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The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 14,2000 -7 ~ SO UR READERS WRITE Malboeuf tells letter wrînters to get facts straight on Drury lands Dear Editor: Not content with having stopped, for now, the construction of a niuch-needed seniors' housing projeet, the Friends of E.C. Drury have now decided to attack me in a letter-writing csmpaign. This is fine, but I wish they would get their facta straight and stop mis- leading thse citizens of Milton. First of ail, the land in question is flot a park. It has neyer heen a park. This property is zoned for institutional development. The Province of Ontario owns these lands and has decided they are surplus lands. The govemment asked E.C. Drury if it required the lands for future use. E.C. Drury said no. The lands were then offered to the Town of Milton. lIn a closed-door session Milton counicil after a discussion of approxiniately fOve minutes voted unaniniously, I repeat unaniniously, not to purehase these lands. Unlike some of my colleagues on counicil niy position behind closed doors is the sainie as the position 1 take in public. Following council's decision, the govemnient sold the lands to H.D. Investments. Thse staff recommendation that I and other niembers of counicil supported would have resuited in the construction of 195 single- story, 1300-square-foot bungalows geared for seniors. Despite what niy opponienta would like people to believe, you cas desig- nate and restriet s development to, a certain class of people. The Ontario Municipal Board (0MB) set thse precedent in a nil- ing conceming a similar developnent in Vaughn. There are many such senior developnients in Ontario. The reconimendation would have guaranteed the continued existence of the Milton Tennis Club. That existence is now in jeopardy. Under the terns of the reconinendation, the Town of Milton would have received at no cost to taxpayers 14 acres of ilie 35 acres in question, including 80 per cent of the foreat ares -- which we could have then rezoned as parkland thereby protecting this green space fromn any future developnient. Opponents have stated that the Town would lose the existing soccer field and bail diamond. That isn't true. One of the condi- tions of sale is that H.D. Investments niust replace the existing playing fields. The Frienda of the E.C. Dnnry say they represent the msjority of Miltonians on this issue. To support this dlaim ttsey presented to Milton counicil a petition signed by s hlte more than 700 peo- pie -- a petition that to say the lesst was wprded in s misleading and bias nianner. At thse council meeting of Januaey 10 there were about 400 peo- pie present. Sonie of theni were there in support of the project, but even if we accept that everyone present was opposed we are talking 400 people out of a population of more than 30,000. Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh in the last election won every pol in thse area. If the majority of citizens are so opposed to this pro- ject why did they overwhelmingly re-eleet the politician repre- senting the govemnient responsibie for the sale of these lands? Opponents to Use project are saying Use Town should purchase these lands. The purchase price for this parcel of land is more than $2.5 million, on top of what we would have to psy to upgrsde Usese lands, as well as Use coat of maintenance and liabil- ity. On the other hand had counicil approved the staff recommen- dation, the Town of Milton wouid have received $1 .3 million froni deveiopment charges and building permits? To do what the Friends of E.C. Drury suggest would end up costing the taxpayers of Milton at least $4 million, not counting the $150,000 a year in property taxes Use Town would lose. How do you think the taxpayers of Dorset Park, Bronte, Omagh, and Csmpbeliville would reset to s tax increase of more than $100 s year in order to pay for this land purehase? We had, what 1 believe was s good deal for the citizens of Milton. Council rejected that deal and now iftresta wiUs thse 0MB, where we will spend tens if not hundreda of thousanda of dollars in an attempt to, defend our position. If we lose at the 0MB, the developer is under no obligation to donate to the town the tennis E si Classic Praetieal style for everyday living. Classic works hard s you won't have te. Regular Baetap 251i2' 27"-30-33-36-39-42 _221s2'& 231/4" court or the 14 acoes of green space. If by sonie miracle we win at the 0MB, we could stili end up big losers as the developer or the govemment could then turn around and decide to, construct a large non-profit housing compiex, which this land is currently zoned for and what the previous NDP government propoaedl for these lands. If this ahould happen we would certainly lose the ten- nis court and the forest. My motive for supporting the staff recommendation was very simple. The recomniendation would have resulted in the con- struction of much-needed seniors residences. It would have ensured the continued existence of the Milton Tennis Club. It would have resulted in the town acquiring 14 acres of green space at no coat to taxpayers and would have generated much-needed revenue$ for the town. 1 could have buckled to the political pres- sure, as some of my colleagues did, and took the easy way out but instead 1 chose to support a reconimendation that I believe was in the hest interest of the majority of the citizens of Milton, and for that 1 will flot apologize. RIck Malboeut Halton regional and Milton councillor Finesse The eomtsrtable and cssvenient look of Finesse makea a positive statemnent about Earopean styling. 251/2 2l4-3-33,3e-a42 221Z&2314» SCHUYLER HOME HARDWARE S385 Steeles Ave. E., Milton, OntarioU 878-9222 nce 1964 Selected In Stock Formatop's superior that are out of sight, Counte tops ot out of pocket! 2 Styles to choose from: L assic 6' 0 1S9,98 8' 0 '5388 Finesse Edge 10' . 1eeee 12' le 7.8 Edge Need help to measure? We would be pleased to measure for you, for a nominal fée refundable on purchase. 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