Don’t want more growth in Bolton

February 14, 2014 · 0 Comments

Regarding the letter “Town policies cause businesses to fail” (Jan.30) by John van Eeeden, this gentleman couldn’t be more off the mark.
To claim that Baffo’s failed because of a lack of clientele is absolutely ludicrous, after successfully having operated here for 40 years, beginning when Bolton was but a fraction of its current size.
The owner made, by his own admission, bad business decisions, and when that occurs, the town cannot be expected to increase its population in order to bail out this or any other business.
Baffo’s took a risk in changing its venue, to which one would respond with “if it works well and isn’t broke – don’t fix it.”
Van Eeden would like to see, instead of the Canadian Tire warehouse, 1,800 more residents at that location. Really?
Why do we, the town, have to “manage” every square foot under our jurisdiction and not just leave this area of Coleraine and Healey at what it was good at for a couple of centuries, namely a farm. That would have preserved a green space at the periphery of Bolton, one which most cities have in the form of parks.
This Canadian Tire Monstrosity most certainly is in the wrong location, especially considering that there are plenty of “employment lands” along both sides of Airport Road, north of Mayfield Road, which don’t seem to bother anyone.
Instead, however, van Eeden would put residential homes at the Coleraine location to house 1,800 more residents, to order pizzas from Baffo’s to bail him out, no doubt.
If he really likes such a population density, one is left to wonder what he is doing in Bolton, when he can live with 10s of thousands of people in nearby Toronto, Mississauga or even Brampton.
I don’t believe anybody came out here to live in order to make the community grow as big as our neighbouring cities. I have lived here for 47 years and have seen more than enough growth, from when all of Bolton comprised of about 2,300 people.
Now, regarding collecting taxes in one lump sum from Canadian Tire versus from 450 home owners at that location, why would council be so determined to garner ever more income and squeeze a dime out of every square inch under its jurisdiction when running a town is a “not-for-profit” scenario; just to collect for necessary expenditures?
The likely reason may be that councilors find it more intriguing to manipulate $10 million versus just $1 million. The greater the amount, the greater their perceived importance. It can’t be anything else.
So I suggest they play Monopoly at council meetings and save Caledon’s population from their grand schemes in the real world.
Wulf Graunitz
Bolton