Guelph Politico: March 2016

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Are the Argos Coming Back to Guelph for Training Camp?

Mercury file photo of Argos training camp at U of G, circa 1981.

Flashback! The local sports rumour mill is churning with mention of the possibility that the Toronto Argonauts might be holding their 2016 training camp in the Royal City. Specifically, at Alumni Stadium at the University of Guelph.

It's April already, and in that first full month of spring there is a whole new sense of promise and opportunity. In the next couple of weeks there will be all sorts of festivals and special events, along with the usual meetings and information nights. Many of them are here connected in this month's Politico calendar.

MANGEZ! Dine Safe Guide for March 16-30, 2016

Twice-monthly, Guelph Politico posts the latest inspection results from the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit inspection of local restaurants, hotels, cafes, grocery stores and other businesses that handle food. We call it "Mangez!", and this column highlights the latest inspections done by WDGPH, and the results they've posted.

CSA Re-Opens Vote to Determine Fate of the UPass

With the fate of the University of Guelph Universal Bus Pass (UPass) in the balance, the Central Student Association at the U of G is reopening voting tomorrow (Wednesday) in an effort to meet quorum and approve of the new cost structure, phasing in a $50 increase over five years.

This Week in Press Releases - March 21-25, 2016

Every week, the City of Guelph and other groups send out notices to announce new events, imperatives, and information that you need to know. Here is this week in press releases.

OPEN SOURCES GUELPH BEAT #2 - City Councillor Dan Gibson (Ward 1)

Dan Gibson (L) at the Council Swearing in, Dec. 2014

Last month, it occurred to Scotty Hertz and myself that maybe our radio show on CFRU can be used for more than saying our opinions about current events... Seriously though, we always knew that, but we decided that we should set ourselves the goal of inviting all 12 of Guelph's city councillors on the show for a friendly conversation, and because our imagination is so poor, we decided to start with Ward 1.

CUPE Negotiations with the City Hit a Snag

A quick but ominous press release was fired off from City Hall late today saying that the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) locals 241, 973 and 1946 have requested a "no board" report be filed with the Ontario Labour Relations Board. It means that the parties involved are basically not close to making a deal, but more ominously, it starts a three week countdown to potential job action.

On Tuesday, the Federal government dropped the first budget under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The big message from the national coverage has been the nearly $30 billion in deficit spending and the billions of dollars in new spending on infrastructure in the hopes to spur economic growth, but since this is a Guelph-specific political site, the question should be asked: how does the Federal budget impact the Royal City?

Election Fix! The Results of CSA Vote at the U of G

It's more than two years till another local election. We need a fix bad! Okay, so it turns out that the Central Student Association at the University of Guelph last week had their annual election cycle on various student led referendums, and to choose their representatives on various college boards and for the executive of the CSA itself. The unofficial results were released yesterday.

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for March 21, 2016

Two major pieces of rezoning are up for discussion at this week's city council meeting. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico's preview of tonight's meeting. For the complete blow-by-blow of tonight's council meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow along below via Storify.

Community Concerned About Loss of Fitness Room at Victoria Rec Centre

Guelph Mercury photo of Victoria Rec Centre's construction in 1975.

March Break programs at the Victoria Road Recreation Centre last week may be the last time for many Guelphites to enjoy the facilities there before the Centre is closed for one year of renovations and improvements. For one group of citizens though, they've already enjoyed the access to the Rec Centre's weight room and sauna for the last time, and we mean ever because when the Victoria Road Recreation Centre re-opens next spring, it will no longer have a weight room or sauna.

Sandals and Moridi $23 Million for Renos at the OVC

Today at the Lifetime Learning Centre at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College, the Government of Ontario announced it was spending $23 million to renovated the present OVC building, and build a new one. The cheque is part of the provincial government’s pledge to spend $160 billion over 12 years on infrastructure improvements across Ontario; $3 billion of which is capital grants to improve postsecondary institutions over the next 10 years.

Every week, the City of Guelph and other groups send out notices to announce new events, imperatives, and information that you need to know. Here is this week in press releases.

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for March 21's Meeting?

It what's sure to be an action-packed meeting, the agenda for the March 21 city council meet will run the gambit of committee reports from water, to business licenses, to Victoria Road Recreation Centre, to street signs, to renovations.

Mangez! Dine Safe Guide for March 1-15, 2016

In a new twice-monthly feature, Guelph Politico will post the latest inspection results from the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit inspection of local restaurants, hotels, cafes, grocery stores and other businesses that handle food. We'll call it "Mangez!", and this column will highlight the latest inspections done by WDGPH, and the results they've posted. Shall we begin with the first half of March...

Uber Driver Arrested for Sexual Assault

In a scenario that's unlikely going to do much for Uber as it tries to squeeze into the local market, but an Uber driver has been charged with sexual assault.

Mo' Kauffey (L) relaxing between shots on the set of 'Staff Entrance'

It's a sad day for Guelph music fans with the news that Gary W. Wickizer, AKA: Mo' Kauffey, has lost his fight with cancer. He may have been born in Colorado, but Mo' was quintessentially Guelph, and like all good Bluesmen, he's strummed his last song and exited the stage.

City Sends Out Tender to Finally Finish Guelph Central Station

Last week, the City of Guelph released a tender. It's a regular occurrence, City Hall releases tenders all the time for various projects. But for local transit nerds, this is a big deal because it means the beginning of the end of a five year odyssey to create an inter-modal transit hub downtown. Yes, the City has released a tender to find a general contractor to renovate Guelph's historic train station.

GUELPH POLITICAST #32 - Kelly Smith of the 2016 Resilience Festival

You might have heard that the people of Guelph are known for being environmentally friendly. Given that somewhat foggy reputation, you might imagine that next Saturday's commemoration of Earth Hour is an occasion here in the Royal City, but you only know the half of it. In 2010, Transition Guelph first held an Earth Hour potluck for the community, a candle-lit communal meal to mark the one hour per year we give up electricity in acknowledgement of how beholden we are to it. And now, in 2016, that one meal has grown into a full-blown festival.

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for March 7, 2016

This Week in Press Releases - February 29-March 4, 2016

Every week, the City of Guelph and other groups send out notices to announce new events, imperatives, and information that you need to know. Here is this week in press releases.

GUELPH POLITICAST #31 - Michael Druker, TriTAG

Transit in Guelph is always a struggle. Every budget year, public transit somehow makes into the first round of cuts proposed; sometimes public pressure gets them taken off the table, and sometimes the fare goes up and holiday service is cut down to an hour. Still, looking at the transit situation throughout our general area, it's not all bad news. So this week, the Guelph Politicast will look to Waterloo Region, where not only is bus service expanding, but they're building a train down the main street.

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for March 7's Meeting?

City council will once again be joined this coming Monday to discuss matters of zoning. Two major pieces are up for discussion around the horseshoe; one commercial and one spiritual.