59 Carden St.

Bus crash probe report won't be made public

Posted by Phil Andrews

We're working on a follow-up story to the June 1 crash of two Guelph Transit buses.

Guelph Transit is limited on what it can say about the matter now that one of the drivers has been charged and the matter is before the courts.

The report arising from the internal investigation into the incident will not likely be made public, however.

Transit/the city regard the probe as an HR matter and exempt from access to information legislation. That aspect of the FOI legislation denies the public access to many things that it should have a right to review.

Parking developments

Posted by Phil Andrews

We've fielded two emails today from citizens with different municipal parking concerns.

One came from a man who had fed the street meters across from the Guelph General Hospital on Delhi Street. He was peeved because the units hadn't yet been calibrated to register the new lighter loonies. He had fed some in and received no credit for that payment. He said he has been told the machines are to be adjusted on June 29 to recognize the new coinage. But he wonders how loonies went in without providing parker value in the interim and how many folks may have received parking tickets -- while at the hospital -- even though they fed the meters.

 

Another came from a man who had been ticketed. He had parked in the city lot off Macdonell Street. He went to the machine to pay for parking and the slip to place on his dasboard. The machine wasn't working. On it was taped a sign directing parking customers to go to City Hall to pay for parking and the slip. He's not a Guelph resident and refused.

He took up the ticket with City Hall and had it revoked. He said City Hall staffers say that signage applies to all -- even disabled motorists. He also said the city has had to have such signage erected frequently because of recurring problems with that parking lot pass-machine.

 

 

Bell wants bar bosses to belly up

We've already got a couple of supportive comments under a story about Bob Bell blowing the dust off his oft-tried efforts to have downtown bar owners chip in for some clean-up and policing costs related to the late-night scene.

Back in 2088 Bell floated a motion to have legal staff investigate ways to recoup some of those costs, but it went no further after the motion died on a 6-6 tie vote.

Now with a few new faces around the horseshoe Bell will try his luck again.

Watch for discussion about the motion at the July 23 council meeting.

Who does what and where to find them

I noticed on the city's website the other day this updated organizational chart posted earlier this month.

It's a pretty handy guide to who's in charge of what. Click on each of the six service areas on the main page for a more drilled-down list of managers in each area.

Find the chart here

Even more about downtown parking

I took this photo on the way to work this morning after spotting this parked on Macdonell Street. It appears to belong to one of the merchants on the street.

As I write this now, seven hours later, it hasn't moved.

It's not the only car which has been parked on Macdonell since first-thing this morning, but it makes me wonder how effective the two-hour free parking program is if the most distinctive car in the city can be parked on one of the main streets downtown for an entire business day without bylaw officers noticing.

 

Speaking of parking (see previous post)

While walking to work today I wondered what was behind those boards on Wyndham Street and whether the parking lot there was taking shape.

Turns out it's not only taking shape but is paved, painted and ready for cars. I was told last week it should be open in the next few weeks, and I'm guessing the only things missing are the lights which will likely be mounted on those concrete stumps.

I still don't understand blocking access from Wyndham Street. I assume it's because the entry would be too close to the intersection, but since the intention of taking down the buildings was to create access to Baker Street from Wyndham shouldn't the city have already considered the traffic implications?

City fighting for free staff parking as Waterloo relents

As regional councillors in Waterloo have accepted a Revenue Canada ruling that free parking at some region buildings is a taxable benefit for employees, the City of Guelph continues to argue the revenue agency was incorrect in its interpretation of the Income Tax Act.

An appeal of the ruling is apparently nearing a close, with the city hoping to recoup more than $450,000 it earlier paid on behalf of employees who suddenly found themselves with tax arrears owing.

We'll have the full story in tomorrow's paper.

The city's way or the highway?

During a discussion Monday evening about the new corporate strategic plan, human resources boss Mark Amorosi conceded there are some employees who will simply never buy into the city's vision, but said steps will be taken to try to get those employees on side.

"I would advise you not waste any resources on people who aren't going to buy in," Coun. Cam Guthrie said.

Amorosi responded there will be employees who embrance the new vision immediately, those who are slow to accept it and those who will simply never agree with it.

Those in the last category might "self-select" and look for opportunities elsewhere, Amorosi said, "or decisions could be made for them. I'll leave it at that."

I'd suggest city employees should practice nodding their heads.

'Gobsmacked' about sums it up

That was the word Marty Williams of the Downtown Guelph Business Association used to describe the fantastic party to officially open Market Square tonight. If you weren't there you really missed something quite special.

The evening built slowly, but by the time Juno-nominated Eccodek hit the stage there was probably more than 1,000 people there.

As Eccodek's world fusion beats filled Carden Street, six dancers from IMAGEO Art Works took to the shallow pool to unveil a site-specific dance piece which incorporated not only the music but the water as well, including the wonderful fountains.

A 'splash mob' soon joined the action, and the evening ended with hundreds of residents dancing and splashing as the music continued.

Gobsmacked indeed.

Splash pad traffic

Posted by Phil Andrews

 

Rachel Psutka of our staff is developing a story about the Market Square splash pad.

It has certainly proven popular.

We're exploring Carden Street merchant frustration over the water feature again attracting visitors who take parking away on the street from possible shoppers.