Columbus Community Coalition

Mark your calendars for Family Day/Chili Night!

2012-02-08T08:29:00.000-05:00

a Local Look Back at close of 2011

2011-12-28T21:56:00.000-05:00

January continuing our Don't End 407 at Simcoe St. campaign, worked to help organize and promote the City of Oshawa hosting a well attended Special Hwy 407E public meeting in the Council Chambers.

February held another successful 'Columbus Chili night' with hot dogs and lots of homemade chili and soup thanks to our own Columbus Top Chefs!

March invited MP Bob Rae to a 'meet and greet' at the Columbus Community Centre where he gave us support in our effort to see the highway not end at Simcoe St.

April when MTO Minister Kathleen Wynne announced the 407E Phase One would be extended to Harmony Rd she said "It really was the community concern about the traffic dumping ontoSimcoe and what the impact of that would be and so as I say I heard from thepeople in the Hamlet of Columbus and I heard from people who live around thatinterchange and they were very concerned that that was not the right place sothat's why we pushed it out to Harmony so we could distribute the traffic."

May again made delegations at the Region when the RitsonWinchester intersection safety improvements got tied up in further delays. It was thanks to our community's input the Region avoided expropriation and began the preparatory work this summer/ fall for the much needed reconstruction next summer.

June organized another successful July 1st Event! with a free hot breakfast, brass band music, 2nd decorated garden tractor parade and 1st time kids bicycle parade! special guests: MP Jim Flaherty, MPP Christine Ellioott, Oshawa Mayor John Henry, Whitby Regional Councillor Lorne Coe, among others with friends and family making it a special. fun-filled community Canada Day celebration!

July filed an appeal to the OMB objecting to the Region's Official Plan Amendment as it is inappropriately redesignating the agricultural land south of the Hamlet to employment and in effect deletes our 'Hamlet' designation. Since hamlets are granted 'buffer zones' we are working to keep the 'Hamlet'.

September after several delegations, Oshawa Community Services approved $10,000 funds for Hamlet of Columbus streetscape improvements. Ideas were submitted and after costing is complete, firmer plans will be put forward in January.

October our MPP Christine Elliott held a 'meet and greet' in Columbus and many of us were able to personally thank her for all her assistance related to the Hwy 407E issue.

November, Columbus welcomed two new babys: Grady brings added joy to Ehren and Melanie's young family, and beautiful Madeleine is a new sister to Dana and Genie's boys.

December Anne Hellas, much loved and respected member of our Columbus community coalition Steering Committee passed away. Many of us will never forget how Anne touched our lives with her amazing strength of spirit, soft gentle voice and passion for our community!

The Region's 'planning wars' heated up just before Christmas-recall last year's Toronto Star article:http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/783029--durham-s-planning-war

December 6th, when the Ontario Municipal Board denied the Region's motion to consolidate the Region Official Plan Amendment 128 appeals with the Seaton appeals, all parties to ROPA 128 were invited to become parties to the Seation hearings. However, the Region now is taking the OMB to Court! It was so put out by the Board dening the consolidation it has retained an outside lawyer to have the decision overturned. The money being spent by the Region and all the land developers and their Toronto lawyers in their rush to get agricultural land redesignated to urban and employment is mind boggling! Check in the next weeks to hear how this unfolds.

Chrstimas in Columbus

2011-12-17T21:39:00.000-05:00

Sunday Dec 18th 2-5pm Christmas in Columbus Open House Anderson B&B 120 Columbus Rd. W

All Hamlet of Columbus neighbours are invited!

Region loses Motion to Consolidate ROPA 128 with Seaton

2011-12-07T10:39:00.000-05:00

Oshawa's diminishing rural landscape may have gotten a bit of a reprieve! Yesterday's OMB decision was about the much delayed plan for Seaton (for 70,000 people and 30,000 jobs...almost the size of Peterborough) The OMB approved Seaton advancing more rapidly and rejected Durham Region's Motion to Consolidate Seaton with Region Official Plan Amendment (ROPA) 128. This could slow the ROPA 128 land grab in Oshawa since the Region is likely now going to have a somewhat harder time justifying its over zealous land budgeting numbers!

