June 19, 2023 — In his June 19 public statement about gaining strong mayor powers, Mayor Cam Guthrie stated: "In the past there have been instances where this tool would have saved taxpayers’ money, increased housing supply and removed unnecessary conflict between Council and the City administration. Yet, I’m not here to dwell on the past." This statement implies that the...
May 11, 2023 — On Tuesday, Council passed a motion (12-1) to write a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Hon. Steve Clark) outlining our concerns about amendments that were made to "Shaping Guelph", Guelph's Offical Plan Amendment (OPA) 80. During the debate, my wardmate Cathy Downer expressed serious concern about the lack of evidence, consultation and planning process in...
May 10, 2023 — "Because I said so." How many of us had parents who used that line? How did it make you feel? Frustration and injustice? Exercising authority must always have a higher purpose. So what was the higher purpose of the recent amendments made by the Province to Guelph's Official Plan (OPA) 80? Background In July 2022, Council unanimously...
April 14, 2023 — In the wake of the recently announced changes made to Guelph's Official Plan by the provincial government, there is a lot to consider. The potential impacts are signifcant -- far too much for one social media post. I have consolidated my response into a series of articles, including: 1. One Size Fits All Does Not Fit Guelph: denisty,...
October 8, 2021 — The dust has now (literally) settled on the site of the 175+ year-old Shortreed Farm at 797 Victoria Road North. The outcome could have been very different in my opinion. Somewhere in the rubble is accountability. The staff report from the in camera Council meeting of September 27 (when the decision to demolish was made) is now public. The...
September 27, 2020 — Here we are again. In the course of its 25-year history, the path to a new main branch library is at yet another crossroads. On October 5, Council will be faced with another pivot point in our long journey. We will consider two new directions: first, to build a standalone structure, and second to relocate the library to the...
March 22, 2020 — On Friday, March 13, I was tested for COVID-19. The results came back negative five full days later. Five very long and anxious days. Five days of fear, wondering if I had exposed anyone else. Five days of fear of telling anyone that I was in isolation. Fear for my family, my newborn grand-daughter, my co-workers. Five days of...
June 10, 2019 — Congratulations to us! Guelph City Council set a goal to be a Net Zero community and we created an Action Plan to reach that goal by 2050. Now we can pat ourselves on the back and let businesses, developers and residents get us there. Wait a minute . . . Let's have a look at that Our...
June 7, 2019 — Some of the best city-building ideas come from you! Perhaps you were lying awake at night and came up with a great idea to make your neighbourhood a better place, or solved a problem that's been bugging you. Or perhaps you were travelling or reading an article and saw a brilliant project or initiative that you think would...
May 28, 2019 — On May 27th, Guelph City Council voted to “acknowledge the climate crisis.” It is not the exact wording that I put on the floor as a motion, nor is it what all of the passionate and articulae delegations were demanding. Democracy unfolds like that sometimes. Democracy is not always unanimous, nor should it be. When we are in...
July 12, 2017 — My trusted Matrix took its dying breath on the Hanlon a few weeks ago. Saying good-bye was harder than I thought it would be, because so many memories with my kids happened in that car – road trips, camping, horse shows, and teenagers learning to drive with their G1. But I won’t miss the roll up windows, the familiar rattles...
April 6, 2017 — Recently, Council as Committee of the Whole voted (7-5) against the use of online voting during the 2018 municipal election. As one of the councillors who voted to pause online voting for 2018, let me assure you that this issue is not black and white. I try to do my homework before I make a decision — on any issue...
September 6, 2016 — During the month of August, Council takes a short hiatus to allow both staff and councillors the opportunity to enjoy a break. But rest assured, there is no such thing as a traditional “vacation” in the life of a city councillor. The daily constituency work – inquiries, emails, calls, re: city issues, problems, ideas – are part of the job all year...
March 28, 2016 — Ward 5 is filled with special places. Is there a unique place, person, building, or geographical feature about which you would like to know more? Email me your question and I will do my best to tell the story… The first installment of our new series “Footsteps in Ward 5” is the story of Peterson Creek. You’ve probably heard...
February 15, 2016 — I can’t pinpoint exactly when I started noticing the proliferation of mobile signs all over the city, but it was several years ago. A constituent brought to my attention a stretch of mobile sign pollution between Harvard Road and Kortright Road a few years back, and after several calls to our By-law Compliance staff, we have regular monitoring of this...
