Shawna Frolick-Arena

Okay Gentlemen:

 Here it is.  I am a parent of 2 children - one plays hockey and one figure skates.  I cannot properly articulate the frustration and disappointment my family has felt over the last few weeks.  The complete ineptitude of those charged with the task of ensuring Orillia is a vibrant, prosperous, and progressive community utterly astounds me.  Twenty years of discussion, debate and delay is more than any community should have to tolerate. 

Last week you heard from the kids - also your constituents - they want to skate and play hockey NOW.   They also want to have the facilities so they can continue to play hockey and skate.  The building of a twin-pad arena in Orillia in time for the 2009-2010 season is now obviously quite doable.  Put aside your ego; let go of the arrogance and political posturing and just get the twin-pad built.   You have the plans for this venture; the people to construct the twin-pad; and the city-owned property for the twin-pad.  JUST DO IT.    You must forge ahead and do whatever necessary to ensure this twin-pad is built in time for 2009-2010 season.   The kids of this community are counting on you.  I strongly recommend you do not let them down. 

Even when the twin-pad is built, Orillia's ice needs will still require more ice surfaces.  I believe our community is in transition - with the permanent campus of Lakehead University coming, Orillia will have no choice but to morph into a university town.  With this change, the population will increase, which will require even more ice surfaces and further recreational facilities.    

I welcome any and all responses.  However, I would prefer your response be in the form of action.  Perhaps in the form of some anticipatory planning right now, before this issue returns to Council for a vote - ie meeting with the construction company/engineers that can get the job done; agreeing to the site for the twin-pad; agreeing to the design of the twin-pad; etc.   So that on February 17, you can demonstrate your commitment to seeing this twin-pad built and take the necessary steps to begin work on the twin-pad the following morning. 

I would also hope that Council will demonstrate to the kids of this community that it is prepared to correct the devastating mistakes it has made and work tirelessly to build them the twin-pad they so desperately deserve in time for the upcoming 2009-2010 skating and hockey seasons. 

Learn from the past - lest you repeat the same mistakes.  NEVER again let a mess like this take place.   

Shawna Frolick

Mother of Two

 

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Dave Stinson

My concerns:

As stated elsewhere, the disregard of the heritage features in the building design undermines the character of our city core.  Aside from slightly more “elbow-room” and a better roof, we seem to be replacing what we have with what we already got (a two-story, modernist façade structure).  What credibility will the City have with private developers and property owners in demanding attention to character and context, when the City itself ignored heritage features with this prime opportunity to embrace them?  In effect, Orillia’s “heritage project” would be dead.

It is my understanding that the new Official Plan will recommend greater height in the urban core.  A two-storey, sprawling building is more suited to a sub-urban setting than an urban one.  Placing it downtown undermines this principle.  It represents a triumph of suburbia over the principles of city-building, of which I’ll say more below.   For now, I’ll simply state that the adjacent Opera House and former Laurentian Bank Building represent superlative examples of both height and heritage (just in case anyone suggests these two priorities are incompatible).  We don’t have to invent this, we already have it.

The first step of good urban design is to lay out civic space.  The so-called “right to assemble” is pointless if there is no place to assemble.  In this sense, the original creation of our market square was a stroke of genius.  I took a look at the published sketches and did a rough and ready survey of the Market Square.  I was stunned by how much of our Public Meeting Place will be lost.  It is not only where we learn what Orillia is, it is where we become Orillians.  It is deeply saddening to see how cavalierly this space - so vital for the life of the community - is being treated.   A parking lot!!!...my goodness…only to those who’ve never been there on market day…

