The Waterloo-Wellington Bloggers Association

Encouraging your children to take the bus is a good initiative. In our case we are fortunate to have the bus stop right across from our Queen Street East house and the bus drops off the kids at Jacob Hespeler Secondary School. The Grand River Transit (GRT) even encourages students to take transit by giving them the Reduced Monthly Pass for $50.00 instead of the normal rate of $60. Sounds too good to be true……….your right.

GRT has misleading advertising regarding the availability of Reduced Monthly Passes for students. Right across the street from Jacob Hespeler Secondary School is the Zehrs that sells the monthly passes. Two of the last three times we have tried to buy the pass we were told they are sold out of the Reduced Monthly Passes for $50.00 and only the Regular Priced Passes were available for $60.00. Both times people selling the passes stated that there are only limited quantities of the Reduced Monthly Passes available.

So we checked out the GRT website . It does not state anything about limited quantities of reduced monthly passes. Come on GRT get your act together and print enough passes to honour your commitment to the taxpayers of this region.

The good folks at TriTAG bring to my attention this letter to the Waterloo Region Record where reader Cheri-ann Chowan expresses frustration at the lack of adequate transit service to Breslau, not to mention the lack of sidewalks along Victoria that could get a resident of Breslau to transit:

I am not the only parent in this predicament in Breslau. I know of one family that bought a house in Breslau and less than a year later sold their house because of the lack of transit for their teens. What happens to families in Breslau that cannot afford a vehicle? How would they potentially get to a job, doctors, and other very vital everyday life events?

(link)

When public transit was moved from the local level to the regional council back in 2000 and Grand River Transit was created, one of the benefits cited was the possibility that the satellite towns and villages might finally get a public transit connection with the main cities. Since then, the GRT has established a successful route to St. Jacobs and Elmira, and is considering services to Baden, New Hamburg and Ayr. It seems strange to me that Breslau, which is just across the Grand River from Kitchener, along one of the busier corridors leading out of the city, should not receive attention. The Route 15 comes so close, with morning rush and late evening service extended out to Centennial Road, right on the banks of the Grand.

Also, looking at the map, a service proposal presents itself that not only gives Breslau residents access to the downtown, but serves other areas in eastern Kitchener that are currently some distance from transit service. If Grand River Transit were to set up a route operating from the Downtown Terminal to King and Victoria and from there to Breslau via Victoria, Lancaster, Wellington, Shirley, Bingeman’s Centre Drive and Victoria again, the new industries setting up shop on Shirley and Bingeman Centre would finally see transit service. And that’s just filling in the gaps. Grand River Transit could conceivably simplify the layout of current services by running a bus along Victoria from King to Breslau, running a bus along Wellington and Bingemans Centre to loop in the Victoria/Lackner area, and a bus up Queen North and Lancaster to loop in Bridgeport, potentially giving passengers at the far end of routes 6 and 15 a faster ride to Kitchener’s downtown.

It may be that Grand River Transit hasn’t implemented the service because nobody has suggested it. Well, consider the suggestion made. The success of the Elmira route shows that demand exists outside of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge for transit service, and the GRT need only continue the bus down Woolwich and Fountain Streets to give the residents of the Region of Waterloo public transit access to the regional airport.

• Brian at At Home at Hespelar reminisces about the last time the Canadian national anthem was changed, notes how some things shift organically, and wonders what all the fuss is about.
• Like many other bloggers, Far and Wide sees the Conservatives’ proposed change to the anthem as a diversionary tactic.
• Yikes! Urbanity posts a Google Map showing marijuana grow-ops in London. No similar map exists for Waterloo Region, yet. Locally, he has better news about a digital hub being set up in the old Tannery in downtown Kitchener.
• Planet June has yarn salamanders climbing the walls.
• Wonderful Waterloo launches a debate on which university library has the clearer windows. What, and let all the light shine in on our… (gasp!)… books?!
• Still with the universities, Psystenance criticizes how the University of Waterloo serves its pedestrians.
• Take the Lane wonders what the best bike route is to get from Mill and Queen to Riverbend and Lancaster. His readers offer suggestions.
• Be sure to check out the many fascinating late winter pictures over at Blog Guelph.
• And, finally, remember that Doctor Who returns to Canadian screens on April 17!

