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Event: |
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Fund-raising BBQ (Street Party) |
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Location: |
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Corner of Willola Beach and Moorehead
Dr.
(To
get to
Willola
Beach
take
Galetta
Side Road
to
Cannon Smith Drive,
Willola
Beach
is at the very end of Cannon Smith.)
ROUTE MAP |
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Date: |
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Saturday, July 17, 2004 |
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Time: |
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1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
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Speaker/supporters of the residents' efforts include Terry Kilrea of the
People's Voice, Randy Hillier of the Lanark Landowners'
Association, Bob
McKinley of the Rural Council, Daniel Van Vliet, Chair of
The Sierra Club,
Ottawa Chapter, Janne Campbell of the West Carleton Rural
Association,
and
two unnamed speakers to be announced at the rally. |
REPORT ...on the day's events:
July 17, 2004
Successful event illustrates citizen's resolve
to kill "corrupted" bypass scheme
Everyone agrees hidden agenda at play
The most logical solution, is to
complete the locks that have been started on the Quebec side of the
river, where
there is a sizeable marina to support it, along with boosting the local economy.
(To see link
photos of the partially constructed locks: CLICK HERE)
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"When public officials withhold information from the
public, and hide what they're trying to do ---as in this
case--- then there
is something very wrong with what they're doing, and it has to
be
stopped."
Jack
McLaren- local resident, Vice- President of the WCRA,
Director of the Ottawa-Carleton Soil and Crop
Improvement Association, Rural Council member and Director of the LLA.
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Democracy at WORK ...and
PLEASURE, visiting with like-minded friends
The Willola Beach
BBQ (Fund-raiser) event, on Saturday, was, by all accounts, a huge
success. Mike Campbell, President of the Willola Beach Property
Owner's Association (WBPOA) kicked things off by thanking the
many individuals, organizations and entertainers who had offered
their time and talents to make this such a successful event. He also
introduced the many guest speakers.
Local resident,
Jack MacLaren, who is a new member-Director of the LLA, stood in for
LLA President Randy Hillier who is away on holidays. He started his
comments by saying, "I joined the Lanark Landowners Association
because, when it comes to defending the fundamental democratic
rights of its members and friends ---the LLA is very assertive.
Just look at all the support they are giving us today!"
He went on to say
that "When public officials withhold information from the public,
and hide what they're trying to do ---as in this case--- then there is something very
wrong with what they're doing, and it has to be stopped."
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West Carleton
resident Adele Muldoon, a Director of the Rural Council,
stated that "the Rural Council strongly supports the efforts of the WBPOA
to bring a just end to the faulty bypass scheme". She said the
bypass is wrong in its approach, and wasteful of tax dollars.
"The
process has not been open and transparent. In spite of months of
research and numerous inquiries we still do not understand
exactly how or why this project was started. We don’t know how
much of our tax dollars will be used to operate it. We are not
even sure who is to benefit from it. They say it is the northern
Ontario tourist industry that it was meant to benefit, but at
this very same time, the province is threatening to destroy that
industry with its new water regulations. Many campground owners
and other small rural |
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Adele Muldoon
addresses crowd at Willola Beach |
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tourist
businesses will be forced to close when
these
regulations are enforced."
Adele questions, "Who will
be left to benefit then?"
Muldoon told the
Willola Beach residents,
"You
are slowly unravelling the shroud of secrecy that has enveloped
this project from the beginning,"
adding,
"I admire your
willingness to stand up and fight for your rights.
You will not
just let this 'happen'
to you. I admire your tenacity. No matter what it takes you will
be heard. The rural council will continue to support you in your
struggle as we have all along."
She reminded
residents that the Rural Council website has a complete section
devoted to the Chats Falls bypass issue, which ---if they
haven't looked at it already, they should check it out.
