Invitation Only, Why?

JULY 9

FORT ERIE HOLIDAY INN

7PM

On July 9th A meeting is being held at the Fort Erie Holiday Inn. The meeting is about the proposed development at Miller’s Creek Marina and Cairn’s Crescent.

Unfortunately it is by invitation only. Why? Who is invited? Why are the developers and the Town of Fort Erie so afraid of a open and Transparent meeting with the residents of Fort Erie? After all on May 29, 2006 City Council adobted

Resolution No. 26

Gorham-Lewis
THAT: The Municipal Council of the Town of Fort Erie hereby supports a public/private partnership for development of the Niagara Parks Marina provided there is a public, open and transparent process regarding any such development. (CARRIED)

The last public meeting with town officials was a very one sided affair. Little was said at the meeting about environment issues, possible increased utilities costs an the rerouting of the Niagara Parkway through Cairn’s Crescent.

Are the few invited guests that are going to attend the meeting on July 9th the ones that are in favor of the development?

Find out why you were not invited to this private meeting by showing up at the Fort Erie Holiday Inn on July 9th at 7 PM.

Marina land should be publicly operated: Kormos

By Alison Bell

Fort Erie

Jun 27, 2008

One of Niagara’s longest-serving MPPs is calling for the government to put a halt to development at Miller’s Creek Marina, labelling the project “Disneyfication of parkland.”

In session at Queen’s Park last week, Welland MPP Peter Kormos asked the government why it is allowing private industry to take over parkland.

“Why is the McGuinty government facilitating and accommodating the commercialization and privatization of the pristine parkland of the Niagara Parks along the Niagara River?” he said.

The comprehensive expansion plan — which includes three times more space for boats, a four-storey hotel, a four-storey condominium, a restaurant and shopping on 45 acres leased from Niagara Parks — depends on the outcome of an environmental assessment. A lease between Warren DAC Investment Ltd., the company spearheading the project, and the Niagara Parks Commission also depends on environmental assessments of the former shipyard lands.

Currently the marina has 135 slips for boats. There is a launch ramp, a gas pump and not much else.

The proposed development has a $120 million price tag and will be funded through Warren DAC, which took over control of the marina in April 2007.

In recent times, the marina has fallen into a state of disrepair, a state which Kormos described as “rustic.”

It has about 110 members.

In an interview with The Post, Kormos called the project, “The privatization, commercialization and Disneyfication of parkland.”

He said the lands should be occupied by a public body.

“Niagara Parks has always been under pressure by developers and by governments that want to make more money. The role of the commission is to act as a steward of those parklands and it’s a trust relationship that’s being betrayed now,” said Kormos. “The line has to be clearly drawn now.”

Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor said because of the condition of the marina, the parks commission had to decide whether to invest a significant amount of money to restore the marina with no guarantee of a return on the investment or work with a private developer. Craitor said nothing has been finalized in terms of the development because an environmental assessment is ongoing.

“They’re now doing an environmental assessment to determine if they can even do anything with (the land),” said Craitor, noting the assessments are mandated by the province.

He said the province does have final say in the outcome of the assessment and the development.

“The parks (commission) is saying that’s not the business we’re in. It would not generate enough money to operate. The other option is to say we’re not going to operate a marina there.”

As Far Back As 1925

Images And Maps of the area

An image of the marina as it looked several years ago. When it apparently wasn’t making any money.

Here you cansee both the campgrounds and the marina

The proposed development area

A few maps of the area

The Niagara Parks Commission Mandate

The Niagara Parks Commission has the mission to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the Falls and the Niagara River corridor for the enjoyment of visitors, while maintaining financial self-sufficiency.

As guardian of a national trust, we are mandated to preserve and commemorate the historical, cultural and environmental significance of the Niagara River corridor. Stewardship roles we assume have been an important aspect of the Commission since its inception.