All of these concerns are a reflection of a greater underlying problem, that of Sprawl.  Not only has Sprawl has become the predominant form of suburbia; it has taken over our urban cores, paved over our rural districts, and even infected our natural areas.   Each of the previous concerns: heritage, height, and civic space, are key pieces in the creation of urban neighbourhoods.  The fact that these essential elements are being so easily dismissed indicates how much our town is in the thrall of Sprawl. Why is this disturbing?  The evidence is slowly accumulating that Sprawl is killing us.  It not only destroys farmland and natural habitat, it is implicated in illnesses such as heart disease, lung problems, obesity, diabetes, etc.   Sprawl has been identified as an underlying cause of the current U.S. housing credit crisis, and therefore of the globally depressing consequences.  There is also that minor matter of climate change.  Sprawl cannot economically support public transportation.  Private automobiles are an absolute requirement for meeting daily needs.  But driving creates green houses gas emissions; emissions trap solar radiation; increased radiation causes the atmospheric temperature to rise…  Even more worrying is the fact that we are exporting this sickness to the developing world.   To sustain Brazilians, Mexicans, Indians, Chinese, etc., etc. in this manner will require several earths.  Since good planets are hard to come by, what this really means is that humanity has become a species-at-risk.  I realise that this is a lot to place on lil’ olde Orillia and its Council, but land use is what municipalities have control over.  It is where they can make a difference.

In all honesty I had qualms about the 2005 Carruthers Shaw proposal for West Street, but they were mere quibbles compared to the problems outlined above.  The Carruthers Shaw design properly framed our civic space, thus preserving it.  The current proposal treats it as little more than empty space being wasted on silly things like parking or selling vegetables.  It may be how our town becomes a suburb; it is not how it becomes a city.

Dave Stinson

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Peter and Donna Paul- Library

Dear Tim,

We have been away for several weeks and recently saw the plan for the new library which was available at the present library.  We  echo the concern that has been expressed about the design of the library.  We are fine with the new structure continuing to face Mississaga Street but would like to see a Victorian style which would blend in with and compliment the Opera House and the downtown area.  We remember reading that the architect felt a Victorian design would appear fake. This we do not see as a problem because there are so many beautiful Victorian designs which have been designed after the Victorian period. One need only  look at some of the downtown store facades to see this.  The downtown business owners have really tried to have signage and renovations that tie in with the original Victorian theme and are doing a wonderful job of developing a cohesiveness that is gradually and definitely improving the appearance of the downtown.

 It appears the intention is to keep the Farmer’s Market where it is.  We would hope so after seeing what happened to the Gravenhurst Farmer’s Market which was even bigger than Orillia’s. However, the parking lot needs to remain at least as large as it is now to allow the market to continue to be successful. If this is the case then the building should be placed on the original footprint of the existing library and as we understand it adding extra floors is less expensive than increasing the footprint. The library is on a lower level than the Opera House which allows for extra height for the library without overpowering the Opera House. As far as we know the Official Plan had designated a Victorian theme for the downtown and a 4 story height restriction. To our  knowledge this is still the case.

The design for the new library is an attractive design but we feel it is totally wrong for the location.  It is hoped that the new design to be presented will follow the direction given in the Official Plan for the city while continuing to give at least the present amount of space to the Market.

Thanks for your attention to this issue,

Peter and Donna Paul

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Norm Sinclair Cycling

I cycle with friends and, on occasion with the local clubs.
When infrastructure funds are being made available for road work, it seems reasonable that City of Orillia include in its plan a commitment to making Orillia a cycling friendly community.

The rail and lightfoot trails are a good start. as you know these trails get a great deal of use by citizens of all ages. the location of the trails represent a good venue for cyclists travelling downtown if travelling from a
north or south route. A dedicated cycle path that travels from the west end of the city to the downtown core would be an excellent addition and represent a good start to letting the city take a step or two to move away
from the car culture and towards an environmentally friendly, bicycle culture .

The second area of concern for me, and some of my fellow cyclists who like to do long distance rides are the state of the roadways leading out of the
city.

1.west street east/hwy 11 bridge: this bridge is in terrible condition for a bicycle; large potholes, thick sand that is not removed after the winter season and a narrow cycle/pedestrian lane all present an unneeded element to
cycling.

2.coldwater road/hwy 11 overpass: while the asphalt is in better shape, space for bicycles is limited.

3.Barrie road/hwy 11: similar to coldwater rd,., a small narrow shoulder, rough in places for a cycle.

As the (Lakehead & Georgian) student population grows, the presence of bicycles will grow. The unpredictable price of fuel may drive more people to newer motorized bikes.

