Martin Capper

GTA West Corridor - An Update and highlight of Additional Work in the Halton area!

MTO presented this update to the Milton Heights Landowners Association and the Milton Rural Residents Association last night. The Update was essentially to discuss the additional work currently being undertaken, much of which, to me anyway, appeared to be as a result of the prior consultation process.

Clicking on each of the images will give a larger more readable version!

On page 7 there are three maps the two options previously studied for the new corridor show that corridor in green, with the major difference being the North/South link either as a 400 series highway (green) or as a “regional” road (orange). The blue corridor is the one on which the additional work is being done. This would have the new corridor joining the 401/407 interchange making a complex and large new interchange with widening of the 401 West from that point.

If I were a betting man I would take wagers that the blue option won’t fly! I say this because the other 2 options include a) capacity for more lanes and b) a dedicated transit right of way. The widening of the 401 would result in less lanes and no dedicated transit for that portion from the current 401/407 to 401/Tremaine. Just my opinion but if the green coloured options result from the traffic counts predicted for 2031 and include a dedicate transit route then the “blue” alternative would appear to be a significant compromise – in the negative sense of that word!

It is important to bear in mind also that the traffic projections assume that the full Metrolinks Plan (at a cost of $32 billion) is executed! This is 2031 folks – we haven’t even heard the $$$$ cost numbers yet!

Martin Capper
Feb 22, 2012.

Links
MTO GTA West Corridor
Milton Rural Residents Association

An open letter to Mayor Krantz

His Worship Mayor Gord Krantz
Milton Town Council
Town Hall
MILTON

February 19, 2012

Your Worship

I refer to the debate and resolution of Town Council to proceed with the project to locate the Pan Am Games Velodrome in Milton. In particular I refer to your personal undertaking not to expose the Town and its taxpayers to risk.

Since the debate at Council informed commentators have indicated that there is good reason to be concerned that the Town is faced with the risk that you committed to avoid. In this regard I refer to:

a) The article in the Toronto Star that can be accessed at http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/1133681–perkins-answers-to-pan-am-games-concerns-hard-to-come-by

b) The op-ed piece by Milton’s Bruce Sharp which can be accessed at http://www.thespec.com/opinion/columns/article/669193–milton-helps-hamilton-dodge-velodrome-bullet and

c) PUBLIC SERVICES FOR ONTARIANS: A PATH TO SUSTAINABILITY AND EXCELLENCE a copy of which I am sure you already have. I would specifically in this regard refer you to recommendation17-3 referring to OLG slot revenues and putting at question the 5% currently received by the Town.

I have no doubt you will note that, in particular, the Toronto Star article refers to work done by a noted forensic accountant and his comments on the Pan Am Games in general and on the Velodrome in particular. The so-called Drummond report also highlights the risks inherent in the overall Pan Am Games.

I would suggest to you, sir, that these three reports should at the very least give you cause to reconsider your position on the Velodrome. It is clear, at least to me that both the Town and the Province is at risk.

I would also suggest that you have an opportunity to show leadership to both the Town and the Province by not only rejecting the Velodrome proposal but also by urging the Province and TO2015 to consider the less costly and much less risky alternative for the Velodrome contained in the above referenced Toronto Star article.

Your Worship I would urge you to show the Town, its Councillors and its taxpayers this leadership and remove the Town from the risk.

Yours truly

Martin Capper
6709 Fifth Line
Milton, On

Milton’s Proposal to Build the Pan Am Games Velodrome

So we now have a Business Plan (click here for the Plan) for the proposed Milton Velodrome and I have little doubt that Council will take this Business Plan and use it as shelter to support staff in their recommendation to proceed with the proposal and to sign up for the Velodrome. Perhaps one or two of the 9 Councillors who have kept the proposal alive thus far may change their vote and stop it now but I predict it won’t be enough.

The Business Plan highlights the risks and the staff report talks grandly of the need to develop strategies to mitigate those risks but is relatively silent in giving us a glimpse of what those strategies might be. Interestingly it talks of the opportunity costs of doing nothing but is silent on the opportunity costs of proceeding!

It makes much, as some Councillors have, of using capital funds set aside for recreational purposes and incorporating multi use purposes within the design but acknowledges that to be a success the Velodrome will have to be managed as a Velodrome. Does that mean if we have underestimated the success of the Velodrome in its “primary purpose” then the $3.8 million contributed from existing Capital will in fact need to be spent elsewhere?

The report talks of some of the Town’s share coming from the provision of “in kind” services and therefore not affecting the taxpayer. Some of these “in kind” services are expected to come from Milton Hydro – the last time I looked the sole shareholder of Milton Hydro was the Town of Milton – isn’t that a little bit like a shell game?