Adele
closed by saying that the Rural Council is in the middle of
doing an important survey of rural attitudes, covering all of
the former rural wards of Osgoode, Rideau, Goulbourn and West
Carleton, and urged those who have received survey forms that
were delivered to their homes, to drop them off at one of the
collection points listed on the form. (Anyone who did not
receive one of the randomly delivered
forms can fill out the survey -ONLINE- on the Rural Council's
website.)
(Editor's Note:
The website is receiving close to 600 hits per day at this
point, so the Willola Beach "cause" is getting excellent
coverage ...and it's growing every day!)
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The New RO
spotted this eager defender of the cause. |
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One view of
a few of the attentive listeners, to the
guest speakers and
entertainers at the event.
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Accomplished Folk-Singer and Song-Writer, Linda Grenier,
presented her own compelling composition ...on the
Willola Beach cause, entitled: "The Power of 5 or 6".
You can check out Linda's website at:
www.lindagrenier.com |
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Many other speakers...
Daniel Van Vliet, Chair of the Ottawa
Chapter of The Sierra Club, told the audience that neither he,
personally, nor the Sierra Club, could see any environmental
merit to the bypass proposal. From an environmental
perspective ...it was 'downside' all the way.
Terry Kilrea, of the People's Voice, gave some words
of encouragement to the group, telling them that he
understands that their fight to be heard and to be
respected, is not easy ...but to "Keep up the good fight,"
...that, "Democracy is worth it".
Shirley Dolan,
who is Secretary/Treasurer of the West Carleton Rural
Association (WCRA) ---covering for Janne Campbell,
President, who is away on holidays, stated that the WCRA
supports the WBPOA "to the fullest", in their efforts to get
the bypass project stopped.
Retired
lawyer, Bob McKinley, who is President of the Rural
Council commended residents on their excellent job of making
themselves heard at City Hall, and for standing up to defend
their rights. He reminded the audience that the whole
purpose of the Rural Council, is to stand behind individual
residents and rural communities that are faced with loss of their democratic
rights, and to help them all be heard as part of one strong voice.
Rural Council's survey
of rural attitudes - early results:
McKinley added
that the early returns in response to the four-question
survey, sent out, show an "overwhelmingly high endorsement"
of the Rural Council's efforts to bring about change, and to
help rural residents speak with a clear voice on common
issues relating to their mistreatment and
under-representation. He said that the question dealing with the
level of satisfaction regarding city governance, showed there is
a "huge level of dissatisfaction" with the city's
performance.
McKinley
released these early survey numbers, emphasizing that the
figures are still subject to minor adjustments, as returns
continue to arrive through the collection boxes, and online
(until the end of the month):
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Preliminary Survey
Results
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Goulbourn |
Rideau/Osgoode |
West Carleton |
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Q#1: Re- Support for Rural Council? |
Yes:
97% |
Yes:
92.3% |
Yes:
91% |
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Q#2: Re- Satisfaction with governance? |
No:
95% |
No:
90% |
No:
91% |
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Q#3: Re- Support for deamalgamation? |
Yes:
84% |
Yes: 91.5% |
Yes:
85% |
Q#4: Re- Should City/Province comply
with the majority of voters? |
Yes:
92% |
Yes:
92% |
Yes:
93% |
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He stated that
a sufficient number of survey responses have been received
to be statistically valid for polling purposes, and show a
similarity in attitude, "across-the-board" that is widely
representative of a good cross-section of the four rural
townships.
He wrapped up
his comments by concluding that the overwhelming endorsement
of support, the Rural Council has received, has to help
raise the recognition level of the city-aggravated problem at Willola Beach. The issue must be "properly revisited by
Council", and dealt with honourably.
Bruce
Collier, of the WBPOA, thanked residents for their
fighting spirit, and reaffirmed that their community's
determination precluded the option of backing down, or of
loosing this battle. He reiterated the common theme for the
day, which was that, "Our community has a just cause and
right will ultimately prevail".
Newspaper coverage of
the day's events:
Other links related to the Chats
Falls bypass issue:
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