It's Karma

On Tuesday, my two notices of motion will come before Council for debate. The Auroran has already asked Councillors what they think.

Councillor Abel indicates he has already asked staff what they think.

They think the site is too small.

Too small for what. The first motion deals with demolition of two
buildings. The  former library building determined to be inadequate for its purpose many moons ago.

The second originally a firehall with three bays.with a shack attached  for a club house for the boys. It was  vacated in the late seventies. Used as a parks building for a time and then renovated to serve as a seniors' club facility for probably twenty- five years.

It owes us nothing. 

It is currently used on a monthly lease by a  group so desperate for a place, they accepted it on those terms. It is their good fortune we have not made a decision for so long.

The Victoria Hall on the corner is dreary,basic, structure and  old. The land  is worth far more than any heritage value it may possess.Whether or not it stays  will  reflect the priority we place on something old and inadequate, as  opposed to the needs of a modern community.

We own  three -quarters of the Library Square block.

When I was Mayor in the seventies, Council designated the block as a civic square in the Official Plan.We probably owned half then. 

The idea was lost in the years between. But the new library was built there. The south west corner of the block was added to our
inventory.

Decisions on the old library and firehall have been pending all of these years. Now we have the  need and we have the resources.

The decision is political. Council will direct. Staff will carry out the direction.

But first we must have input from the community. Surely not about demolition of old cast off, useless buildings. That's a given.

But  about  the  exciting and delightful opportunity to contemplate how they will be replaced, in an optimum location in the heart of the community without a whopping great tax burden. 

Not only do  we have the site, we have 33 million dollars set aside for something extraordinary. Something we  would love to have but never be able to contemplate as  a  tax burden.

Now we need the plan to bring the community together and dream 
 an entirely possible dream  and make it  a practical reality.

It's our building site, our funds, our community, our role together to bring  something marvelous and exciting into being.

Let's get at it.