. They’re here to stay because we sluggish proles are too idle to get out and vote. All we are good for is squeezing our you-know-whats to quirt our milk (aka taxes) into the ever-open mouths of the old guard. Daniel! Please leave the lion’s den this minute. You’re causing a disturbance, saying unpleasant things that make people think when you should be removing thorns, not driving them further home. That’s dangerous. Have you no shame? Has it not occurred to you that 1984 has come and gone. The time is long past since the proles were allowed a say. As for the next election to replace this appalling selection of praetorian guards with which we’ve been landed, as one Manfred Schumann advises, forget it. They’re here to stay because we sluggish proles are too idle to get out and vote. All we are good for is squeezing our you-know-whats to quirt our milk (aka taxes) into the ever-open mouths of the old guard.

]]> By: Daniel J. Christie http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51#comment-296 Daniel J. Christie Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:11:02 +0000 http://cobourginternet.com/wordpress/archives/78#comment-296 "cynically amusing" Hmmm, mind if I use that, Manfred? If in the day and age in which we live you aren't politically 'cynical', well then, I suppose you must be 'amused'. Easily amused at that. That's what's going on in Cobourg I'm afraid. The council is trying to bribe you with your own money. The bribe in question is a ticky-tacky place of childish and child-like public frivolity. It has no past, no present and no future connection with Cobourg. It's an alien spaceship that the alien space cadets at council are counting on to mollify, pacify, amaze and amuse the dull-witted, tranquilized and tranquil taxpayer. The frink is the modern, non-offensive equivalent of the Stalin statue: Homage to nothing -and nothing is more important than nothing. Sadly, the best we can hope for after this travesty is inflicted is its defacement by creative graffiti artists. Let's start a collection for the spray paint now, shall we? Remind them of where the sun doesn't shine. “cynically amusing” Hmmm, mind if I use that, Manfred?

If in the day and age in which we live you aren’t politically ‘cynical’, well then, I suppose you must be ‘amused’. Easily amused at that. That’s what’s going on in Cobourg I’m afraid. The council is trying to bribe you with your own money. The bribe in question is a ticky-tacky place of childish and child-like public frivolity. It has no past, no present and no future connection with Cobourg. It’s an alien spaceship that the alien space cadets at council are counting on to mollify, pacify, amaze and amuse the dull-witted, tranquilized and tranquil taxpayer. The frink is the modern, non-offensive equivalent of the Stalin statue: Homage to nothing -and nothing is more important than nothing.

Sadly, the best we can hope for after this travesty is inflicted is its defacement by creative graffiti artists. Let’s start a collection for the spray paint now, shall we?

Remind them of where the sun doesn’t shine.

]]> By: Manfred Schumann http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51#comment-295 Manfred Schumann Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:34:00 +0000 http://cobourginternet.com/wordpress/archives/78#comment-295 What I find disturbing, yet cynically amusing, is the singlemindedness with which this project (Rotary Waterfront Park) has moved through the motions of public consultations from the very beginning. I attended some of the earliest committee meetings that sprang forth from the 'CAUSE' report, contrived by his worship when he was co-ordinator of planning. Even then, there was already a sense of a predetermined destiny for that space, regardless of the cross-section of 'you and me' individuals seated around the table at that stage. Let's not kid ourselves, public consultation is merely a hedge against the inevitable failure of some politician-inspired initiatives. Town committees are of a similar ilk that permit the politicians to abuse the civic-mindedness of those who serve on them in the misguided hope that they will have some meaningful impact on the outcome. The only way to beat them is to beat them at the polls, period. You, we, anyone, can stomp and scream endlessly but nothing matters to the politicians beyond the lofty belief in their own infallibility which they feel was bestowed upon them when they were elected. I can't wait to see the commemorative plaque that gets planted there once the park is 'complete'. After all, they can't name a street after him since that's not an available option, and it's unlikely there will be a 'community centre' available any time soon to receive such an 'honour'. What I find disturbing, yet cynically amusing, is the singlemindedness with which this project (Rotary Waterfront Park) has moved through the motions of public consultations from the very beginning. I attended some of the earliest committee meetings that sprang forth from the ‘CAUSE’ report, contrived by his worship when he was co-ordinator of planning. Even then, there was already a sense of a predetermined destiny for that space, regardless of the cross-section of ‘you and me’ individuals seated around the table at that stage. Let’s not kid ourselves, public consultation is merely a hedge against the inevitable failure of some politician-inspired initiatives. Town committees are of a similar ilk that permit the politicians to abuse the civic-mindedness of those who serve on them in the misguided hope that they will have some meaningful impact on the outcome. The only way to beat them is to beat them at the polls, period. You, we, anyone, can stomp and scream endlessly but nothing matters to the politicians beyond the lofty belief in their own infallibility which they feel was bestowed upon them when they were elected. I can’t wait to see the commemorative plaque that gets planted there once the park is ‘complete’. After all, they can’t name a street after him since that’s not an available option, and it’s unlikely there will be a ‘community centre’ available any time soon to receive such an ‘honour’.

]]> By: Daniel J. Christie http://www.cobourginternet.com/blog/archives/51#comment-294 Daniel J. Christie Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:37:01 +0000 http://cobourginternet.com/wordpress/archives/78#comment-294 Quite correct, Ben. As a matter of fact, even I didn't notice my subliminal aversion to politician-led inititives. But it isn't just pol-led I'm averse to. It's service clubs and do-gooder committees too. Any entity that promotes contrived amusement for the distraction of the bored should themselves be the be the star attraction at a 'people festival' i.e.: a public hanging. (Hey. Not a bad idea. Maybe we should get a committee together. Whaddaya think?) Quite correct, Ben. As a matter of fact, even I didn’t notice my subliminal aversion to politician-led inititives.

But it isn’t just pol-led I’m averse to. It’s service clubs and do-gooder committees too. Any entity that promotes contrived amusement for the distraction of the bored should themselves be the be the star attraction at a ‘people festival’ i.e.: a public hanging.

(Hey. Not a bad idea. Maybe we should get a committee together. Whaddaya think?)

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