The WPL board writes that it is committed to delivering the best possible library service to this community and uses that as the gauge for all decisions.

When you examine the attendance for WPL Board meetings in 2009, there was a lot of absenteeism. There were 9 meetings during the year and one member missed 5. Another missed 4 and 4 others missed 3 meetings. At one meeting, 4 Board members were absent while 2 others were present by teleconference. And 2008 wasn’t much better. There were 10 meetings that year. Ian MacLean the Councillor missed 6 meetings (3 in a row) and another missed 4. Two missed 3 apiece and 4 others missed 2. Most Board Chairs and CEOs I know would be more than a little upset with this kind of track record.

Quite a track record for a board committed to delivering the best possible library service to the community and looking out for the best library interests of the citizens of Waterloo. This is a board struggling for months “with the direction that the library is currently undertaking and the plan it is currently undertaking”? It seems to me that only those that attend regularly actually want to continue that plan and that Ms Matyas was fired for not enthusiastically implementing the hidden agenda of the active board members.

The Waterloo Chronicle reports Jackson said “we do not believe we would have been able to execute the plan that we collectively have decided is the future of the community.” Community is not qualified by the word “library”. Interesting words coming from the man who wants to amalgamate Waterloo with Kitchener. I don’t believe WPLB should be deciding the future of Waterloo on its own; it should stick to planning for the library needs of Waterloo with full input from the citizens of Waterloo. Is Jackson’s plan really in the best interests of Waterloo Public Library users and Waterloo taxpayers?

I have volunteered on and off at Hespeler Minor Hockey Association for the last 15 years. I had heard about how fantastic the Valentine Dance the Hespeler Hockey Moms put on and about four years ago my wife and I started to experience the phenomenon…..

Every year the dance is sold out and simply a fantastic party time. The Beehive Room at the arena is a large sterile room but during the Valentine Dance it becomes a place to have fun and loose your mind. The age of the people attending range from in their mid 20s to mid 50s.

It starts at 8pm but nobody really comes to 9:30pm and then the insanity starts. Everyone and I mean all 450 people that come through the door are there for one reason only……. to have a good time. The DJ is incredible and the dance floor is jammed all night. It is almost like its the only night out all year for the attendees and they intend to have a no holds barred endless party.

There are also tons of door prizes and silent auction gifts, but by wife Debra and I are having so much fun I forget to bid on stuff and forget where my tickets are for the door prizes. Interestingly I do not forget where the liquor tickets are.

I do know one person to thank for putting on the dance for at least the last few years. Her name is Sony Cress and she does an amazing job of organizing the dance along with the other Hockey Moms.

My wife and I were among the first to leave. We left through the side door at about half past midnight. We had danced almost all night and were exhausted.

There was about 5 people outside the door having a cigarette. The people were friendly and smiled. As I walked by I heard one person say, “They can’t be the from Hespeler if they are leaving this early.” My wife and I laughed and went home thankful we are again part of the yearly phenomenon known as the Hespeler Minor Hockey Valentine Dance.

I would like to add my voice to those questioning the dismissal of the Waterloo Public Library’s Chief Librarian, Cathy Matyas. I’ve been watching/reading all the news I can get on the issue. I can’t think, in all my over 40-year involvement with Ontario public libraries, 22 years employed by the provincial ministry administering the Public Libraries Act, of a similar “firing without cause.”

Mayor Halloran has confirmed the over-125-year principle in Ontario that public library boards, though municipal bodies, are separate and arm’s-length from the municipal council, when questioned on the firing. However just recently Mayor Halloran said cash to cover a hiring consultant and perhaps some of the compensation in lieu of notice will come from a city reserve fund. This is enabling the library board in its decision.

