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Wand 5 debate changes a lot of minds about candidates 0 hours can change a lot, Fidudjng a person's vote in the next municipal election. And at least halfofthe momful of spectators who attended the Ward fr candidates debate last Thursday at theWatedoo public library admitted byashowofhambaherthe meeting that their decision on Nov 10 will now be a lot tougtwr to make The tHear-old seemed to leave many audience members ir/awe of his knowledge of various city and Nrtofthattzudhavetodowith what many would call a surprising” strong showing by the rat e's youngest candidate, Dawd Well- ”And for the matters he didn't understand. he pmvided a mapped- out approach of how he will seek eep in the heart of the DWatedoo Town Square, was a little family run mutant known as the Texas A strange name consider ing the Kotsopolous family. which owned it, traced their anmtry bad to Greece rather than the longhorn state. But maybe it was the down-home hospitality they shared with Unfortunately. after 25 years of serving as a meeting place for friends regulars and local politicians. the Texas Bar- EQ closed its doors for the last time on Sunday. Continuing changes being made to the uptown mall try its current owners. First Gulf Development Corporation, just didnt seem to fit the little mom and pop operation any- more. so they were gven there two month's node inAugust. Closing the doors on aWaterloo meeting place theiIfront doors that madethe namelikeanicefit. And loyal customers] who stopped in for the last time during the restaurant's final week of operation, said it's a pity. They (topped by to com: miserare, commemorate and celebrate the 25 years of shared history they had with Jim and Frieda. who only dosed on thistmas day and umkiqrrortrtloorrtresu8am HALLPAPER CLEARANCE wwW.bkmotorsgroup.¢om By Mm Bun - 1?erefg, coife Match of 12 local health care workers, who have been coming to the Texas Bar-B-Q for the last 15 years. While some of them don't make it out every time, the weekly meeting had become such a ritual that even members who moved away from the area still came back years later to find the same old crew in the same old New Year's day every year. Ptof We swam? , And over the years Frieda has become so intuitive in what they wanted she would have it waiting for them when they got there. "We couldn't even change our orders if wanted ta" islet! Ema Stabbe. drawing guffaws from the "You tell Frieda once what you want and she'd tell you you mm change you'xe mind" said [neAnn Cxolangtir Over the years ihe restate mm hmame a refuge for them particularly that day back in am 25% On All Current Stock! "We had a lot of beginnings and endings here. " leu'w been thinking dhnul MIN oratirw, mm is a Rival Limo to slurl' “all (mu you can saw 25% off M,l, inshll uullmu-n‘nw and ' Wm al our Urtot8a 8mm location in “Humor. This sunworth mm! tlme otter, mdmp in today " great saungs' y - Pat Turner a loyal customer of the Texas Bar-B-Q those answers Showing initiative he presented a letter he sent to Waterloo Regional police Chief [any Gravill last week. asking that the police to launch a criminal investigation into the cit- cumslances behind the RIM Park financing scandal. "i'rrt V a little nervous," he explained 'Tve never seen so many people atacpuncil meeting before.“ Thouim at times he showed his inexperience. becoming distracted with people in the audienua 7 Iiut Wellhauser wasn't the only candidate who felt the pressure, All four panelists were put on the spotoverhowtheywould dealwith various municipal issues Including the RIM Park fallout. improved library service, the role of students in the community. and future develop- ment in ihe uptown library service, (heroic of students in "We also need a better trans" the community. and future develop- system, and should be working with men! in the uptown the Region ofWatedoo to strengthen Candidate Ian Mclean. who nar- transit services" rowty lost in the Ward 5 rare in the Candidate John TUrvey believes 1997 when the Mike Harris government laid them all off. They still remember "Black Thursday." and the way that Frieda was then: for them dur- ingall of the tears “We've had a lot of begin- nings and endings hem," said Pat Turner. “We were all fired here by Mike Harris, and I think Frieda treated us that "shegrveusmeeorsome thirqrtoInakrusftxSbatercl' That's why they consider themselves extended family. and we're sorry to see the restaurant close. Then even chipped in to get a nice gift for "it's tough to say goodbye to a family member," said MargaretSL Hem. And Jim and Frieda admit that was their little secret __ treating customers like famin members. And with their three kids Sophie, Gary and May always in an out, the impression people got was that they were at home with dt0btsopolouses In {an the first stop for their youngest child May, after beingbom. was the restaurant. And people still remember her sitting in a high chair by the Whenever Waterloo MP AodrewTtdqyii was in town he was sure to stop in for some liver and onions like mom PAGE 3 last two municipal elections, said his first priority is protecting the core neighbourhoods' “We have to encourage responsi- ble residential development." he "I think smaller is better: and council must take a leadership role in encouraging mixed uses in the core. Uses that wilt protect the neighbourhoods and grow the economy "In the uptown. we are the anchorandhmelofthecityAWhave toliveuptothaC' Weifhauser agreed dual A use development is the way to go. “Development with cohtrnericat uses at the bottom and residential Jim and Frieda Kotsopolous stand in front of the grill at the Texas Bar-B-Q for the last time after 25 years of making friends in the been of the Waterloo Town Square. Mayor lynneWoolstencmft and her husband Peter were also regulars, as was anyone looking for the real scoop about what was going in Waterloo. It was the town square in the Waterioo Town Square, which was once the unofficial centre of the city before it began its deteriora, lion used to make. And MPP Eliza- beth Winner would often stop in for brunch after church "At one time we served seven to 800 people a day," the city should work on identifying the gaps in services that exist in the "l often think it would be nice to have a bakery in the uptown. or a stationary store," he said. "We heed to make uptown a more attractive place to live, to work. andto be" Timmy also said development plans should be considered on a mse-brtase basis _ And any development should not violate the character and integri- ty of the older neighbourhoods. he Wellhamer said he is opposed to the recent Height and Density approval made by council which could allow for 2'rstorey develop- men) in mm arms of the uptown. " think the height limit should be changed to something more an We need to very rarefully said Jim. "But it hasn't been good in years - "We served poor. rich. famous and the non-famous They were all treated the same People called after they moved out of town, and they were sure to bring their own children and grandchildren in widndm "We're going to miss the people we servrd/' said Jim. "It's very sad," said Frieda about the closing. "The rust 'Buinot mummy I no Victoria Street N., Kitchener (519) 576-757h Hif,i,7i,).rt,1i,, --te [)ESIGN (Trev TRFS - hand wsmortertttgs (air JunlaNt .n choose the areas for increased height allowances and density." added McLean. “We need to discuss the areas so that we can protect the existing neighbourhoods from impending through of having skyscrapers in All candidates agreed there's a lot to be learned from past develop- merttfaihms,suchastheFirstCitdf Development Corporation's Mars to redevelop theWatedoo Town Square "It's easy to be dazzled. and not do the due diligence." Tisrvey said. “We have to be very cautious going forward "But [First l Adf plans} were worth taking a shot at. and we've probably learned a lot hom it." Candidate Susan Mmkaluk agreed the city should draw on past week we heard about it we couldnttalkaboutit." It took them another week to tell thtirdtildren, who PNC- timllygTwypin the plan; _ "The mall management didn't even stop in to talk -- they didn't even give us that consideration. "So we're just trying to get through it Wb’ve been packed the whole week __ everybody just wanled to stop by and say "WE didn't expect it/' said (haunued on page q