October 20, 2010
2010 FORT ERIE MUNICIPAL ELECTION CANDIDATES’
POSITION ON WATERFRONT ISSUESCandidate Name: Bob Steckley
Position Sought: Councillor Ward 3The 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 I will continue to support Shorewalks Right of Passage efforts as I have these past 4 years.
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?
Access on and thru the property is one of my main concerns and I will continue to ensure the public always has this right!
3. We welcome your comments regarding construction of a condo on Bay Beach property.
I have been opposed to this project from the beginning because we are taking prime waterfront property out of the publics hands and giving it to a developer in exchange for some amenities. Once this valuable piece of publicly owned waterfront is given away we will never have the opportunity to own it again.
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?
I fought very hard for this by-law and I will continue to uphold it.
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 appropriateWould you continue to support these initiatives with adequate funding through the budget?
I have supported these initiatives and will continue to do so.
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?
Yes I would.
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 am not happy about this, but it doesn’t seem like we have that much say in this issue. I believe we need to keep looking for a better arrangement.
We thank you for your participation & invite additional comments on waterfront issues.
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