I am puzzled by Jackson summarily firing Matyas after having served as chair for seven years and having had no problems with her, apparently, in all those years. Why fire the chief librarian just before he himself goes? The firing and its substantial cost becomes his legacy to the library. Could it be a personal issue over the powers of the chair versus the powers of the chief librarian? The Public Libraries Act states that the chief librarian has general supervision over and direction of the operations of the library and its staff, not the chair.

The firing isn’t illegal, but in my opinion not to provide, at the very least, Cathy herself, with a reason, is morally wrong. No matter what an employee does, you don’t fire them without warning or giving them a chance to improve or come around. After seven very successful years, Cathy Matyas deserves a good reason if the board is going to fire her. The library board also needs to show staff and Waterloo taxpayers how this firing and new direction is in their best interests

I agree with Kim Jernigan: I too am “hoping it is not too late for the library board to revisit this ill-considered decision” and reinstate Cathy Matyas. Mayor Halloran also has some reconsidering to do. Undertaking to fund the search for a new chief librarian and pay what is likely to be substantial compensation in lieu of notice from municipal reserve funds implies tacit approval of and support for the library board’s decision.

Tyrone t (56 King St. N. Waterloo) is one fine restaurant. I have been there for lunch and dinner. The decor is chic, modern and roomy. A stage or DJ station splits the bar/lounge area from the dining area; the music being played at both visits was not too loud and was very pleasant. One of the owners is the former franchise holder of Kitchener's Rude Native restaurant; the food at Tyrone t is better than at Rude Native. I think Tyrone t is as good as King Street Trio on University. Friday, February 5th dinner we started with T's signature salad - maple/sesame Dijon vinaigrette on tossed mixed greens topped with blue cheese & toasted pecans - the greens fresh and the flavour combination appealing; the pecans added a crisp note. A very pleasant beginning to the meal. My wife had a 6 oz Angus tenderloin grilled exactly the way she requested, served with a Shiraz dark jus sauce and very good (though not as good as New York fries) thin cut fries. I had the schnitzel stack - herbed breaded stack of pork cutlets layered with melted Oka, served over purple braised preserved cabbage and spatzli. Tyrone t's schnitzel has my vote for the best in the Region. We finished with a chai-flavoured creme brule (the chef creates a daily special creme brule). It was very good, though not as good as the creme brule at the Oban Inn in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The way the wine list was laid out, grouping the lighter and heavier wines, helped in making a choice. The selection of wines was good, but a wider choice of light beers would have been appreciated. The service was friendly and efficient. The bill, not including tip but including a Waterloo Dark and a 9-oz Mount Oakden Shiraz, was just a few cents over $75.00. Very reasonable.

It happened on September 8 2007. It was a beautiful fall day. Anyone that knows me, knows I love to go for bike rides especially in Puslinch Township. So it was that Saturday in September I went for my 30km ride. I missed an event that still makes me wonder what the heck happened.

When I returned home a friend of mine, who came to visit while I was away on my ride, was real excited about what he videotaped on the other side of the Mill Pond in the Hespeler part of Cambridge Ontario. He and two young girls claimed they saw an alien. You see the park where he filmed the video is out back of our house.

Now I thought this was pretty funny, so I watched the short video clip on his camera and had to admit something was up. It was loaded on You Tube and the Hespeler News website and 2 years later over 54,000 people have viewed it and 172 people have commented on the video.

I really don’t know what to think about the whole issue as my friend has moved away and will not talk about that day. What I can say is I absolutely love the comments people have made about the video. I have burst out laughing reading them. Enjoy the video and comments it certainly makes for interesting conversation.