For some time now the Columbus community coalition has been working to raise awareness about ROPA 128 and it's detrimental impact on Oshawa's countryside and the Hamlet of Columbus. With endorsement from an overwhelming majority of Hamlet of Columbus households Rosemary McConkey recently filed an appeal of ROPA 128 to the OMB. Unlike all the other 35 appellants who are pushing to have their land holdings redesignated for development, the Hamlet of Columbus resident's appeal is advocating in the public interest for better land stewardship to preserve more greenspaces, as well as protect the Hamlet of Columbus for the future!

with sadness,

2011-12-06T23:30:00.000-05:00

ANNE HELLAS May 26, 1936 - Dec 5, 2011

Hamlet of Columbus neighbours mourn the loss of a dear friend. We have so much to thank Anne for. Her remarkable strong spirit and caring commitment to our community are going to be deeply missed. The warm ties and wonderful memories she helped create will remain part of us forever.

Scope of OMB Appeal Submitted Nov 30th

2011-11-30T23:55:00.006-05:00

TO: The Regional Municipality of Durham

AND TO: The Ontario Municipal Board

AND TO: all other Appellants, Parties and Participants in this matter

FROM: Rosemary McConkey

RE: OMB Case No. 101409

AND RE: Board Decision issued November 25, 2011 re: Memorandum of Oral Decision by Susan B. Campbell on October 31, 2011 and Order of the Board, Adjustments to Schedule 1, Paragraph #6,

_________________________________________________________

Further to the request of the Board that Appellants make best efforts by November 30, 2011 to scope their appeals by identifying to the Region the specific policies and specific portions of the schedules that the Appellant intends to challenge in Phase I of the hearing, please be advised as follows:

The Appellant, Rosemary McConkey, has been the facilitator of a community coalition in the Hamlet of Columbus since March 2009. At that time Hamlet of Columbus neighbours first became aware of the Growing Durham Plan and joined together out of shared concerns and a public interest in protecting and strengthening the Hamlet of Columbus for the future.

McConkey, with the endorsement of the majority of Hamlet of Columbus households, objects to the Region's redesignation of Columbus area lands, specifically to the land north of the future 407E extension along the Simcoe St. at the gateway to the historic Hamlet being inappropriately redesignated to Employment; and to the Region's failure to indicate or justify an apparent deletion of the Hamlet of Columbus "Hamlet" designation.

McConkey submits that ROPA 128 as it relates to the Columbus area is inconsistent with provincial planning policies, not only disregards the paradigm shift in good public policy and planning priorities of the past decade, but also is inconsistent with Goals and Directions set out by the Region in Section 1.2 & 1.3 and Environment Goals in Section 2.

McConkey objects to the Region's employment forecasts indicated in Policy 3.2.2 Policies 7.3.3 and 7.3.4 and specifically to its 1 job to 2 persons formula and relies on the Province's employment ratio to support the position that the designation of the Employment land south of the Hamlet of Columbus is rushed and unnecessary.

The land budgeting process with regard to the Columbus area lands has been negligent and arbitrary as evidenced by errors identifying the Columbus area as currently urban rather than contemplated urban in mapping November 2008; and the last minute amendment put forward by a member of Council June 3, 2009 designating back to agricultural land that had up until May, 2009 been included in the Region's plan to redesignate to urban and employment. (Schedule A, Map A4 Regional Structure)

Please note that given the 'meeting of experts' is yet to occur, McConkey requests the opportunity to identify further and other specific policies and specific portions to challenge the proponent's Official Plan Amendment related to the Columbus area.

Memorandum Issued by OMB

2011-11-25T13:00:00.001-05:00

MEMORANDUM OF ORAL DECISION DELIVERED BY SUSAN B.
CAMPBELL ON OCT 31, 2011 AND ORDER OF THE BOARD

This matter camebefore the Board for a Pre-hearing Conference on October 31, 2011. Unfortunately,expert meetings, which it hoped would take place, have not yet taken place due toBoard scheduling concerns. The Board, therefore, amends its Order of July 20, 2011 as follows:

Adjustments toSchedule

1. Paragraph #6:

November 30, 2011: Date by which Appellants are to make best efforts to scope theirappeals by identifying to the Region and copying to the otherParties, the specific policies and specific portions of theschedules they intend to challenge Phase 1 of the hearing.

2. Paragraph #7:

January 16, 2012: Mediation – five days for mediation toaddress substantive andprocedural matters, including matters and issues arising out of expertmeetings and the joint overview of methodology andassumptions. If these days cannot be used formediation, they remainreserved for possible expert meetings.

