Commercial/industrial land use needed to sustain community
With 2007 just behind us, it seems an appropriate time to remind the residents of Whitchurch-Stouffville they may want to keep a watch on what council has in store for our jobs and tax dollars in 2008.
While residents were all tucked in, hard at work, Mayor Emmerson and councillors were working pretty hard themselves, awarding a wage increase as their first order of business in 2007, and then moving the evening public council meetings to 3 p.m. in order to continue to spend our hard-earned tax dollars outside of the public eye.
As we embark on a new year we should remind the mayor and council of their commitment to good planning. Should they have sold our public works yard property on Main St. west for its intended commercial/industrial use instead of building public facilities on this land? The sale could have shown a capital revenue gain of $2.5 to $3 million. This revenue could have purchased new property in another settlement area, which would better benefit our rural residents as well. There is no doubt the new arena and fire hall are needed and were already being planned.
Someone should possibly educate Mayor Emmerson and council on the benefits of selling the public works yard property for its original planned use of commercial/industrial. In the hands of a developer, this land might have provided accommodation for as many as 1,500 much-needed new professional jobs, a new tax revenue of about $500,000 annually and encouragement for downtown retail activity. The current plan will provide probably six new arena jobs and at the most less than 10 firefighter jobs. And because these are town facilities; no new tax dollars.
Finally, Mayor Emmerson and council should look ahead several years to see the results of their faulty financial and land use planning. Twenty years from now when we are driving through our neighbourhoods, the most prominent sight will be realtor signs declaring “House for Sale” in many front yards. Sadly, with no new industry and no significant jobs available, property taxes will be so high that only the well-off will be able to remain in our community.
The moral of the story brings us to the conclusion that we here in Whitchurch-Stouffville are very fortunate to live in an area that is surrounded by land secured under the Oak Ridges Moraine Act and the Greenbelt legislation. Unfortunately, as a result we have precious little land designated for commercial/industrial use. This land is critical to ensure development for future jobs and to provide vital corporate tax dollars.
This delicate balance of land use seems to be something neither mayor nor council understands, or they wouldn’t continue to make short-sighted, faulty decisions. Whitchurch-Stouffville is painting itself into a corner and every taxpayer in town will suffer, now and for generations to come.
Sue Sherban
Former Mayor Whitchurch-Stouffville
Country Market stalwart bids farewell
The following is an open letter to the community from Sid Stern, who served local customers for more than three decades at Stouffville Country Market.
To all my loyal customers and friends,
It is with mixed emotion that I write to you. I want to thank you for your loyalty in shopping and visiting me at my store, Sid’s Electronics or Electronic Marketplace for more than 33 years at The Country Market on Tenth Line here in Stouffville. Due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, I have moved my business to Ajax.
I look back over the years, remembering how as a very young man I began selling here in Stouffville. The Sales Barn, as it was called then, was best known for its livestock auctions held very early on Saturday mornings, the only day the market was open. The owners were the auctioneers, and all the farmers from the surrounding area were loyal customers even then. The Sales Barn was an exciting place to visit, with families attending every Saturday.
I remember only selling speakers for stereos at the beginning of my career and eventually building my merchandise to include 8-track tapes, cassettes and records. My original sales were portable radios and record players. Many of you will remember turntables! The records and tapes later changed with the invention of CDs and blank DVDs, and most recently, big screen televisions and plasmas. Back in the day, who could ever imagine driving in your vehicle while the kids watched a movie in the back seat. How times have changed! My three installers probably installed several thousand sound systems in your cars, trucks, boats and buses.
I remember looking over my shoulder when we started opening on Sundays as many of us were fined before Sunday shopping became legal. Those were the days!
Some of you remember the demolition of the old metal building and following me to the new and improved larger one in the present market. You continued to shop with your teenagers, who now shop on their own as young adults.
So it is with fond memories of my days in Stouffville that I must thank you once again for all your support and friendship and hope you’ll visit me at my new location at Discount Deals in Ajax. I will look forward to continue serving you and hope we can still remain friends.
Sid Stern
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