The business plan lists six scenarios – the usual worst, most likely and best cases for each of two conditions – with or without Laurier University! The staff report talks about the Education village needing to be shovel ready by 2013. If we compare the timescales of the new High School at Fourth Line and Louis St Laurent even if it is shovel ready and, above all, APPROVED it is unlikely to be complete in time to affect the period considered by the Business Plan.

Interestingly because the Regional ROPA 38 is under appeal the proposed site is incorrectly zoned. I may have missed it but I cannot find any provision for both the costs and the timescales involved in fixing the zoning issue!

As far as I understand it the details of the Legacy Fund for the Pan Am Games are far from finalized so the Town’s commitment to the Velodrome as recommended by Staff will be on the assumption that the shortfall on operating costs will be met out of this as yet indeterminate Legacy fund – after all most Councillors have indicated that it has to be at zero cost to the Milton Taxpayer!

Given that this is likely to be approved I would urge Councillors at the very least not to create a “not for profit” Corporation to manage the Velodrome but rather find a private sector partner to take the operating risk and manage it as a proper business venture receiving reward for so doing!

Martin Capper
Jan 28, 2012

Here is a link to the Hawthorne Villager Forum thread on this issue

Milton Council Budget Committee Meeting Dec 12, 2011

The Town of Milton annual budget process starts in June of each year with the Budget Call Report. This year was different from previous years in that in addition to the usual request for public input there was a public survey. Also several Councillors organised public meetings to get input from their constituents. Following the Budget Call report Councillors are asked to provide direction to Staff regarding the Budget. All in all six months of ensuring public exposure to Council’s and Councillors’ thinking on the Town’s budget. Shouldn’t be any surprises then when it comes down to the Budget Committee meeting – after all virtually every Councillor had committed, just over a year ago, to fully engage their constituents.

Wrong! Councillors Di Lorenzo and Barkley introduced an 11th hour motion to have taxpayers begin to fund an infrastructure repair and replacement fund at the “modest” rate of 1%.The Councillors were right – it is important for our long term future that we adequately provide for proper maintenance of our infrastructure. Those who spoke to Di Lorenzo’s motion were pretty much in agreement with this point.

The Councillors were wrong! They were wrong to raise the issue without first having exposed it to public debate through the entire budget process! They were wrong to assume that the taxpayer, through an additional levy, was the only way to get the reserve fund started! They were wrong to raise the prospect of yet another additional tax without first giving direction to Staff to investigate and properly research the matter! They were wrong to introduce a move to fund a new reserve through taxation in the same year that Staff were depleting reserves in order to minimise the taxation impact!

Fortunately the majority of Council, other than Di Lorenzo, Barkley, Huffman and Lunau, also believed the motion was wrong and it was defeated.

Martin Capper
December 13, 2011

The Last Post

Some time around 11:00 am tomorrow November 11the tune that has become associated with end of day and end of life in the military will pierce the silence. The Last Post will be played as part of the Remembrance Day services throughout most of the free world. It seems to me that I have been familiar with the Last Post or Taps for most of my life. In my childhood every Scout meeting and day at scout camp ended with Taps.

In early adulthood as a part time soldier or Territorial at army camp and at the annual Remembrance Day parades the Last Post would be played. I remember walking through the city centre of Belfast late one night in the late 60’s, during the Troubles, when the silence of the night was pierced by the haunting notes of the Last Post. Somehow more than any other piece of music, at least for me, the Last Post brings a sense of sadness combined with a sense of pride.

Five years ago in July 1996 I visited the area of France where the Battle of the Somme was fought in 1916. I listened to the Last Post being played at Beaumont-Hamel at the Newfoundland monument, then again at the Theipval Monument and finally at the Ulster Tower. As I said – sadness and pride.

This was an incredibly moving experience but no more so than tomorrow’s Remembrance Day Service will be at the Evergreen Cemetery in Milton. The visit to the Somme was very personal for me but nowhere near as personal as tomorrow’s service will be for the vetrans who turn out for the Parade, nor for those Milton families whose names are etched in stone on the cenotaph in Victoria Park.

For those of you who are equally moved by the Last Post this has to be one of the most incredible performances http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpJ8q8B2WEs

Martin Capper
Nov 10, 2011.

GTA West Corridor - An Update and highlight of Additional Work in the Halton area!

An open letter to Mayor Krantz

Milton’s Proposal to Build the Pan Am Games Velodrome

Milton Council Budget Committee Meeting Dec 12, 2011

The Last Post

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