3. Paragraph #5

A PHC has beenscheduled for January 23, 2012, to deal with matters set out inParagraph #5. Any motions by Participants for Party status will beheard at that time.

This Is the Order ofthe Board.

“Susan B. Campbell”

SUSAN B. CAMPBELL
VICE-CHAIR

Hamlet Streetscape Improvement Report

2011-11-01T11:38:00.006-04:00

EXAMPLEof a marker pole with flower baskets. The Columbus streetscape improvement group is recommending the Cityinstall similar marker poles as above, with both banners and flower baskets, infront of Hamlet of Columbus community centre and church as the first stage in amulti stage streetscape enhancement project

Pre-hearing Conference OMB File # PL101409

2011-10-31T21:20:00.000-04:00

Ontario Municipal Board Member Susan B. Campbell reviewedthe list of Appellant Parties and Participants to the Appeal of ROPA 128and dates for staging of the hearings.

Final list (with names of counsel oragent* indicated)

1. Regional Municipality of Durham (J. Weber)

2.      Ministry ofMunicipal Affairs & Housing (K. Hare)
3.      City of Oshawa (K.Gravelle)
4.      Municipality of Clarington (A. Allison)
5.      Town of Ajax (R.Hawkshaw)
6.      Town of Whitby (A. Biggart)
7.      City of Pickering (Q.Annibale)
8.     1631057 Ontario Inc. (L. Longo)
9.      BrooklinNorth Landowners Group (J. Pepino)
10. HDP

Canada

IndustrialFund (I) GP Inc. (S. Zakem)
11. LoblawProperties Ltd. (S. Zakem)
12. WhitbyTaunton Holdings Limited (S. Zakem)
13. 974735 Ontario Inc. (S.Waque)
14. Murray Stroud (S. Waque)
15. Len Bitondo (M. Ahmadi)*
16. West WhitbyLandowners Group (M. Flowers)
17. G8 OshawaInvestments Limited (D. Bronskill)
18. TributeCommunities & Runnymede Dev Corp (C. Barnett)
19. QuadrantDev Limited & Estate of Kowalsky (J. Dawson)
20. Powell 89Acres Development Inc. (J. Dawson)
21. NordeagleDevelopments Ltd. (S. Ferri)
22. HollowayDevelopments Inc. (A. Milliken Heisey)
23. The LysykFamily (A. Milliken Heisey)
24. Paul and IhorLysyk (A. Milliken Heisey)
25. UxbridgegateDevelopments Inc. (A. Milliken Heisey)
26. 1628755 OntarioLtd. (A. Milliken Heisey)
27. GugliettiBrothers Investments Ltd. (R. Cheeseman)
28. Trinison (S. D’Agostino, R.Beaman)
29. BrooklinDevelopment General Partners Ltd. (M. McQuaid)
30. Seaton Landowners (R. Howe)
31. Pine RidgePark Inc. (R. Doumani)
32. HallowayDevelopments Limited (L. Townsend)
33. 206861 Ontario Inc. et. al(J. Pepino,M. Flynn-Guglietti)
34. Picov FarmsInc. (M. Chusid)
35. Herta Kuleshnyk
36. Rosemary McConkey

Participants

AGS Properties Inc. (A. Maggio)*
Catholic Archdiocese (M. Everard)*
Sierra Club of Canada (D. McDermott)*
Whitevale Residents Association (M. Thomas)*
Green Durham Association (B. Buckles)*
Marie Cockburn
Ann Evans
J. and M. Simerson
S.and M. Woloszczuk
Anna Ouyang
Phil Nicols
A. Jones
T. Karakis
Robert Nixon
Stan and Libby Racansky

Looking for Streetscape Improvement Ideas!

2011-09-07T21:09:00.000-04:00

After much effort and many attendances at Oshawa Development Services and Community Services meetings over the past 3 years, the city finally agreed to contribute money to streetscape improvements for the Hamlet!!...now we need to hear your ideas... where to begin... that is, what you think the $10,000 plus maintenance costs would best be spent on. The above pictures are included to generate ideas and spark discussion...what are you thinking? flower baskets or marker poles, bollards or planters, banners?

The 3 Hamlet residents selected at random from the 9 who submitted their names and volunteered to meet with Community Services Committee Chair Councillor Bob Chapman are: Steve LaForest, Rosemary McConkey and Mary Verrydt.

Time to brainstorm and share your ideas. Check here for concepts being explored and how this effort progresses.

