December 12, 2016 Ward 2 Councillor Fred Morison's Alternate Motion:
To Adopt:

November 15, 2016 Council in Committee Report PED-GM-10-2016 with staff recommendations of October 3, 2016 be received, that the cultural service delivery approach be approved as amended to include 800 sq. ft. in the new Cayuga library building.

And that the draft 2017 tax supported capital budget include for council consideration adjustment to the Cayuga library redevelopment project to include both the genealogy centre and archives 600 sq. ft. at estimate cost of $200,000 with financing to be identified during the budget review and the museum display  space 800 sq. ft. at estimate cost of $260,000 to be funded by community Vibrancy Fund, Ward 2, and that the county maintain public ownership of PIN 0140 and PIN0144 Cayuga Administration Building lands and the HCMA lands for public purposes following the closure and demolition of the buildings on the land in 2019.

Adopted 6 - 0 Absent:  Mayor Ken Hewitt

[Transcript from video J. E. Walker]

Guest speaker Wed., Feb. 1, 2017 at the Cayuga & District Chamber of Commerce will be Craig Manley, General Mgr. Planning & Economic Development Department. author of Report PED-GM-10-2016.

"Lands for public purposes"

The question remains; rumours persist:  What is the reason for closure and demolition of all buildings on the Court House Grounds?

 "...intention is to sell the property, but Morison noted they will ensure potential developers provide the kind of use that is best for Cayuga rather than just unload the property for the developer to do whatever they want."

"Both Boyle and Morison suggested one potential use is a condominium space, since seniors have reached out to the County about a need for this type of housing"  ~ THE HALDIMAND PRESS, Sept. 15, 2016.  [Co-Publishers Jill Morison & Georgia Mete]

 

Hundreds of signatures on an on-line petition [ Change.org key words: log cabin] and on the paper version asking that councillors and mayor save the Court House Grounds, the museum and the log cabin.

 

Administration Building to be demolished ~ "going to ground" Mayor Ken Hewitt


 

Log Cabin Court House Grounds

Haldimand County Museum & Archives

Excerpts with Annotations:  From Councillor Morison's Prepared Speech in Support of Demolishing the Museum and Moving the Log Cabin *

I'd just like to say a few words if I may, and after that, you can read the new motion.
As all are aware, the ratification of this report was purposely delayed from last month to ensure that we had the ability to have the community weigh in after the planned public open houses, which took place on Nov. 22, 2016.  The open houses were well attended. . .[The vast majority of attendees were solidly against the county's proposals.]

I want to be abundantly clear that at no time did I or council ever contemplate cutting down any trees on this particular site or any site for that matter. [If sold, someone else will cut trees.]

Looking back, if we made an error, it was in saying that after the move to the consolidated administration property these lands where we are today would be declared surplus and sold.  What we should have said was that the lands would be declared surplus and a staff report would follow outlining ideas for considerations.  This is what would have happened anyway.  For no other reason than nothing happens at the county without a staff report. [Staff report outlining ideas and cost implications was not brought forward.]

Historic Log Cabin & Museum

This evening, I'm proposing that in an effort to move past this issue that all the lands remain owned by the county and used for public purposes.  I hope that everyone will be in favour to a lesser or greater degree with more green space. [What is meant by 'public purposes'?  Where is more green space coming from?]

In addition, the parking lot currently here can be as was contemplated be used as the trailhead parking for the CN Bridge Trail. [Parking behind Court House as per report.]
. . .
 I have certain ideas about how this property in part could have been used.  Many agree.  Others have other contrary ideas, and that's OK.  All of the ideas deserve consideration.  [As stated in THE HALDIMAND PRESS re: "seniors condos".]
. . .



Title Searcher Penny Plunkett *

At this stage, there has been sufficient debate and we have to make a decision.  The original plan has been altered to reflect the concerns of the museum board and members of the community. [Council's plan remains: demolish the museum, the Cayuga Admin Building, and move the log cabin.]
. . .

I met with the museum board twice and contacted and spoken by phone to all of the numbers.  After much consideration, I remain supportive of the "service delivery approach" proposed by staff in the report.  I fully recognize and support the general consensus of the community to maintain public ownership of the land for public purposes, and I support the traditional museum venue in conjunction with the staff proposed report.