Some indications that bicycles are welcome in the city and are recognized as a legitimate alternative to the automobile would be most welcome.

Thank you

Norm Sinclair.

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Doug Abernethy Anti Idling

 

From coffee shops, burger joints, banks and even pharmacies, thousands of employees are exposed to exhaust conditions across the country.
Natural Resources Canada reports that an idling car can release up to twice as many exhaust fumes as a moving car. It indicates studies have shown a direct link between contaminants in vehicle emissions and significant respiratory health effects.  Also it indicates that ten seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting the engine and that if every Canadian driver avoided idling for five minutes per day, it would prevent 1.6 million tones of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere.  As far as drive thrus I don't think you have to ban them but at least make them better. Imagine what the idling cars are doing to the environment and how many greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere between seven and eight in the morning every day ? Park the car walk inside and ordering what you want is sometimes quicker and you get some exercise at the same time. There are always better ways to do things and people see this as a problem but it is all how you look at it.  From an environment and health stand point an anti idling by law is the best for everyone.

 

Doug Abernethy

Ward 3 Resident

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J Fee Anti Idling

Mr. Lauer,.  I happened to watch part of the council meeting of May.12/08, where they were discussing idling bylaw,.  I just want to say that this has to be the most  lame brained idea I've ever  have heard of, this has to take the cake for pure stupidity!   I do agree that the idling of the buses at the corners of Miss. and Peter streets does present a problem of noise and fumes in the center of town,. There are so many problems and questions about this bylaw, that a person dosen't know where to start. Are you going to have a bylaw officer go around next winter and ticket people that are getting the ice off there windshields, or are they expected to drive with there windows frosted over? What about drive through businesses, are you going to shut them down?  There are many more concerns, too many to list here. Please use a little common sense and shelve this stupid preposal,.  Please discuss this with fellow councilors.

Thank you,  J. Fee   

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Doug Abernethy Pesticides

I am all for the pesticide ban in Ontario.  I do hope City Council will act on this and bring in a ban as have many communities in Canada.  I hope the government will bring it in soon.  The Canadian Cancer Society has throughout Canda in various communities recognized committes that have banned the use of cosmetic use of these products.  Common pesticides used in homes and lawns are now being shown in medical research to accelerate aging of the immune and nervous system resulting in serious health problems years after exposure.  Companies which use these chemicals include TruGreen - ChemLawn - Orkin and others.  The majority of the public still believes these chemicals are completely tested by the government.  Unfortunately, this is not the case.  Chemical companies do their own testing and submit the results to the EPA for review - setting up the potential for "selective" reporting.   Of significant concern, agriculture and consumer use pesticides are not currently required to be tested for subtle neurological effects (i.e. memory, depression, behavior) - child learning disorders - pregnancy developmental studies and immune system effects (i.e. lower white blood counts - increased infection rates and autoimmunity).

One in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer according to the latest statistics.  Breast cancer rates in the U.S. are 3-7 times higher than those in Asia.  This 2005 study conducted at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research and Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Lubbock Texas found that cancerous human breast tissue contained the chemical heptachlor epoxide (found in the common home pesticide chlordane) at levels 4 times higher than non-cancerous breast tissue.  Chlordane was the primary termite prevention pesticide used in over 30 million U.S. homes between the mid 1950's and 1988.  An estimated 50 million U.S. residents are currently exposed to the volatization of this chemical from previously treated pre-1989 homes on a daily basis. 

Doug Abernethy
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Jim Watt Official Plan

Brief To the Orillia Planning Department 2008

I make this brief as a resident of the north-central heritage district of Orillia.

Comments on Specific Sections of the Plan

1.4           Philosophy of the Plan

Although generalized criteria for approving development exist in the plan, decisions regarding specific developments have been placed in the hands of the council, who are only too willing, in the search for more assessment, to approve the plans of developers.  The plan does not provide nearly enough protection for property owners.  Instead of using the mandate of intensification to trump the character of a neighbourhood, council needs to give more thought to the overall implications of intensification, not simply permit developers to use the word to rationalize large projects that do not complement  the surrounding community.

