"A&M are pumping their latest project. It’s a whopper. If the sisters get their way with local politicians (once again), the old Rand Estate will turn into a five-storey, 111-room luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel," writes Garth Turner.
"Should any future council enact an interim control bylaw, underwritten by a duly compliant study, it will be largely legally unassailable," writes Brian Marshall.
"Niagara-on-the-Lake should not be treated as an extension of a 'Vegas North' casino economy. We are not a desert entertainment strip," writes Keith McNenly.
"I have heard that during his 26 years as mayor, Henry Paffard advocated for the planting of over 1,000 trees. By any measure, that’s a lot of limbs and leaves and shade and oxygen. And with trees come squirrels," writes Ross Robinson.
"Regardless of differences of opinion over development projects, I recognize that public discourse should be conducted respectfully and without casting aspersions on others," writes Stewart Hall.
"No other species, except probably the neanderthals, dwelt on the hereafter and some version of immortality in their creation stories," writes Dr. William Brown.
Writing about the stormwater infrastructure management plans for hte upcoming Parliament Oak hotel, Brian Marshall writes, "Should the municipality construct and own that pipe, legal experts opine that the town could bear all or a part of that liability."
"For over a decade now, this once gracious stone home has been owned by a developer and allowed to deteriorate in a fashion that can only be described as a textbook case of demolition by neglect," writes Brian Marshall of Secord's historical home on Paxton Lane, built circa 1799.
Every year, there are countless numbers of new plants being released to tempt us gardeners. These new and improved varieties have been tried and tested for several years before being released for sale. Joanne Young reviews some of the new, exciting releases.
Wayne Gates
Special to Niagara Now/The Lake Report
Local Conservative politicians have been pushing for the provincial government to prioritize municipal amalgamation in Niagara. It’s a...
Dear editor:
Editorials ordinarily serve the readership well by highlighting issues, personalities, experience and history concerning local, provincial and federal elections.
The editors are usually well-versed...
"I simply believe that the homeowner should be able to predict year after year what his costs should be accurately with no surprises," writes Joost Vandelinde.
Keith McNenly
Special to Niagara Now/The Lake Report
Humanity is entering a new era in the dynamics of self governance. With the United States embracing authoritarianism,...
"The hype surrounding AI in the last two years may have been over the top, but the future of life as we know it will become increasingly dependent on AI," writes Dr. William Brown.
Dear editor:
A tiny silver lining in the current border tariff war is the opportunity to drop provincial barriers to internal Canadian trade. I hope...
"If the new U.S. president proceeds with his threatened tariffs, it will certainly be his biggest financial gamble since he took a lead role in Atlantic City casinos. History teaches us the results could again be dire, costly and uncomfortable," writes Ross Robinson.
Dear editor:
I read with interest and considerable fellow-feeling the article by Paige Seburn about NOTL "heritage designations."
I have had a similar rather negative experience...
Ted Carmichael
Special to Niagara Now/The Lake Report
How should Canadian governments and citizens respond to the Trump administration’s threatened tariffs? Even if Canada’s commitments on fentanyl...
"The desire for non-single-family accommodation continues, so it behooves NOTL to somehow grow and densify. Like bonsai, let’s plan our growth and appearance," writes Ross Robinson.
Google's GenCast, introduced at the end of 2024, is a program designed to accurately predict weather forecast for 15 days — "a far more difficult task than 10 days," writes Dr. William Brown, explaining how the program works and its implications for the future.
In this week's edition of Arch-i-text, Brian Marshall outlines how a municipality may directly intervene to bring a property into the provincially required standards under the Building Code Act.
"I believe our town does not know how to budget, does not know how to look at where wasteful spending is taking place and does not seem to hire based on merit. And every year, it gets worse," writes Susan Pohorly.
"In Canada, we are not allowed to shut down power to anyone in the middle of winter. What reaction do you think there would be should Canada take similar action against the U.S. this winter? A clear and present danger of freezing to death?" writes Daphne Lavers.
For gardeners who have been working on adding to their outdoor space but feel dissatisfied with the results, what is missing is the sense of flow, writes Joanne Young: "It is the sense of flow that creates unity and peacefulness in the landscape."
"So much of life is controlled by our reactions, especially when something beyond our control has affected us. Even the smallest thing can be remembered and can have a positive or negative influence on the rest of our lives," writes Ross Robinson.
"What’s worse than NOTL becoming a theme park? Why, turning into a cartel, of course. David Gilchrist says it’s already here, aided by the bandidos at town hall," writes Garth Turner.
