59 Carden St.

The tale of a city in a single home

Posted by Magda
A council committee last week voted against designating 47 and 49 Alice St. as a heritage building. It's now up to council to decide what to do.

If they designate it, they'll anger the homeowner, who bought it assuming he could build a garage or driveway on the property, and didn't know the house was on a list of properties that could be designated.

If they don't, the homeowner will likely tear down an old shoe workshop heritage advocates argue is one of the few remaining such properties in the Ward.

The home embodies the story of Guelph's growth, and the current debate embodies the story of Guelph's future.

The Valeriote family started fixing shoes on Alice Street as a way to get by, the committee heard last week. It was a time when the Italians community was on the fringes of mainstream society. It was also a time when people were used to diverse communities. Small-scale industry was common in the Ward, and around the city.

But the Guelph of the future likely won't be that diverse. Selby Steeves doesn't want to live next door to a lot full of portable toilets. Neighbours of the old Forest Street school don't want to live beside doctor's offices. These are the problems that come with diverse-use communities. It seems people want neighbourhoods that are strictly residential.

Saving the shoe workshop on Alice Street seems like an attempt to save a Guelph those who live here say they don't want.

I'm working on a story about the many facets of this issue. If you have a take, or indeed any memories of Vincenzo Valeriote fixing shoes on Alice Street, let me know.

How do you get get to work?

Posted by Magda
The city is trying to get you out of your car. To start with, they've figured out how many people are in their cars in the first place.

UG and Stone Road Mall (8,000 employees): 77% go in cars, 23% use other modes
Downtown (5,000 employees): 83% in cars, 17% use other modes
Northwest business district (18,500 employees): 96% in cars, 1% by bus
Southeast business district (3,500 employees): 95% in cars, 2% by bus
Southwest business district (5,000 employees): 87% in cars, 2% by bus

Read more about the transit meeting where these stats and others were discussed, here.

Found the moraine

Posted by Magda
Liz Sandals sent me this map of local moraines, presumably after reading about council's discussion regarding the exact location of the Paris-Galt moraine. It shows the rough location of the moraine, though it's still unclear exactly how much of the city lies on top.

Click here to download a larger version of the map.

2.4 cars per household

Posted by Magda
Interesting notes on the mayor's blog today:

• Car use is increasing faster than population.
• There are 2.4 cars for every household in Guelph. 

That came up in a transportation meeting hosted by the chamber of commerce yesterday. Read more in the paper tomorrow.

Olympic news not coming until fall

Posted by Magda
We heard yesterday the Olympic committee is notifying cities across the country they've been selected to host the Olympic torch on its way to Vancouver in 2010. The Globe is reporting today that the information won't be made public until the fall.

So stay tuned...

'A doomed process'

Posted by Magda
Hamilton seems to be going the opposite way from us on the sewage sludge front. While Guelph is putting in place a new plan to let us better spread the stuff on farmers' fields, Hamilton is looking to build an incinerator or two.

Here's a pertinent exerpt from a weekend story in the Spec:

"But spreading sludge on soil seems a doomed process as people question just what contaminants are laid on the land. Back in the early 1990s, the industry began using the term biosolids to make the application of sludge palatable to the public.

"Biosolids contain viruses, other pathogens, heavy metals and residues of drugs that pass through our bodies, so there is increasing controversy over the safety of putting sludge on agricultural land."

Not in the clear just yet

Posted by Laura

A new city report provides an update on the need for family doctors in Guelph. The report says that while Guelph is better served than most communities, we're still not in the clear yet. Projected growth and pending retirements will ensure a need to recruit doctors well into the future.

Here's what the picture looked like as of April 2:

In 2000: 12 GPs needed
In 2004: 10 GPs needed
In 2008: 7 GPs needed

Update: I spoke with Linda Davenport, a member of Guelph's physician recruitment committee, late last month (after the numbers in the report were compiled) and she said that Guelph needs six doctors.

Linamar stories

Posted by Laura

Do you have a connection to Linamar? A story to share about Guelph's iconic employer? I'm part of a team of Mercury reporters exploring Linamar's role here in Guelph and around the world. If you have something to say, post a comment or send an e-mail.

Nothing says byelection like BBQ

Posted by Laura

Gloria Kovach has announced she's holding a fundraising BBQ next month. A notice on her website says the event will be attended by ministers, MPs, senators and will also include "a few surprises." I wonder if along with the steak, the PM will be grilling up a byelection announcement?

How much do we owe?

Posted by Magda
It's unclear how much Go rail would cost Guelph if it the service were brought out here. But when new service was added to Barrie last year, that city paid a third of the costs of the new station and improvements to the rail line.

"How costs are shared is open for discussion," said Greg Ashbee, manager of rail expansion programs for Go.

In the GTA, municipalities have a cost-sharing agreement to pay for growth in the service. But none of the municipalities pay operating costs, he said.