2018 Year In Review: January

January 3, 2019 · 0 Comments

In this 2018 Year in Review, the Caledon Citizen take you back through all the highs and lows from the past 12 months. We covered a multitude of events from school openings, municipal elections, scandles, grand openings and a park re-opening among other events.

JANUARY

Written by Bill Rea

The year started off with the town receiving a grant to refurbishing the Mayfield Recreation Centre.

A lot of work has gone into refurbishing Mayfield Recreation Centre, and the Town is celebrating it. The ribbon was cut Sunday to officially open the revamped facility. The ceremony took place as part of the Town’s annual Winterfest celebrations, as the Town recognized the contributions of the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) through the Ontario 150 Community Capital Program. It was announced early last year that the Town had been successful in obtaining a grant from OTF for $500,000 for arena floor and board system replacement. Phil Lankhof, recreation supervisor at the Centre, pointed to several of the improvements, including the shifting of the players’ benches to the other side of the rink. That had helped expand the viewing area. That has also freed up space for the several learn to skate programs offered at the facility. Parents have more room to help their youngsters on with their skates close to the ice. As well, he said old wooden railings have been taken out of the stands in an effort to improve sightlines. “It just sort of modernizes it,” he commented. He also said all six change rooms in the arena have new rubber flooring or skate tiles. Lank – hof said the consultant on the project was Barry Bryan Associates and g e n e r a l contractor was Schilthuis Construction. He was also impressed at how quickly the job w a s completed. He said it started in April, and was done by the middle of September, “which was tight, tight, tight time lines.” “This was one of the real accomplishments last year,” Mayor Allan Thompson declared. “I think it looks beautiful.” He added that in addition to the grant from OTF, the federal government provided funding for the compressor unit. Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones observed the Trillium money also helped with the reboarding of the rink. She added she was happy this project came in for the money. “I would say, Mayor Thompson, it has been very well used,” she remarked. The federal contribution was part of the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure program. It came to $39,655 for the Mayfield project. Brampton North MP Ruby Sahota had been in Town in May to announce the allocation on behalf of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and she was back Sunday for the ceremonies. She stressed the value of partnerships between various levels of government and how they work to make communities better.

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Bolton resident wins a million in Lotto Max

Anthony Evangelista of Bolton has been buying lottery tickets for about 11 years, and things really paid off for him late last month. The Dec. 22 Lotto Max draw revealed he had won $1 million in the Maxmillions section. He said he had been playing the lottery since he moved to Bolton, and made a point of getting involved in this draw. “I noticed that there was a big jackpot and the prize amount kept climbing, so I figured I better buy some tickets,” he commented at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto when he went down to collect his winnings. After the draw, he went to the store to check his tickets, and found he had won $2 on the first two that he checked. The third ticket froze the machine, and the words “Big Winner” appeared on the customer display screen. “I was given the validation slip from the retailer, who was in as much shock as I was,” he said. “She mentioned to me that this was the first time anyone won this big in the store.” “The next thing I knew, I was shaking hands with the store manager who congratulated me along with a few other patrons who overheard the news,” he added. When he got home, Evangelista shared the good news with his wife of 43 years. “I said ‘I got held up at the store because I won the lottery!’ My wife immediately started to cry tears of joy,” he recalled. A retired principal, Evangelista plans on sharing some of his prize money with his two sons. “Also, a trip to Australia is in the works for the entire family,” he said. “I am feeling very grateful to be able to share this prize with my family because it means more than just spending it on myself.” The winning ticket was bought at Zehrs on Queen Street in Bolton.

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Councillors not in breach of Code of Conduct, Integrity Commissioner finds

Written by Bill Rea

Allegations of Code of Conduct violations against two Caledon councillors have been thrown out, but feelings were still running high at last week’s committee meetings. John E. Fleming, Caledon’s integrity commissioner, ruled in a decision dated Dec. 18 that Councillors Annette Groves and Barb Shaughnessy had not been in breach of the regulations. The complaints had been filed in October by Mayor Allan Thompson. As well, there was another complaint filed in November by a member of the public that Fleming did not identify. The complaints involved a community meeting hosted by Groves in October which Shaughnessy attended, at which there was discussion of an offer from a south Albion resident to donate land to be used for a health care facility. Fleming’s report stated the offer has been the subject of continued negotiation between the owner and the Town, with a staff report going to councillors in the fall. “All of the documentation submitted to Town Council at both its General Committee meeting of Sept. 26 and the Council on October 10, and the discussion of it was and remains confidential, with consideration held at all times ‘in camera,’” the report stated. Fleming noted the matter was raised at the meeting Groves hosted by a member of the public. Thompson was concerned that confidential information had been disclosed at the meeting and in subsequent social media communications. The offer of the land from Bryan Wilson, Fleming stated, while still subject to negotiations, has not been confidential or secret. “I understand that the property owner from time to time may have discussed the offer made with various individuals,” he reported. Fleming also observed planning and land-use considerations are currently before the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), and accepted the considerations facing the Town on the land donation are complex. Fleming’s report was included in the agenda of last week’s committee meetings, which resulted in some heated discussions. Shaughnessy’s husband Tim Forster came forth with a delegation charging the process had been a waste of time, resources and money, adding it was an abuse of the power of the Mayor’s Office. “This has not been fun,” he declared. He also called the complaints “desperate politics.” “It’s an election year, and this mayor and certain members of council have lost the faith of Caledon residents,” Forster declared, adding their recourse has been to “attack the councillors that people know are working for them.” Thompson replied that it’s his job to respond to the concerns of councillors, so he asked Fleming if there had been a breach. He found none, and Thompson said he reported to council what had happened. “As far as I’m concerned, the book is closed,” he said. Groves remarked that she was glad to see this issue coming to a close, “I think this was a serious issue,” Shaughnessy remarked. “I think a lot of things are done without a lot of thought and process in it.” She added that in such a process, a leader should seek to learn the truth and talk to the involved parties Fleming’s report said Grove’s community meeting was held Oct. 23, and Thompson filed the complaint Oct. 25. Shaughnessy said she had been at Town Hall all day Oct. 24, but Thompson never talked to her, and she said the decision to file the complaint was made without listening to all sides. Shaughnessy also said there had been a Nov. 7 meeting between herself, Fleming, Thompson and Groves, which lasted more than an hour, and Fleming had indicated that confidential information about the negotiations had not been divulged. She also said Fleming had told Thompson this process was a waste of taxpayers’ money. She said the Mayor had agreed to withdraw the complaint. “We all shook hands,” she said. She also said Thompson had changed his mind about withdrawing the complaint Nov. 10. Shaughnessy charged this matter was a desperate attempt to ruin her reputation in an election year. “It was nothing more than what I would term a witch hunt,” she declared, also charging that taking measures like this against councillors also attacks the wards they represent. “Your actions have been detrimental to the people of Caledon,” she added. She also called the issue a case of “bullying.” Councillor Johanna Downey said there is a process in place, and the mayor used it because it was his job. Groves countered that in all her years on council she had never seen complaints to the integrity Commissioner. “We’re big girls and boys,” she said, adding when they got into politics, they knew they were subject to criticism. She also thought the complaints were “politically driven,” adding the need for a medical facility is not political. “It is not a luxury, but it is a necessity,” she added. Groves also said it was unfortunate that tax dollars had to be spent on this investigation. “Residents don’t expect us to be quibbling,” she said. “They expect us to work.”