October 20, 2010
2010 FORT ERIE MUNICIPAL ELECTION CANDIDATES’
POSITION ON WATERFRONT ISSUES

Candidate Name: John Hill
Position Sought: Councillor Ward 4

The Ontario Shorewalk Association is seeking comments on your position regarding our public waterfront lands.  Shorewalk is a non partisan association and does not endorse candidates, however your comments will be shared with the public via our website and local media.

1. Shorewalk’s priority goal has been & remains the public’s Right of Passage (walking rights) along all of Ontario’s Great Lakes shores.  To that end our current FE & Niagara Regional Councils have unanimously endorsed MPP Kim Craitor’s Bill 32 calling for Right of Passage on Ontario’s Great Lakes.

Will you support Shorewalk’s Right of Passage efforts during your term of office?

Yes, the right of passage along our shoreline is one that we as Council need continually preserve

2.  Regardless of the direction that the Bay Beach property goes, will you vote at every opportunity to ensure that public access on & thru the property  continues to exist?

Yes, the Gateway Project should not and will not as long as I am a Councillor reduce the right of passage onto this valuable asset

3.  We welcome your comments regarding construction of a condo on Bay  Beach property.

I am opposed to the development of a 12 storey Condo on Bay Beach. It in my view does not fit within the character of the area. Having said that we do need to think of ways that can clean up Bay Beach while meeting the objectives of the Town. A solution could be developing the North side of Erie Road while maintaining the park attributes of the Molinaro proposal. We should seek out compromise.

4.  Shorewalk  worked tirelessly with staff to develop a Waterfront Road Allowance by-law that was enacted by Council.  It calls for:

i removal of encroachments (fences, hedges, landscaping works, etc) from public road allowances.

ii prohibition of any future encroachments.

Will you continue to uphold the bylaw?

Yes, this is a By-Law that as I talk with residents needs to be enforced throughout Fort Erie.

5.  The Town  staff, with council support and funding, have initiated a waterfront road allowance enhancement program that includes;

a) welcome signs
b) directional signs from the Friendship Trail
c) line of sight demarcation
d) prohibition of vehicles on road allowances except for boat launch suitable sites 
e) benches & bike racks where appropriate

Would you continue to support these initiatives with adequate funding through the budget?

There are many demands placed on Town budgets, with all groups seeking to have their interests rise above the rest. As Councillor I will continue to work with the Shorewalk Association with respect to funding of these inititaves, however it needs to be understood that there are many demands placed on Town Budgets and compromise may need to be sought by all.

6.  Through the support of council, money has been allocated to review surveys of all road allowances to identify encroachment situations (private residents utilizing the public road allowance as addition to their property).  All surveys have been completed but require staff time to review and identify encroachments.

Would you identify the completion of these reviews as a priority so that access to our waterfront can be increased?

I would continue to work with Shorewalk and Town staff to ensure that a reasonable priority be placed on completion of the reviews. I support their importance, however, as with budgets. allocation of Town Staff time require necessary funding and priority, again this requires some compromise.

7.  Full public access by road to Point Abino lighthouse continues to be denied by the Point Abino Association. 

What are your thoughts on this situation?

I support access to the Lighthouse and solutions need to be explored with respect to access to the lighthouse. Currently, I do not think that the current road is sufficient to support increased traffic (particularly during summer months). My suggestion would be to work with the Point Abino Association so as to seek out a balanced solution – ie perhaps a walking boardwalk with access during specific time periods (9am – 9pm).

We thank you for your participation & invite additional comments on waterfront issues.

 

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