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Letters to the Editor
A collection of Letters sent to the Editor of Cobourg News Blog and provided as a service to Cobourg residents.
Note that opinions expressed in letters are those of the author and may or may not be my opinions.
Notification of new letters is sent to subscribers of Blog posts at 8:00 pm.
Letters go offline after 3 months or when the date promoted has passed - whichever is later. In some cases where interest is extended, the offline date is also extended.
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- 1112
Cobourg Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf has publicly criticized the practice of granting bail shortly after charges are laid. Ontario's ongoing debate over "catch-and-release" justice has become a familiar routine: police chiefs warn about dangerous repeat offenders cycling through the system, premiers promise crackdowns, and Ottawa pledges legislative adjustments. However, beneath the rhetoric lies a more complex reality that the general public rarely hears.
Critics of the current bail system are not wrong to highlight real cases where high-risk individuals reoffend while awaiting trial. A small, identifiable group of prolific violent offenders does impose disproportionate harm. Their crimes are serious, their release decisions often confounding, and the public's anxiety is understandable. When a person with a long history of violence, weapons offences, or bail breaches is back on the street within hours, confidence in the justice system erodes.
- 1176
Can anyone tell me what "Affordable Housing" means?" What may be affordable to one may not be affordable to another.
Let's explore "No Frills Housing".
Here's an example, the first house we had bought on Traynor Ave. in Kitchener back in the late 60's early 70's.
The west side of the street was all semidetatched, some two storey, some single storey no frills at a price 5 to 10 thousand dollars lower than other subdivisions.
No frills, when we first moved in there was a gravel driveway, no sod or seed on the front or back lawns, no storm doors etc. These were all updated when we could afford it.
This was more affordable.
Merle Gingrich, Cobourg
- 1173
At our most recent Council meeting a member of Council brought up the corporate credit card connected to the Office of the Mayor. This corporate card activated under the previous mayoral regime is common in communities across Canada.
Pre-electioneering and co-ordinated theatrical histrionics aside, this information in question is already fully available and has always been a matter of the public record and will of course continue to be accessible to all Councillors and citizens alike.
I want to thank Councillor Bureau and Deputy Mayor Beatty, in particular, for inspiring the following idea.
Starting October 1st 2025, I will be publishing every single expense on the Office of the Mayor website every month going forward regarding the Office of the Mayor corporate credit card, so that anyone interested in what those expenses entail will have them readily and completely available on a continuous basis.
I will also shortly be enacting a Strong Mayor directive around this corporate card.
Thank you,
Lucas Cleveland
Mayor, Town of Cobourg
- 1145
Victoria Hall was designated as a national historic site as it was judged to be one of the finest examples of public neoclassical architecture in Canada. It is a convention in heritage districts and near to national historic sites that any additions should be sympathetic to the surrounding heritage.
In the rendering submitted for a huge building across Second Street from Victoria Hall I cannot see anything that is sympathetic to neoclassical architecture or to the charm of downtown Cobourg. Victoria Hall has been defining Cobourg since 1860, but this proposal seems destined to forever spoil the unique charms of downtown Cobourg.
Greg Hancock
Editor's Note:
Public Meeting on this subject will be held on September 17th, 2025, at 4:00 pm.
Location: Council Chambers in Victoria Hall or access via escribe. See Town's announcement here.
- 1371
I will be going to the September 17th town council meeting about the condo development being proposed for Second Street behind the town hall. I plan to speak against nine-storeys. One argument being made in favour of the development is that more density would benefit the King Street business owners. I am not sure and have several concerns.
Moving the creek and building such a massive structure will take years. There is a shortage of construction workers, as we have seen with the building going up opposite us at Queen and Division. It took more than two years to complete. That construction worker shortage has been reported in the media for some time.
Another downtown condo building is slated for across from the post office on Queen.
When we last checked a couple of weeks ago there were already 53 apartments for sale in Cobourg. That is not including the almost complete Queen and Division project, or the one across from the post office.
Contrary to the person who wrote a letter to the editor in favour of the nine-storey development being proposed for Second Street, I believe such a project could become a white elephant. Don’t many developers have to sell units in advance to support their projects?
Read more: Planned 202 Second Street Development not a good idea