And I'm currently making arrangements for an extra 800 sq. ft. to be put at the new structure.  And the further extra 800 sq. ft. to the new Cayuga library museum will add a total of 1,400 sq. ft. for the museum. [Fourteen-hundred sq. ft. in the library and eight-hundred sq. ft. storage in a new admin building basement is less than half the space available in the existing building.]


*Complete speech available at The Neat Little Bookshop [Transcript by Grant Church]

[As early as Sept. 2016, Councillor Morison spoke in the community of putting the museum into the new library.  As rumours circulated without facts and the community learned of council's intentions, there was an outcry regarding the future of the historic Court House Grounds.  At the eleventh hour, one day following the Nov. 21 Council Meeting at which ratification of the staff report was expected, an open house was hastily held. The vast majority in attendance were solidly against the county's proposals.  Morison held last-minute meetings and phone calls with the Haldimand County Museum Advisory Board.

The question remains why spend over $1,000,000 to remove the 4,400 sq. ft. museum from the property?  ]
*Penny Plunkett's presentation to council outlined the encumbrance on the Court House Grounds.  The land was left "In Trust", "For Ever", "for the purpose of erecting Gaol, Court House and other Public Buildings thereon."  What is meant by Morison's statement, "public purposes"?

Tomorrow:  The Motion

Registry Office Court House Grounds.  Genealogists and researchers can walk from one building to another.

Haldimand County Museum and Log Cabin

On December 12, 2016, Council ratified Councillor Morison's motion to demolish the museum and move the 1835 log cabin off the Court House Grounds.  The artifacts will be scattered among five libraries and the basement of the planned new admin building.  The archives will be housed in 600 sq. ft. of the planned new Cayuga library.

This story is not over.

Haldimand County Museum & Archives and 1835 Log Cabin

"County Council now has an opportunity to do the right thing.  Defeat this report!"  Will our elected representatives listen to their constituents or will they simply ratify the administrative staff's recommendations?

"The intention is to sell the property, but Morison noted they will ensure 'potential developers provide the kind of use that is best for Cayuga rather than just unloading the property for the developer to do whatever they want."  ~ The Haldimand Press,  Sept. 15, 2016  In response to public protests, presentations, emails, letters and phone calls, Mayor Hewitt has stated in the November 15 Council in Committee meeting that there has been no discussion of selling.

Ward 2 Councillor hosted an eleventh-hour open house on November 22 at which he insisted that this issue can be delayed until January.  However, there has been some insistence by administrative staff that there is a pressing necessity to ratify this report before the new budget.

Please read Report PED-GM-10-2016 on Haldimand County website and contact your councillor.  Council can and in all likelihood will ratify this report on December 12.  The first step toward selling the Court House Grounds is to clear it of all public buildings.

Haldimand County Councillors have approved Report PED-GM-10-2016 which essentially dismantles the Haldimand County Museum, moves the 181-year-old Nicholas Log Cabin* to windswept Cheapside and sets the stage for the sale of the County Court House Grounds.  The current Administration Building which also sits on the grounds "...will go to ground", stated Mayor Hewitt at a Council in Committee meeting on November 15.  Councillor Corbett made it clear at the same meeting that the money from the land-sale is required to build the new centralized $18,000,000 administration building.  Many question the need for a new administration building and the lack of fiscal responsibility.

ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 12 at 6:00 p.m. councillors can and will most likely ratify the recommendations.  We encourage everyone to attend.  Let our elected representatives know that their constituents do not agree with the decisions they are making.  Please continue to send  letters, phone calls, emails expressing concern to councillors.   Mayor Hewitt conceded at the November 15 meeting that because of the volume of public response, council needs time to consider.

At a time of year that we celebrate family traditions and find time to socialize with friends, it is an effort for folks to follow the procedures and actions of municipal government, prepare presentations and appear in the council gallery.  In spite of Christmas festivities residents turned out in numbers at the hastily organized, eleventh-hour open house organized by Ward 2 Councillor Morison.

     * Tomorrow:  History of the Nicholas Log Cabin

Court House Grounds Summer 2016

This is the photo that has offended Haldimand County Councillor Fred Morison.  At the Council-in-Committee meeting on Tuesday, November 15, 2016,  Councillor Morison adamantly expressed his disapproval of a petition circulating and comments on social media prior to administrative staff reports coming to council and before council decisions.  Morison would have preferred that a better time for the petition would have been after the Council-in-Committee meeting when Report PED-GM-10-2016 was brought forward.  This report was made available to the public late Thursday, November 10 and can be ratified on December 12. 

