To: Councillor M Gerretsen ; Councillor B Glover ; Councillor D Hector ; Councillor R Hutchison ; Councillor J MacLeod-Kane ; Councillor R Matheson ; Councillor L Osanic ; Councillor S Meers ; Councillor E Smith ; Mayor H Rosen ; Councillor L Foster ; Councillor S Garrison; Councillor V Schmolka

Cc: Beach, Cynthia; whiged@thewhig.com; Westlake, John; steven.taylor@nceltd.com ; Scilley, Claude ; Spencer, Christina ; Sawarna, John ; Morris, Malcolm ; Laubenstein, Glen ; KCAL@yahoogroups.com ; Jana Mills ; Howard Stone
 

Subject: Third Crossing - Kingston

Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 7:39 PM

I read the comments published in the Whig Standard regarding Councillor Leonore Foster's disgust with funding being denied to the third crossing this year, and I find myself personally disgusted with her political ramblings.

Councillor Foster, I suggest you read every word I have said below, because everyone else is going to.

Do I feel that a third crossing is important to the city of Kingston? Yes.

But -

Where were you, Councillor Foster, when I was fighting with the contents of the Transportation Master Plan a couple of years ago regarding my concerns about the proper monitoring of traffic crossing the Cataraqui River? I pointed out to the consultants that they did not include the traffic going out to Highway #401 to enter the city, some 600 vehicles in the p.m. peak. If you add that peak to what crosses the causeway, you get 1800 vehicles per hour, and a need for three lanes of traffic NOW, given that the consultant suggests 810 vehicles per hour is at capacity. Where were you, Councillor?

What were you thinking, Councillor Foster, when you decided it was the best location in town to locate the LVEC at the end of the causeway, on top of what I just pointed out in the previous paragraph? Did you not hear me when I told you the traffic capacity was not there? Did you not hear me when I complained that two different consultants failed, FAILED, to even talk about the causeway capacity as it pertains to the LVEC? Were you so taken up with supporting the mayor that you couldn't hear my message?

And why, Councillor Foster, when you were cozying up to the mayor's tunnel vision, did you not think that maybe spending all the city's money on the LVEC might leave nothing left over for a third crossing? Looks good on you, Councillor! You just did your constituents out of a better place in Kingston!

Two consultants have written extensive reports about traffic generated by the LVEC. Where are their comments regarding traffic congestion across the causeway? Heaven forbid that any problems should be raised, because that might adversely affect the mayor's pet project, which you have blindly supported. It's starting to look even better you now, Councillor Foster, the councillor with such great concerns about her constituents!

And how dare you, Councillor Foster, blame the last council for overloading (my description of your words) the staff at city hall, when it was our present mayor who could not, would not, slow down the LVEC project! Did you not hear from the public - "What's the rush?"- many times, or were you out of town every time that was said in the papers and at public meetings?

Where were you Councillor Foster when I complained about the consultant's design of Centennial Drive Extension, especially at Kingsdale Avenue North where I was concerned about traffic safety measures. I was told by the consultants that everything was just fine, but in the end, with no open, public statements, when the road was built, TSH, the consultants, revised their designs, and the intersection was revised to prohibit certain traffic moves THAT I HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT. There was never any, "Thanks, Bruce, for pointing out these concerns - thanks for taking the time to review our plans and provide (professional) comments". In fact, some comments I got back were rude and dismissive. (I have all the emails, so let the doubters challenge me!). Has this city turned into a corporation that can't face and admit its shortcomings or faults, or omissions by consultants? Councillor Foster, you can defend the employees of this city all you want, but all you are doing is making a fool of yourself. People in this city have proof of rotten dealings and less than unprofessional conduct from a small group of city employees. So, I would suggest you save your breath.

Where were you, Councillor Foster, when I complained that Front Road and its traffic was never included in the Transportation Master Plan? Did you ever stop and ask what effect that has on the overall city?

And where were you, Councillor Foster, when I sent letters to the city's engineering department with a list of a dozen concerns about the Counter Street widening project, which project failed, FAILED, to study the morning traffic flow, and therefore, in my professional judgment, has failed to portray to the city all the potential traffic problems and concerns that should have been addressed in the study. I sent my concerns by email to John Sawarna over a year ago, and Mr Sawarna promised me, PROMISED ME, a reply in two weeks. I have yet to receive one smidgen of information from him or the consultant. I have all the emails to back up my concerns.

By his actions, Mr Sawarna has tarnished the good deeds and decent dealings that I otherwise have received from many staff in this city. Are there people in city hall that are out of control? I say, absolutely, yes, and Mr Sawarna is one of them. And I can name several others from personal dealings. So, be careful about what you are defending, Councillor Foster, because there are a handful of real jerks within city hall, who unfortunately have a frontline job,and can tarnish the reputation of employees in general.

The majority of people at city hall are decent, conscientious people, who have treated me very kindly. But if you think there are no problems, you are living in your own little dream world. I could tell you stories, and I have physical proof, letters with changed dates, etc., that would, or should, break your bubble.

I have said many times before that every, EVERY, entertainment venue across this province has thousands of on-site parking spots for patrons. By on-site, I mean parking within three blocks. London has 10,000 parking spaces within three blocks of the Labatt Centre. Most other centres have about 2200 on-site (surrounding parking lot) parking spaces. I have visited these venues -I have done the math. I have expressed my concern that this city, and YOU, Councillor Foster, have accepted an undocumented , untried, unstudied, unknown type of parking arrangement for its new entertainment centre. Why have you decided not to listen to traffic engineering advice and concern? Do you think for a minute that Kingston is the first community in Canada that doesn't need nearby, fairly handy, parking for the survival of a megaproject? Where is your data? Who are you listening to?

You heard people say - well it is hard to get out of these parking lots after an event. That was Don Gedge's argument. Well, dah, yes, if you provide only one exit! Give me a garden hose to drain the lake and it will never happen!

The number of season-ticket holders for the Frontenacs at the Memorial Centre is 1100. It is my information that anyone wishing to buy box seats must pay for a season ticket to the Frontenacs. The lady on the phone of the Frontenacs office says that she is convinced they now have 1100 plus 400 (box seats) = 1500 season tickets for the Frontenacs for the new venue. I wonder how much she is getting paid to disseminate this misinformation. Many people have told me they will not be renewing their seasons tickets because of parking issues. Who is going to pay seven dollars a night for parking to attend games at the new venue. My information is that a seasons ticket will cost about 70% more than this year at the Memorial Centre, but with no nearby parking. Can I envision droves of people rushing to take advantage of buying seasons tickets to the LVEC? Well, only if I can also envision me winning a lottery every week!

Councillor Foster, I love Kingston, if one can love a concept or an object. I have taken the time to put my reputation and experience on the line to give my best advice to projects that affect Kingston's future. I fear that the parking arrangement for Kingston's new venue will work against its success. But you, Councillor Foster, forge ahead with unbelievable determination and resolve. You have decided that information from up-to-date traffic studies of what people are willing to do to attend entertainment venues are irrelevant to Kingston. You have decided that the citizens of Kingston will act totally different from the citizens of any other community. You are dismissive of textbook widely-accepted study-based results. And, you cannot tolerate anyone who has a different opinion. How sad!

Councillor Foster, you have a very, very long four years ahead of you. God bless you!

Bruce Todd.