We are also attempting to involve the Region...with a delegation next Tuesday to ask whether Durham Region is willing to contribute and commemorate the history of the Regional Municipality with recognition to Durham's First Regional Chair, Walter Beath, from Columbus.

Busy digging for more artifacts!

2011-09-06T16:41:00.000-04:00

The archeaological team hired by MTO (the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario) for the Highway 407 East extension, under the jurisdiction of MCO (the Ministry of Culture of Ontario) was back in the field south of the Hamlet of Columbus for a Stage 3 archaeological survey...between a half dozen to a dozen of the Archeaological Services Inc. consultant's team members have been digging and sifting since the middle of August on both sides of Simcoe St. These are the very fields the Columbus Community Coalition has filed an appeal to the OMB in objection to the Region's ill advised plan to redesignate these lands to employment.

Filed Ontario Municipal Board Appeal!

2011-07-12T21:09:00.000-04:00

with the $125 filing fee paid for out of funds raised from the Columbus coalition's community bake sale, together with the signatures of an overwhelming majority of Hamlet of Columbus households who this summer showed their agreement with Rosemary McConkey appealing Region Official Plan Amendment 128 to the Ontario Municipal Board...the following cover letter was submitted with the appeal application form outlining the objection 1) to ROPA 128 redesignating to employment/industrial the lands at the gateway vista to the Hamlet and 2) ROPA 128's deletion of the Hamlet designation

Delivered July 11, 2011
To: The Ontario Municipal Board
And To: The Region of Durham Legal Department

Re: OMB Case No. Pl 101408
Appeal of Proposed Regional Official Plan Amendment No. 128

as it pertains to the Hamlet of Columbus and the Province’s non-decision of the Columbus area lands

Further to my submissions at Region Planning Committee and Region Council March and May 2009 regarding ROPA 128 and my attendance at the first OMB pre-hearing conference June 27, 2011 on behalf of my neighbours in the Hamlet of Columbus please be advised that I delivered a copy of my appeal application today to the Province as per the attached.

Rosemary McConkey
Facilitator
Columbus Community Coalition
R.R#1,
Columbus, Ontario
L1H 7K4

Hamlet of Columbus Canada Day!

2011-07-01T19:43:00.000-04:00

Lots of sunshine, plenty of hot coffee and good food, a lively Brass Band, accomplished fiddle player and piano player, kids activities with pony rides, facepainting, fish pond, bead bag toss, together with wonderful neighbours and great friends made this Canada Day morning in Columbus a most successful good time!!

Best Canada Day decorated garden tractor parade winner pictured here, and followed by kid's bike parade winner, with more pictures below.

A special note of thanks to elected representatives who joined us: our MP Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance, our MPP Christine Elliott, Oshawa Mayor Henry, Whitby Regional Councillor Lorne Coe, Oshawa Regional Councillors Bob Chapman and John Neal, Oshawa Local Councillors Doug Sanders and Bruce Wood!

Countdown to Canada Day!

2011-06-26T18:36:00.001-04:00

Last pitch to Oshawa Council Jun 13

2011-06-12T12:51:00.008-04:00

It was just over 2 years ago the Columbus community coalition came together and Rosemary McConkey made the first delegation to Oshawa Development Services Committee regarding the Region's growth plan (ROPA 128) and the Hamlet of Columbus on March 30, 2009.

Tomorrow night, June 13, 2011, marks the last time she will be addressing Oshawa Council before the matter is passed to the Ontario Municipal Board. On June 27th Durham Region begins it's OMB appeal of the Province's Oct 2010 final decision on ROPA 128 (which includes the Region's appeal of the Province's 'non-decision' of the Columbus area lands.)

Some interesting new developments might help with this final pitch to see the lands along Simcoe St. at the gateway to the Hamlet of Columbus not re-designated 'employment/industrial' and to keep the 'Hamlet' designation,

Last month the lands north of Winchester Rd. south of the Hamlet along Simcoe St. became publicly owned (as illustrated in blue on above map). The fact these lands have been acquired by MTO for the 407 construction and some cetainly will be surplus after the highway's completion presents an opportunity to make a change and do something different from the rushed and unnecessary plan for the Columbus area that the Region/planners/developers/speculators are so determined to have the Province approve.

The question is whether Oshawa Council members are open to recognizing this new information as a 'game changer' and can find the courage to act on it!

Columbus for Canada Day Fun!

2011-06-06T08:53:00.003-04:00

Hamlet is on new re-districting map!