2.0 Vision Statement 

The plan speaks of Orillia’s ‘unique character’,  the need ‘to maintain the established character of the community’ and ‘to provide Council with a set of policies to manage future growth while protecting Orillia’s unique character’.   These are admirable sentiments,  but where are the specific guidelines that will achieve these goals?

4.3 Living Areas

A great concern in this section is the recommendation that locations for low, medium and high density be determined on a site specific basis by amendments to the zoning by-law.  This has led to development at the whim of council without any protection for adjoining property owners.  The first objective,  which strives to ‘maintain and enhance the character and identity’ of an area is in conflict with the provision that permits medium or high density on arterial and collector roads,  since these roads run through older, heritage sections of the city. Medium density, town, or row houses that fit in with the heritage guidelines should be restricted to the heritage area.

In summary, the official plan leaves individual homeowners at the mercy of both the sensibilities of the council of the day and a plan that permits a broad range of development near major roads with few avenues of opposition open to counter any development proposal.  Time and time again council, as well as the Planning Advisory Committee,  has been only too willing to ignore the vague guidelines of the plan to approve high density development.

5.5 Heritage District Overlay

The inclusion of a “Heritage District Overlay” in the last revision of the Official Plan was a major step forward for urban design in our community.  However, the wording given to maintain ‘the heritage character of the area’ is practically meaningless.  ‘The subdivision or redevelopment of existing large lots shall be carefully assessed to ensure that further development will not lead to a deterioration of the heritage character of the area to the greatest extent possible.’  A four storey height limit, while an improvement on an eight storey proviso,  is too high to be amenable to a heritage design that would fit in with the local architecture.  Medium density, town house development that conforms to the surrounding architecture, must be the type of intensification, enforced in the “Heritage Area”, rather than allowing High Density.  The Plan should also state that infilling and redevelopment Must adhere to heritage design guidelines.

Respectfully submitted,

James T Watt

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April 9, 2008

Al Millard MURF

Open Letter to Mayor Stevens and Councillors Cipolla and Lauer,

Orillia City Council

Re: Comparison with the Love Canal

Over the past 40 months you have resisted any comparison of your proposed MURF site (PMS) with the Love Canal disaster in Niagara Falls, New York. As recently as the Town Hall Meeting on March 6 I was challenged to ‘put up or shut up’, and Councillor Lauer’s website implies that the severity of contamination has been exaggerated (by comparison to the Love Canal). So, let’s deal with this once and for all.

First, I have never made a general comparison between the PMS and the Love Canal. I have always said that, for certain toxic chemicals, the PMS is worse than the Love Canal. I was referring to trichloroethylene (TCE) and its many ‘breakdown’ chemicals, such as vinyl chloride. Where you find TCE you find the others.

The New York State Department of Health has provided me with some data contained in a 1981 Special Report to the Governor and Legislature. TCE was found at 52 mg/L in “water and leachate” at the Love Canal. (In hydrogeology, the groundwater is the leachate.) The NYSDOH does not know if 52 mg/L = 52 ppm = 52,000 ppb was an average or a maximum, but it really doesn’t matter. The highest reading at the PMS is 2,200,000 ppb or 42x Love Canal.

In Comments (attached to Notice of Circumstance dated March 7, 2008) the Ontario MoE rejects the attempt by the City’s consultants to use a TCE concentration of 107,500 ppb in its “modelling” when, at the same point, the observed maximum value for TCE in the source area is 2,000,000 ppb. It politely calls that a “discrepancy”. (There is no explanation for where 107,500 came from – perhaps an average?) In other words, when thinking about risk management of hazardous contaminants you deal with the worst, not the average. Any other approach is irresponsible, which is a reason to think that the 52,000 ppb at the Love Canal was the worst.

