Burlington Transit Director Spicer New Guelph Transit Manager

Despite the fact that the firing of Guelph Transit General Manager Phil Meagher has yet to be explained, the City of Guelph is proceeding into the future with the announcement today that they've hired a bran new general manager. Mike Spicer, fresh from being the Director of Burlington Transit, has come aboard Transit Services in the Royal City to lead our system through difficult times.

The Politico Calendar for July 2016

We have officially entered the dog days of summer, but that doesn't mean we've run out of politics yet. Here's a round up of the political and cultural events coming up for the month of July. 

Transit Changes to Routes and Schedules Have Begun

Keeping up with the changes to Guelph Transit can be tricky sometimes, but this is one of those occasions where we're dealing with a lot of information at once. The next few weeks are going to be hard on just about everyone taking the bus as routes and schedules are altered thanks to budget cuts, film shoots, road construction and the end of the school year.

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.

An Open Letter from the Drivers of Guelph Transit

Lost in the rush to indict the drivers of Guelph Transit on the whole overtime fracas, is their side of the story. This open letter from the drivers of Guelph Transit has been making the rounds online, including Cam Guthrie's blog and Ian Findlay's blog. I mentioned it on the last edition of "The Guelph Hour" on Beyond the Ballot Box, and I wanted to post it here too. The picutre it paints suggests that the maybe there's bigger operational problems with the city's mass transit service.

Feedback on Skatepark Requested

It seems like we've been talking about building a new skateboard park in Guelph forever, and my recent experience archiving my old Echo Weekly "Guelph Beat" columns more or less confirmed that. But I guess there's some progress moving forward now, so much so that the city is planning an information session about the proposed project a week from tonight.

A Different Guelph Storm Altogether

The city has issued an information bulletin to all residents regarding the inevitable nasty weather that's moving towards us. Some basic stuff, but sometimes in these situations, the basics fall by the wayside.

Scroll down to get the lowdown from the City of Guelph staff. And be careful out there.

Transit's Got Your New Ride

If you're at all interested in seeing what Guelph Transit it going to look like with its fancy new routes and schedules this fall, then you might like to get out to one of the following info sessions and see what you'll be getting into this November. Here's the news from Transit.

GUELPH, ON, June 13, 2011 – Guelph Transit is making it easier and more convenient than ever to travel using public transit. New bus routes, service schedules and bus stops are planned and Guelph Transit is holding information sessions over the next two weeks to share information about pending route and schedule changes.

The route and service changes will start in November this year.

WHAT Information Nights at various locations around the city

WHO All residents, employers, community groups, Guelph Transit riders

WHEN and WHERE

Tuesday, June 14 – Guelph Public Library, Westminster Square Branch, 100-31 Farley Drive, 3-7 p.m.

Thursday, June 16 – West End Recreation Centre, 21 Imperial Road South, 3-7 p.m.

Tuesday, June 21– Evergreen Seniors Centre, 683 Woolwich Street, 3-7 p.m.

Thursday, June 23 – City Hall, 1 Carden Street, 3-7 p.m.

Visit guelphtransit.ca for more information, including a sample of the new routes.

UPDATE! Flooding at Carden/Macdonell? Seemingly.

From the tip lines comes word that the construction at the corner of Carden Street and Macdonell has caused some flooding in local businesses. My tipster says that the flooding happened last night and caused an unspecified amount of damage to nearby business like Guelph Music and Wild Rose, while forcing restaurants like La Cuccina to close tonight because of water shut-offs. I was just down at the site, and it appears that workers have a pump going, while there seems to be signs of flooding a little further up Carden across from the Provincial courthouse (old City Hall). See the pics below and if you have any information to add to this story either post here, send me a tweet @adamadonaldson or fire me off an e-mail at adamadonaldson{at]]gmail[dot]com.

UPDATE:

I received an e-mail from mayoral candidate and Dis-a-Ray Antiques owner Ray Mitchell this morning.

"Hey- They just broke the sewer at the Carden/MacDonnell intersection (my "Axis of Evil"), it will be shut down for 10-12 days, Ouderkirk and Taylor are SO screwed"

Ray's "Axis of Evil" comment was from last night's Mercury sponsored Mayor's debate (which I plan on writing about shortly). Regardless it seems that something serious is going on at the Macdonell/Carden corner. I haven't had the opportunity to investigate further because of more present concerns like making money and job-hunting lately, but I encourage people to keep sending me info.