PRESS RELEASE - Neighbourhood Gets to Keep Skating Rink

Courtesy of CTV

It's like David versus Goliath, only this time, David won! Earlier today, the City of Guelph's Chief Administrative Officer Ann Pappert announced that an agreement has been reached with a group neighbours in Pine Ridge to keep a less than officially sanctioned local skating rink. The rink is technically on city land between two subdivisions in the south end, but all that kids having fun and enjoying exercise got on someone's nerve, and they made some noise about it to city hall. Reacting the quickly, the city has announced that they've reach a short term solution that should make everyone in the area happy, allowing the kids to keep skating as the city keeps working toward some new permanent rules regarding the situation.

Press Release - New Mayor's Blog Launched

Having an active internet presence is key for any modern politician looking to get his or her message out to the masses, not to mention keeping their community up-to-date with key points of information. Mayor Cam Guthrie is no stranger to this idea, and during his political tenure he's been active on Facebook and Twitter and maintained a news blog for his Ward 4 constituents. Eager not to lose that connection to the people, Guthrie and the City of Guelph has just announced the launch of the new Mayor's mayor's blog. Details and links to follow.

Burcher to Official Launch Liberal Nomination Bid

Forget the Federal Election coming - eventually - later this year, the real contest is going on now is the race to see who will become the new Liberal candidate in Guelph after Frank Valeriote announced his retirement last fall. Former Ward 5 councillor Lise Burcher will officially launch her campaign tonight at the Green Room at the Bookshelf. In an already busy campaign for the Liberal nom, Burcher is banking that it's not to late to make her case.

Robocall Townhall Shows Community Still Worried

Are you worried about another robocall scandal? Judging from the turnout at a townhall at St. James Anglican Church here in Guelph today, a lot of us are. Between 80 and 100 people showed up for the event organized by Fair Vote Guelph and the St. James' Environment and Social Justice Committee, and on the eve of the start of the last parliamentary session before the 2015 election, it sure sounded like there was still a lot to be concerned about even after the conviction of Michael Sona last summer. A combination of politicians, experts and ordinary citizens came out to remember how we got here, and what we should be on the look out next.

Budget 2015 Update - Opening Moves

The year started off with council already contentious about the budget process. Mayor Guthrie had announced his intention to bring a motion to the January 19 council meeting that would state that the city government should set itself the goal of not raising taxes anymore than the rate of inflation for the coming fiscal year. Of the seven councillors out of 12 that responded to the Guelph Tribune's request for comment, four were against the motion and three were against. Although the motion has since been delayed, some feel as though the mayor was going too far too soon.

2015 Federal Election: Busy Race for Grits Vs Tory Troubles?

Since the announcement that Frank Valeriote had decided not to run for re-election last fall, it seems that local Liberals have been in non-stop campaign mode. Former Guelph Chamber of Commerce President Lloyd Longfield threw his hat into the ring fairly early, and was swiftly followed by scientist and author Wendy Powell. But if the local race for the Liberal nomination is big enough for two people, is it big enough for three? Or four? And what of the other parties? Is anyone else having election thoughts with the general election still over nine months away?

PRESS RELEASE - Target Calls it Quits in Canada

Well that didn't last long (relatively speaking). Not even two years after Target arrived in Canada with the fanfare of a conquering hero, the U.S.-based chain announced this morning in a sudden and surprising move that they were wrapping up their Canadian operations and closing all 133 stores in this country. The Guelph store, the manager of which got the news of the closure - I'm told - from the news itself, was one of the first Targets to open in Canada, complete with frenzied line-up of eager shoppers as pictured above. Almost immediately those same shoppers were underwhelmed with what they saw, and that underwhelmed feeling seeemed to never wore off, and now, over 17,000 people nationw-wide will be out of a job sometime over the next several months.

Is Uber Coming to Waterloo Region? And Can Guelph be Too Far Behind?

If you've not heard of Uber, then you're missing something that crosses the new frontier of social media, mobile communications and on-demand service. A service in more than 200 cities and growing, Uber aims to connect people who need rides with people who have rides, be they licensed taxis, driving services or private citizens in their own car, and it seems that Kitchener may be the next branch office. Yesterday, Uber held two information sessions for potential drivers, and it's unclear how much interest was expressed. What's also unclear? Whether or not the Region of Waterloo will let it happen if the interest is, indeed, there.

PRESS RELEASE - Regional Mayors Agree on Pushing Forward on All-Day GO

A lot's changed in the last 10 months since the Wynne government, Metrolinx and regional councils all declared that all-day GO train service would be coming soon to the tracks of Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo, not the least of those changes is that new people all sit in the Mayor's offices of each of those cities. But despite the political shift, those new mayors, including Guelph's Cam Guthrie, want us all to know that they're all still dedicated to make all-day trains happen, and they're now getting support from new Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey.

PRESS RELEASE - Guelph Transit Gets Their Concessions

This story broke just before Christmas, an inordinately busy time under the best of circumstances, but it's an important story just the same given the events of 2014. Following up to the agreement reached last summer between the City of Guelph and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189, Guelph Transit workers now have their linchroom at Guelph Central Station, and continuous access to washrooms at the University Centre (even when it's closed). Not for nothing, but was that so hard, City of Guelph?

Guelph Police Release Crash Stats for 2014

If you thought that things got worse on local roads last year in terms of car accidents and collisions, it turns out that you're right. There were 36 more collisions in 2014 than there were in 2013 according to new statistics released by the Guelph Police Service today. Amongst the statistics released were the worst month on the road, the worst day of the week on the road, the worst time to be on the road and three worst intersections in the city. What's the worst time to play the odds against traffic?

New Name, New Look, Half the Gang - New Current Events Show on CFRU

It was a sad development for the end of the year, the announcement that Gang of Four would be no more. It was a reverse Christmas present, something that was being taken away not just from me, but from the hundreds of people that like the show, and like getting a different perspective on politics and current affairs. Change is inevitable, and change is never one thing, which is why while The Gang of Four is no more, Open Sources Guelph now lives.

PRESS RELEASE - Transit Moved More People on New Year's Eve

Some good news from Guelph Transit for a change! It looks like 33 per cent more people took advantage of free, late night rides on Royal City's buses this New Year's over last, according to numbers released by the City of Guelph and the Downtown Guelph Business Association. With nearly 4,300 free rides given, more than 1,200 over the 2013/14 New Year's celebrations, this program seems an assured success and one likely to continue to run. 

Young Liberals Endorse Longfield

I'm really not trying to turn this into the Liberal nomination blog. Seriously, I'm not. But they do seem to be the most fired up in the efforts to get a nominee for the upcoming Federal Election. To wit, I received a press release this morning from Lily Gamble, President of the Guelph Young Liberals, announcing that group's unanimous endorsement of former Guelph Chamber of Commerce President Lloyd Longfield as the successor to Frank Valeriote for Royal City Grits. There's no date yet for the nomination meeting, and Longfield does have competition for the nom in the form of author, life coach and federal scientist Wendy Powell, but one would be remiss to not point out that Longfield is the presumptive frontrunner. 

Fair Vote Canada Organizing Townhall on Robocalls

Oh no, the game's not over. If you thought Michael Sona being sentenced to a turn in prison was all you were ever going to hear about the robocall scandal of 2011, think again! With the 2015 Federal Election in the not-too-distant future, Fair Vote Guelph is understandably concerned about the possible return of Pierre Poutine or a confederate. But what are we to do? Did you say "townhall?" Well, Fair Vote Guelph had the same idea, and there's one taking place later this month.