Here is the first edition of the Carnival of Waterloo-Wellington Blogs, a (I hope) monthly event where we trawl some interesting links from interesting bloggers blogging about or from inside the region. Without further ado, here is what we’re talking about:

• Regional Councillor Jane Mitchell loves the new Waterloo museum. I agree that the building is striking, and I would like to pay it a visit.
• Urbanity is talking about Kitchener-Waterloo amalgamation.
• At Home on Hespeler remembers the freedom of music and the vinyl LP.
• Right of Centre Ice considers the supreme court ruling on the constitutional rights of Omar Khadr.
• Record blogger Take the Lane considers the rash of pedestrian deaths in Toronto and how to stand out while crossing the street.
• The blog 59 Carden Street looks into the funding dispute between the City of Guelph and Wellington County.
• More great photography from an Insider’s Guide to Waterloo Region.

As always, to hear the latest from our local bloggers, consult this web page. If you have a local blog and would like to be added to the list, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

When Ellen and I went to Waterloo city council to talk about the whole ghetto thing, we were suprised to find ourselves in the middle of a two-hour debate on amalgamation.

Amalgamation debates are something you get used to in this town. Frankly, I’m amazed we managed to avoid the amalgamation fever of the 90s. Everybody knows about the Toronto megacity, but the fever also led to such strange political entities as The “City” of Kawartha Lakes.

Tim Jackson of Tech Capital Partners and Iain Klugman of Communitech went to city council to propose, not the amalgamation of the whole Region of Waterloo this time, but the amalgamation of the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo.

Except what they proposed wasn’t actually amalgamation, but a plebiscite on the next municipal ballot asking voters whether they were in favour of the two cities talking about amalgamation.

And here’s where it gets a little dicey. Who has a problem with the cities talking about amalgamation?

I remember, however, a referendum in Québec a few years ago, where the question wasn’t “Should Québec be a sovereign nation independent of Canada?” The question was “Do you agree that Québec should become sovereign after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new economic and political partnership?” Which is why we have the Clarity Act.

I missed Tim Jackson’s presentation, but when pressed, Iain Klugman made it clear that he felt that a “Yes” vote on this plebiscite was mandate to amalgamate the cities and no follow-up referendum was needed after the cities were finished “talking”.

Furthermore, the province gets to dictate the question after the city votes to have one on the ballot. Waterloo doesn’t get to make its own Clarity Act. And, except for the general distaste for the idea in the Region, there’s nothing stopping the province from forcing amalgamation at any time. Although I fear I might be drifting into conspiracy theories, a “yes” vote on a wishy-washy “talk about amalgamation” vote might be all the political clout they’d need to just amalgamate, regardless of what comes out of talking.

And finally, as far as I can tell (and I could be wrong here—like I said, I missed Tim Jackson’s presentation), the only reason TCP and Communitech are pushing for amalgamation is they think it makes their job marketing the region to the world a bit easier.

I don’t think I need to say I have some problems with this proposal. There was significant resistance from people at the meeting. And an unfortunately anonymous and confusingly named group called One Waterloo has popped up online to oppose it.

On idea of amalgamating cities, I’m a bit more on the fence. Kitchener and Waterloo are one community in a sense that, say, Kitchener and Cambridge aren’t. But the history of amalgamation in this province has created more losers than winners, and I think in general, smaller, decentralized organizations are easier to manage and therefore more efficient than bigger ones.

I don’t see a problem with the current set-up, except that it would make sense to upload more services (like fire or water) to the Region. I don’t think democracy or neighbourhood concerns would be better served by a huge municipal council in downtown Kitchener. I don’t think Communitech’s marketing problems are a good enough reason to tear down and rebuild a system that seems to be working. And most of all, I would like to see amalgamation come about because it’s clearly what citizens want, and not because some group managed to hoodwink them into giving the province an excuse to go ahead and make it happen.

And I hate that I probably come off as crazy by writing that, but that’s the only way I could interpret Mr Klugman’s statements to council a couple weeks ago.

Waterloo city council will debate and put the ballot question to a vote tonight.