KW in brief: Jan. 13, 2010

Referendum question confuses council

A referendum question posed by a group of private citizens concerning the possibility of amalgamating Waterloo and Kitchener was presented to council for the fall election.

The question posed was: “Would you support members of Council engaging in a dialogue about the merits of merging the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo? Yes or No.”

The purpose and method of posing the question was debated by council, delegation and some gallery members.

Council decided to postpone the decision regarding the referenda question until more information can be provided by the provincial government clarifying the regulations for exploring the possibility of amalgamation, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

The question will be reviewed for a second time on Jan. 25.
–Linda Givetash

Northdale vision presented

Councillor Jan d’Ailly presented a combination of the city’s and community’s vision statements for the student-populated area north of Laurier.

In opening the issue, councillor for ward seven Ian McLean voiced concern in reaching a firm decision on the motion as it wasn’t planned to be presented until later this month.

It was decided to, prior to hearing the opinions of the delegation, postpone any decision until either the upcoming Jan. 18 or 25 meetings.

One possible amendment was explicitly stating the goal of the community group Help Urbanize the Ghetto in Waterloo (Hugwaterloo) to include sustainable intensification and diversification.

“I think we have a very broken neighbourhood in Waterloo,” said Karen Earle, member of Hugwaterloo, to council.

When the vision is approved, city staff can implement it with short and long term goals to ideally improve the living conditions for both students and residents in the area.
– Linda Givetash