2011-05-30T12:46:00.002-04:00

The Toronto Real Estate Board’s new GTA re-districting map being launched July 1, 2011 identifies the Hamlet of Columbus (highlighted here with red arrow) But if ROPA 128 passes at the OMB next month the Hamlet of Columbus will be deleted...Here's hoping our grassroots effort to keep the Hamlet gets the attention it deserves before it's too late!

planning for Columbus Canada Day!

2011-05-26T20:39:00.006-04:00

Another productive meeting! A 3rd planning meeting was held Thursday May 26 9:30 a.m. @ 3376 Simcoe St. N. Columbus
present: Bob, Joan, Linda, Marguerite, Mary, Rosemary, Shirley
regrets: Liz, Filomena, Tammy, Anne, Sophia, Steve and Shelley
determine best times for set up and breakfast table serving times;
review details re: flyer mailout and invitations, kids activities, raffle table contributors, food for breakfast table; prizes for joker poker/tractor parade/kid's bike parade

Appeal of Durham's growth plan to OMB begins!

2011-05-20T10:27:00.005-04:00

The Ontario Municipal Board's prehearing conference of the proposed Durham Regional Official Plan Amendment 128 which includes the Region's plan to redesignate the Columbus area from agricultural to urban and employment (delete the 'Hamlet of Columbus') beings 10:00 a.m. Monday June 27, 2011, at the Region of Durham Headquarters, 605 Rossland Rd. E. Whitby, Lower Level Boardroom LL-C.

If you would like to participate you are requested to pre-register by contacting Colleen Goodchild, 905 668-7711.

Oshawa Council reviews it's position on ROPA 128

2011-05-19T10:35:00.005-04:00

On Tuesday, May 24th, Oshawa council will consider this staff report report on various aspects of ROPA 128 to establish an Oshawa Council position on the Provincial decision of ROPA 128 prior to the OMB appeals.
http://www.oshawa.ca/agendas/Development_Services/2011/05-09/%5CDS-11-172-ROPA128.pdf ( Note: Pages 8, 9 and 10 deal with the Hamlet of Columbus.)

and a Columbus delegation will address this matter before council with concerns/objections as outlined here:

Does ROPA 128 truly reflect the vision of Oshawa Council and the people of Oshawa?

Oshawa has a more than adequate supply of developable residential and employment land south of the planned 407 to satisfy growth numbers to 2031 and beyond.

Since March 2009 the Columbus community coalition has tried to raise awareness about how the re-designation of the Columbus area and breach of Oshawa’s northern urban boundary is rushed and unnecessary.

In June 2010 over 1,000 Oshawa residents signed a petition to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing objecting to how ROPA 128 encourages urban sprawl north of the future Hwy 407.

This is now the last opportunity for Oshawa to reconsider its position on ROPA 128 before the appeals to the Ontario Municipal Board begin in June.

Former Oshawa Mayor Gray, developers, city staff and regional planners often have described ROPA 128 as ‘resolving’ the 1992 Columbus D12 deferral.

Using the word ‘resolved’ is a soft ‘sell’ that inaccurately implies a solution was required and a settlement reached. It is also a term that discourages further investigation.

In fact, there no pressing need to delete the Hamlet of Columbus or re-designate so much agricultural land north of the planned Hwy 407. And a regrettable part of what has happened is that the Region and the City of Oshawa failed to consult the residents of a whole community, the historic Hamlet of Columbus, both when planning the Columbus area re-designation twenty years ago and again this time round.

Also, in the time lapsed significant changes in government policy and legislation have been implemented to slow urban sprawl, changes which are strongly supported by the public.

In the late 1980s, early 1990s opening Oshawa’s northern rural landscape for development around Columbus may have been considered beneficial and the ‘vision’ of many, but the question remains, does Oshawa in this decade or the next want and/or can it afford a Brooklin-like community taking focus, time and money away from Oshawa south of the 407?

...

Why would Oshawa so willingly agree to the Hamlet of Columbus being deleted? Commissioner Hodgins has said it is mere nomenclature. But places are defined by their names and boundaries. Oshawa should learn from the mistakes made with Pickering Village in Ajax and find the resolve to ask for the following changes to ROPA 128:

1. Keep the Hamlet of Columbus designation.

2. Keep the same boundaries for the Hamlet of Columbus that it came into the Region with in 1974.

3. See that the two small parcels of land along Simcoe St at the south entrance to the, historic Hamlet of Columbus are not designated employment.