December 22, 2015 — The new buzz word in urbanism is “makerspace”. It follows on the heels of “placemaking” which is slightly different. Placemaking focuses on creating a physical built environment that encourages people to congregate, stay and interact within a landscape. Market Square is a good local example. Makerspace (aka hackerspace, fablabs) began as shared space where do-it-yourselfers could go to share communal tools,...
December 22, 2015 — Have you ever wondered about the origin of the Drill Hall? The what? You know, that building across from the Armoury. The one by the tracks behind the train station. Yes, it has a name. The Drill Hall (sometimes referred to as the Drill Shed) was built in 1866 in response to the Fenian raids along the Upper and Lower...
November 30, 2015 — Once again, transit service cuts and fare increases are included in the 2016 City of Guelph proposed budget. It seems that whenever we are looking for savings or revenue during budget season, Transit is one of the first places staff look to offer up big dollars. This is backwards for so many reasons. Let me count just a few of...
June 30, 2015 — Council will soon deliberate on how to paint the lines on Speedvale Avenue East. It is down to two options that are being bantered about, as follows: 1. Traditional Configuration: four lanes of car traffic, no centre turn lane, no bike lanes. 2. Road Diet: two lanes of car traffic, one centre turning lane, with bike lanes. The debate on...
May 8, 2015 — The first week of the Guelph Transit (GT) Challenge is over! Here is my progress report and observations: Progress: Despite temptation, I have not used my car, asked for a ride or accepted a ride in a car. I am 100% car-free! Approximately 50% of my transportation needs have been met through Guelph Transit. I have been a passenger on...
May 4, 2015 — It was a sunny 20+ degree day outside when I said “I’ll do it!” to the Guelph Transit Challenge. Although I am already an occasional transit user, the truth is that my car is my primary means of transportation. The reasons vary by month: work requirements, family commitments, weather, etc. Can I shift my 90% (car) and 10% (other) lifestyle in the...
April 9, 2015 — As a growing city, we have had several community dialogues over the years to address the question “how do we grow responsibly?” Guelph was well ahead of its time when we initiated SmartGuelph before the Province had legislated Places to Grow or the Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan regulations. In 2009, Council approved a made-in-Guelph growth plan — remember Envision...
February 18, 2015 — Public “rights of way” existed long before the automobile. It’s Heritage Week in Ontario and I have been looking at old photos of Guelph. Here’s one of many that intrigued me from days gone by. This, and many other photos, depict pedestrians, carts, horses, cyclists and streetcars sharing the streets. No right angles, fluid and unencumbered. Yes, I know that times...
January 17, 2015 — The following article was recently published in the Guelph Mercury: Opinions Differ on Ward Boundaries, Work Status of Councillors. It’s an interesting and timely discussion on the heels of a recent election, especially as we head into another round of budget deliberations. LEANNE’S OPINION: Democracy Needs Diversity of Voices I think we can all agree that the role of...
April 9, 2013 — This evening at Council, we removed the Hart Barn at 132 Harts Lane from the city’s Heritage Register. It was disheartening, but necessary. The barn was structurally unsound and the best possible future is to retain, preserve and reuse its architectural elements in the potential new subdivision that is being proposed. Thankfully, the barn’s new owner is someone who understand...
December 31, 2012 — Part One click here. The 1850 – 1880s must have been an interesting time in Guelph. The transformation from a town of 3,000 to a city of over 10,000 came with significant financial, social and cultural change. Guelph was given the power to enact by-laws in 1851, the railroad arrived in 1856, major industry was booming (Raymonds Sewing Machines, Bell...
December 30, 2012 — But not the way you think! By-laws are simply functional rules by which citizens of a municipality govern themselves and behave as a community. They are wide-ranging and in most cases cover everyday governance matters, such as street names, sidewalk widths, plans of subdivision and appointment of by-law officers. What I love about by-laws is how they reflect the community...
June 2, 2012 — There’s been quite a flash flood of emails over the last few days about Official Plan Amendment 48 (OPA 48) and a claim that the document ignores how much we value our river systems. Nothing could be further from the truth! From my perch, there is no Council in recent history that values the rivers as much as the current...
August 1, 2011 — Had to share this…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN-e7xo5Bi8 – Hillside Festival, Spoken Word, July 24, 2011 LP