Re: “A story about my friend NIMBY” – opinion piece, May 5, 2022 issue
To the editor,
From a journalist, we would have expected and hoped for a more unbiased perspective about the complicated situation of the new apartment building at John and Victoria Streets that you published on May 5, 2022.
We have found your newspaper’s reporting on this matter, to be disrespectful and inaccurate about the thoughtful, concerned residents wanting to have our concerns heard by council.
We have always had the community’s best interests at heart. We’ve asked questions such as:
“Is this building good for our community and if so, how is it good for our community?”
“How can concerns of safety, parking overflow, traffic flow, and viability of the building (rent costs) be addressed without a Needs Assessment or Traffic Brief being conducted?”
“How can the compromise (Feb. 7 council meeting) in which everyone conceded something, and everyone gained something (five storeys, 73 units to three storeys, 41 units, which would mitigate many concerns) be so summarily dismissed in the revised site plan?”
Another question we had was, “How is losing a valuable park area (not an “open field”), good for our community?”
No one from the media called to talk to any of the residents about their concerns. That made it much easier for you to mock us! You referred to us as “NIMBYS,” which is condescending, inaccurate and disrespectful.
I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but CP Rail gifted the parkland to Wingham for $1 in 1959 with the stipulation that nothing could be built on that site for 99 years. Apparently, the stipulation was put in place due to concerns of toxic wastes left behind by CP’s use of it. Council’s solicitor said he couldn’t find anything on title about any stipulations or conditions.
To our understanding, and without council contacting CP Rail itself to verify, council immediately voted to rescind any such existing restrictions.
Perhaps, as a journalist, it would be part of the investigative aspect of your job to explore this avenue?
Sincerely,
Karen Dekker and Michael Woodman
Wingham
Editor’s note: The Advance Times wrote a story in August 2020 about the CP Rail/99-year lease issue. That lease was for lands referred to as Wingham Flats, which includes the current-day Wingham splash pad, Lions Club pavilion, and the Wingham Community Trail. The former Wingham Trailer Park property is a separate piece of land from the Wingham Flats, and according to the legal description of the land it does not include the former Wingham Trailer Park lands.