Archaeological survey team back!

2011-05-13T21:26:00.006-04:00

Friday May 13th another archaeological survey firm hired by MTO returned to the field at the south entrance of Columbus and marked evidence of possible artifacts. Maybe a Stage 2 archaeological assessment?

Recall they studied the field September 2009 (there's a picture of an archaeological team in the same field under this website's Sept 28 2009 entry 'Columbus Discovery') At that time there was indication that they'd found both pioneer and indian artifacts. NOTE: Archaeological studies are conducted in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act, under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Ministery of Tourism and Culture MTC. Among other provisions, the act makes it illegal for anyone but a licensed archaeologist to knowingly disturb an archaeological site. This means that unless you are a licensed archaeologist, it is illegal for you to dig an archaeological site or dive on a shipwreck to record its condition or remove and keep artifacts.

Here's some historic context worth pointing out:

from Forgotten Pathways of the Trent by Leslie M Frost pg 38 quoting from microfilm, the Pedlar Papers, Oshawa Public Library, frame 324

two trails ran from Lake Ontario northwards through East Whitby township..the other trail began at the mouth of ...Oshawa Creek...onThomas Henry's farm...This trail at this point branched into two parts one passing along over the creek keeping west of where the Reach Road now runs, as far north as the 8th concession just south of where the Village of Columbus now stands.

Note our community 'Keepsake Booklet' contained some early pioneer Columbus history details (copied on this website at the October 21, 2010 entry) Also in brief: Columbus post office dated from 1847, Columbus appears on the DeRottenburg 1850 map, and the Plan for the Village of Columbus, East Whitby Township, was registered in 1862 (The Hamlet of Columbus, like the Hamlet of Whitevale, Pickering, was first known as a 'village')

2nd meeting to plan for Columbus Canada Day Fun!!

2011-03-27T23:19:00.003-04:00

(1st planning meeting was held on March 5th in Columbus Community Centre briefly following MP Bob Rae's 'Whistle Stop' in Columbus -
Present: Liz, Sophia, Mary, Shirley, Bob, Rosemary, Marguerite, Anne, Rev Carole, Tammy.
Agree to Columbus Canada 2011 celebration being a morning event similar to 2009 event and include hot breakfast and lawn tractor/kids bike parade, also determine need to strike separate Food and Entertainment Committees)

2nd meeting held briefly in Columbus church basement following Rev Carole cake contest -
Present: Anne, Shirley, Bob, Mary and Rosemary joined by Columbus church Chair Ken Thorne and Rev Carol
Outline duties of Food Committee and Entertainment Committee
Determine time for the event (Fri July 1st 9 a.m. - 12noon) and stations:
To head stations and ask for volunteers:
invitations/flyers: Rosemary
set up: Rudy, Bob, Lou, Graham
decorations: Liz, Jamie
coffee/water/juice table: Mary; Joan A.
breakfast food table: Shirley, Linda
hot dog table and ice: church
raffle table: Sophia, Rosemary
joker poker table: Marguerite, Julie
kids activities: Tammy, Kylie
ponies: Rev Carol
tractor/kids bike parade: Rosemary

Minister Wynne said she heard the Hamlet of Columbus concerns

2011-03-10T17:30:00.003-05:00

Replying to the question why the change from Simcoe to Harmony, Minister Wynne said "It really was the community concern about the traffic dumping onto Simcoe and what the impact of that would be and so as I say I heard from the people in the Hamlet of Columbus and I heard from people who live around that interchange and they were very concerned that that was not the right place so that's why we pushed it out to Harmony so we could distribute the traffic."

Video clip of MP Bob Rae speaking in Columbus about Hwy 407

2011-03-06T05:47:00.005-05:00

According to MP Bob Rae it's not logical to end the 407 downtown somewhere, "that is a preposterous thing to do!"

Mr. Rae accepted the Columbus Community Coalition's invitation to speak briefly in the Hamlet of Columbus as a whistle stop on his way from Blackstock to another engagement at UOIT.

He gave a strong endorsement for completing the 407 and not ending it at Simcoe St. and spoke approvingly of Columbus community's effort to see the the extension project completed as it was originally intended!!

Here's hoping Premier McGuinty and Minister Wynne take note!!!

MP Bob Rae's Whistle Stop in Columbus

2011-03-04T09:33:00.001-05:00