The following letter to town council was submitted to The Lake Report for publication.
The area surrounding the Parliament Oak school site is a very important established residential neighbourhood in the heritage character area of Old Town.
Would anyone have the audacity to propose or support a large commercial hotel and event space in the middle of Rosedale in Toronto? In Forest Hill? In The Beach?
I would think not.
Then why is it being considered here in the middle of an established residential neighbourhood in the Old Town of Niagara-on-the Lake?
The site itself has very important historical and heritage attributes that are thoughtlessly and begrudgingly preserved and simply commercialized by this proposal.
If this proposal is supported in any way by staff or council, there is no longer any need for the Planning Act, official plans or zoning bylaws.
In fact, the profession of “planning” would be obsolete, the concept of “planning” becoming an oxymoron as developers would be free to build whatever, wherever and however they choose.
Connie Tintinalli, architect
NOTL