A petition on Change.org (Search key words: log cabin), requests that Haldimand County Council save Cayuga Court House Grounds, parkland, museum, archives and 1835 log cabin.

Council has already approved at the Nov. 15th meeting to break up the museum collection and distribute it among the libraries.  Morison is holding an Open House, TUE., NOV. 22 at 2:00 and 6:30 p.m. in the Cayuga Kinsmen Community Centre to discuss these latest developments.  Please note change in location for the Open House.

[Photo:  lbw]

Gables of Cayuga Hotel Visible - To be Demolished for New Library

 

Hwy 3 & Cayuga Street Intersection ~ Contrast this with Current Location of Library in Village Green

Many of us attended an Open House regarding the proposed new Cayuga branch of the library.  The services and the architecture were discussed.  The resulting location on Highway 3 was not part of the public discussion that we can recall.  Compare the chosen - done deal - future location with the current location in the quiet Village Green.


Village Green

Cayuga Branch Haldimand Public Library in Village Green



Riverfront One Block From Village Green

Haldimand County Council has slated the landmark Cayuga Hotel for demolition for fall, 2016, with the planned new Cayuga Library to begin in the spring.  Unlike Cayuga's current library (see below) set in the quiet Village Green, the new library will be within feet of busy Highway 3, specifically at the intersection of Hwy. 3 and Cayuga Street.



Many of us disagree with relocating the library in Highway 3 intersection.  It is a done-deal.

Village Green

This summer we had crosswalks, sidewalks, streets w/asphalt, hanging plants, planters.  We retained our green space in the Village Green!  We have a proper bridge aligned with the highway. 

New Bridge Looking West

 

Talbot St. Looking West Toward The Bookshop & Bridge

Haldimand County Museum & Archives and Historic 1835 Log Cabin

Haldimand County Council conducted an Administrative Accommodation Review last year and chose to build one new administration building in Cayuga.  This decision renders the current building redundant;  in other words, "surplus administrative property".  The future of the museum, log cabin and surrounding County Court House Grounds is unclear.

 

Current Haldimand County Admin Building Cayuga
 

 

We have been away.  Not from the bookshop.  Just from our blog.  So many things have been happening that we need to tell you!

We won't try to relate to you everything today.   We will post some photographs and some news stories each day.  Thank you for coming back.  We miss our readers.  Just to get started, we have been preoccupied reading Administrative Accommodation Reviews on the Haldimand County Website.  The reason?  It took a while for us to realize and understand that our six councilors and one mayor have been discussing the future of our current administration building and consequently our museum, log cabin and our historic County Court House Grounds.

Parking Lot and Admin Building

Tomorrow:  We will briefly summarize surplus administrative property, specifically our Haldimand Administrative Building.

Haldimand County Hydro trucks in use; however, may not be for long ~

View From Bookshop Window ~ Overflow from Wrecking Yard

Adjacent Business Occupying two of three Parking Spaces

PUBLIC PARKING LOT FOR CAYUGA ?

Yes, it is called "shaming" ~ we have appealed to our representatives.  We will continue to make folks aware of the on-going issue of the lack of public parking in Cayuga.  The county included in the official "Streetscape Plan" drawings and description of parking lots - all privately owned, privately maintained.  And ~ the county collects business taxes from the very "property owners" that they identify as parking areas.  We are requesting a public parking lot close to the downtown businesses.  "Haldimand County Streetscape Plan" identifies the downtown as "historic" and a tourist area.

We will continue to post updates on Facebook.  Downtown has lost several tourist- friendly businesses and whether the county addresses the problem of parking will determine the future of remaining businesses, including the bookshop.

[photos: lbw]

The New Haldimand County Fire Dept. Station 4 in Cayuga

Clearly Visible Behind the Doors:  Fire Trucks





Sign on Door: "This Station is NOT Staffed"

The New EMS STATION 3

 

 

Year In Review

Year of The Arenas ~ In 2011 New State-of-the-Art Facilities
On Saturday, September 17, the new Cayuga Memorial Arena opened. Neighbouring Dunnville celebrated a grand opening on September 5.
Many people came together including an organization, "Cayuga Think Rink," formed in early 2007 to bring this community dream to fruition ~ raising over a million dollars. Over four years in the making.