Second, I obtained further Love Canal data from an academic study of hazardous and industrial wastes. There we learn that the total analytical results for dissolved volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (S-VOCs) in Monitoring Well #10135 beside the  Love Canal, each year over a 3-year period, was 20,000 ppb. In Orillia we have many of the same S-VOCs as were found at the Love Canal, but not one was sampled at any of the monitoring wells establishing the DNAPL source area.  At the MW producing the highest TCE reading there were lab results for only 7 other VOCs and they brought the total analytical results to over 2,224,000 ppb. Therefore, even without knowing how much the S-VOCs might add to that total, we can say that one MW in Orillia is at least 111 times as contaminated as one at Love Canal. What we don’t know is whether MW#10135 was the worst. But we also don’t know whether 2,224,000 ppb of VOCs is the worst that could have been found at the PMS.

Third, there is another, non-scientific way in which Orillia and Niagara Falls, N.Y., can be compared. On April 28, 1953, when the Hooker Chemical Company sold the land over and around the never-completed-but-now-filled-in Love Canal, for $1.00 to the Niagara Falls School Board, a disclaimer regarding the buried chemical wastes and future liability was registered on title. The Board’s solicitor advised against taking title because liability could prove too costly for the Board and the municipality. Even the Board’s construction firm advised against proceeding, but the School Board was not to be dissuaded. Part of the school it built was directly over the waste-filled canal.  (See http://civil.engr.siu.edu or simply ‘google’ Love Canal, An American Tragedy.)

Fifty years to the month later the City of Orillia took title to its own Love Canal, complete with Molson’s disclaimers. Are you planning to condemn Orillia to repeating history?

I trust that we will hear no more protest when the very apt comparisons are made between the Love Canal and the City of Orillia’s proposed MURF plan.

Yours sincerely

Allan Millard

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To: Orillia City Council

Bob Willsey Scout Valley

I want to thank the members of Orillia City Council for their decision preservng the environmental integrity of Scout Valley. My belief is that preserving the natural beauty of this area provides a much stronger engine for planned economic growth and community development than simply putting a value on acceptable environmental damage in the guise of industrial progress. Businesses as well as individuals have a responsibility to ensure decisions made today for possible short term benefit will not haunt generations to come.  I believe many of this city's competitive advantages in terms of sustaining growth are rooted in the lifestyle that this area offers and the natural beauty of the region is critical in this lifestyle equation. Again, thank you for your decision.

Bob Willsey

Mariposa Market

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Mark Elgar Opera House

Dear Councilors Lauer and Evans,

I am concerned about the plans for the dead and dying trees outside the Opera House.  My understanding is that the plan is to carve the stumps of the trees, where they stand, into some sort of art works.
 As I see it, the problem with the plan is that it is virtually impossible to prevent the continued rotting of the wood once the carving is done.  This is especially true of the root systems that hold the trees up.  In fact it's quite likely that rot is already well advanced in all three trees.  A few short years after the carvings are done, they will fall down.  All the time, money and effort spent on them will have been wasted. In addition, I feel that the plan to carve the trees does not meet the spirit of the Ontario Heritage Act listing.  "Important Architectural Features" are not meant to be carved up into cute bears, totem poles, abstract art or whatever.  They are supposed to be repaired and preserved, or if necessary replaced.
 Finally, the plan fails to address the issue of the loss of three major mature trees into downtown core.  It's a shame that work to replace them didn't start two or three years ago.  If it had, trees planted then would  have begun to establish themselves and we would be in a position to look  forward to the return of their graceful shapes and environmental benefits.

 Trees take a very long time to grow and right now time is being
squandered. For those who wish to preserve the heritage embodied in these trees I have a positive and practical suggestion:  Cut the trees, conserve the wood, and then have them carved.  The resulting artifacts can be put on display inside the Opera House or at OMAH, or City Hall, where, being protected from the elements they will last a great deal longer.
Another planting season has now passed, another year wasted.  Please encourage council to stop procrastinating and get on with the job of replacing the trees.

 Yours truly,

 Mark Elgar      Sept. 11/07
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Shawna Frollick-Arena

Dave Stinson- Library

Peter and Donna Paul- Library

Norm Sinclair Cycling

Doug Abernethy Anti Idling

J Fee Anti Idling

Doug Abernethy Pesticides

Jim Watt Official Plan

Al Millard MURF

Bob Willsey Scout Valley

Mark Elgar Opera House

Dave Town Shingle Bay

 A Brief Biography