Dear editor:

Lord Mayor Gary Zalepla apparently believes that the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is listening to the concerns being expressed by its taxpayers. And in fairness to the mayor, he is speaking to residents at open houses being held in the various communities encompassed by the municipality.

However, the actions of the mayor, most members of council and town staff over the past two plus years make it clear that they’re either not hearing what residents are saying or don’t care.

It galls me to read that the mayor is gung-ho about updating the town’s official plan, when he, council and staff have consistently ignored the current one. If they had respected the spirit and letter of our official plan, the Parliament Oak School would still be standing and the land on which it sat would still be zoned institutional.

Implying that the rezoning of the property and subsequent demolition of the building, along with other egregious planning decisions made by the town, were OK because “you’ve got an application that’s somewhat not in the rules, but the professional planners think it might be in alignment (with provincial guidelines)” is not on. It’s wrong and it sets a precedent that I believe endangers the future of NOTL.

A few weeks ago, Coun. Erwin Wiens commented on a number of things that NOTL will need in the future, which he believes increased development could support. One of those things was a new high school. But instead of standing firm against rezoning the Parliament Oak site and questioning whether there were options for the building to be repurposed as a high school, he supported a proposal to build a luxury hotel on the land. Go figure.

Neither the hotel, nor the new condo apartments on Mary and King streets, will be harmonious with the residential community that they will overshadow. They will put NOTL at risk of losing its unique charm and historic feel, qualities that have helped to make our town a popular tourist destination and a great place to live.

All this, and yet another significant municipal tax increase is coming — despite the new revenue coming into town coffers as a result of the accommodation tax.

I’d hoped for more from the current council. Now I worry that the updates being considered to the official plan can only make matters worse and that there is little residents can do or say that will cause the current mayor and council to change course.

Terry Davis
NOTL