Our Mandate

The Niagara Parks Commission is an Operational Enterprise of the Government of Ontario, incorporated by an act of the Provincial Legislature on April 23, 1887. We are obligated to maintain economic self-sufficiency through the application of sound business practices and we must function under the terms set out in the Niagara Parks Act, the Memorandum of Understanding between the Minister of Tourism and the Commission and some sections of the Corporations Act. Along with stewardship responsibilities, Niagara Parks must fulfill a broad range of activities laid out by government, as detailed in the Act under General Powers and Duties (Section 4) and Regulations (Section 22). The Niagara Parks Act

Classification as an operational enterprise means we sell goods or services to the public in a commercial manner, including but not necessarily in competition with the private sector. We receive the revenues from our commercial activities and apply them to further the objects for which we were incorporated. We are self-funding but rely on the government of Ontario for guarantees of bank loans.

Niagara Parks is similar to a private corporation, with all the objects, powers and duties prescribed under the Niagara Parks Act.

Fort Erie City Council, Various Minutes Regarding The Marina

apr24r-minutes

byl-2005-205

jan30-minutes

may-29r-minutes

nov7c-minutes

nov14r-minutes

nov28r-minutes

sept19c-minutes

Don’t exclude public from riverfront plan

THE NIAGARA PARKS Com­mission and Town of Fort Erie are embarking on a scheme of questionable merit – to allow a private developer to construct a marina complex on public land along the Niagara River.

I will go one step further and call it a terrible idea. The worst part of the proposal is to detour the parkway as we know it -away from the river in a long loop containing condos and who knows what else.

The whole world knows that developers covet prime land -and what follows? Investors who snap up condos for rentals. It happens everywhere. Water­front development properties for the most part, are controlled by the affluent, for the affluent. Just look at Crystal Beach where the former amusement park used to be. It’s now a gated community.

An upscale marina, and com?

plex if it is developed at all, should not exclude the general public from enjoying the water­front drive. That’s the way it always was, and the way it should stay.

As a card-carrying member of Ontario Shorewalk Association, I cherish public waterfront, wherever it may be, as do thou­sands of other citizens and visi­tors.

Lets not diminish the fact that we have the most pictur-

esque fitness trail in the worid along the river. It should stay exactly as it is today, public land within the Niagara Parks sys­tem.

On Thursday, a public meet­ing is being held at the Black Creek Community centre to address the situation.

I hope the NPC and the Town
of Fort Erie will be well repre­
sented. There will be plenty to
talk about. I just pray that the
“wood is not already cut and
dried.”
Paul Kassay
Crystal Beach

Peter Kormos M.P.P.

kormos-letter

Miller Creek

Miller Creek is located on flat poorly drained, heavy clay soils in the north east section of Fort Erie. Significant fish species such as Yellow Perch, Rock Bass, Grass Pickerel, Pumpkinseed and Black Bullhead are found in the creek. This area is recognized as an IBP site and is the only site of wild Hibiscus in the Niagara Peninsula. This is also the location of the rare Kingnut Hickory tree. On the banks occur occasional specimens of Cardinal Flower, Wild Coffee, Buttonbush and Swamp Milkweed. All of these plants are uncommon or rare to the Niagara Peninsula. The creek is recognized in the Fort Erie Official Plan (1993) as a Environmentally Sensitive Area, unique Biological Area and a provincially significant fishery.

www.brocku.ca/epi/3v23page/miller.htm

Commercializing, Privatizing and Disneyfying a Valuable Natural Resource

The followig is taken from Legislative Assembly of Ontario house debates, June 11, 2008:

NIAGARA PARKS COMMISSION

Mr. Peter Kormos: The stated mission of the Niagara Parks Commission is to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the falls and the Niagara River corridor. You folks who don’t know about it, it’s the jewel in the crown of Ontario, that Niagara Parkway, and the parklands on the west side of the Niagara River.

Well, under the McGuinty government and his handpicked appointees to the commission, that valuable natural resource is being desecrated. I tell you, that’s a crime to generations of Ontarians to come. McGuinty and the Liberals are hell bent on commercializing, privatizing and Disneyfying that valuable natural resource. They may find it cute that their private partners are going to make huge profits on the asphalting and the paving over of Niagara parkland, but we down in Niagara think otherwise.

The most recent victim, of course, is Miller’s Creek Marina, which was privatized last year. Now, the developer, Warren DAC, wants to build a condo complex and shopping sites on Niagara parkland.

The McGuinty government should be protecting this scarce and valuable natural resource. It talks a big game about tourism, but then slams the door in the face of people who want to be stewards of beautiful attractions like Niagara Parks. I call upon this government to immediately rein in its commission.