ESSEX, Ont. — The town has delayed approving an $11.3-million plan to redevelop the Colchester harbour area after some councillors developed sticker shock.
The ambitious plan to remake the area into a prime tourist enclave scared some councillors with its price tag.
Despite being a proponent of the master plan, Coun. Bill Baker supported the delay.
“There is no reason this council should be split about moving forward with a good plan,” he said. “Let’s not lose this plan. It’s about moving forward. I want to keep this alive.”
Some councillors raised concerns that the plan was too expensive and that the Essex Region Conservation Authority would never approve a floating pool.
“We are not a rich community,” Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche said. “I’m not saying we should walk away. I think we should narrow it down to what we want to accomplish. I don’t think we’ll see all three phases happen.”
The master plan outlines three phases of development over six years. Phase 1 calls for the paving of shoulders on County Road 50, construction of a peace garden, a pavilion at Jackson Park, changing the road configuration for the marina and more signage.
Most of those items have already been approved by the town although not fully funded.
Phase 2 details changing streetscape for Jackson Street to convert it to a large green space on the west side and commercial properties on the east side. The breakwall reconfiguration is also in this phase.
The third phase describes building two roundabouts on County Road 50 for $1 million and constructing parking on a lower section of the marina property.
The plan also has a floating pool for $300,000 and a floating dock for $900,000.
The lower level of parking, pool and floating dock were contentious proposals.
Resident Carol Quick mocked the cost of a floating pool.
“I’m an aqua fit instructor,” she said. “Trust me, no one wants a pool in our area more than I do. But for a pool to be open eight weeks a year is a joke. We want one yearround.”
Residents of Sullivan Street, which sits on the cliffs north of the marina, complained the parking lot, rehabilitated wetlands and floating dock restricted access to Lake Erie.
Resident Lynn Quick applauded the removal of the parking at the beach level but then asked where people would park.
Resident Steven McPhedran echoed the same concerns and asked to be consulted when council formalizes the plan.
McPhedran said if the plan goes ahead as designed he would still have his beach but no water because the floating dock almost reaches the shore at his property. He said he has a paddle boat and would like to kayak on Lake Erie but he’d have to portage his boat to reach the water.
“What they are doing to us I don’t like,” he said.
Coun. Sherry Bondy said she loved parts of the plan but was concerned with a part of the master plan that converts the use of the upper level parking lot to a five-star hotel.
“That’s a hotel on public property,” she said. “We have a plan but it needs major tweaking.”
mwolfson@windsorstar.com or 519-255-5709 or Twitter. com/WinStarMonica
Source: blogs.windsorstar.com
Essex v Derbyshire - County Championship Division Two - Day 1 - Live Score and Update - Bettor.com
Essex v Derbyshire - County Championship Division Two - Day 1 - Live Score and Update
Essex 182 v Derbyshire 37/1 (15.0 ov) - Derbyshire trail by 145 runs with 9 wickets remaining in the 1st innings
The first day of the four-day match in the ongoing County Championship Division Two, between Essex and Derbyshire was extremely eventful as fans witnessed Derbyshire bowlers give a phenomenal performance to restrict Essex on a first innings total of 182 runs at County Ground, Chelmsford.
Derbyshire now trail by 145 runs with nine wickets remaining in the first innings as they posted 37 runs for the loss of one wicket at stumps.
Earlier, after winning the toss, Essex chose to bat first in a bid to clobber a fighting total on the board by the end of their first innings.
With just 20 runs on the board, they suffered the demise of their first wicket when opener, AN Petersen, fell after scoring nine runs.
Opener T Westley and number-three batsman Owais Shah staggered a decent resistance as they smashed the bowlers in a bid to score as much as possible.
However, the partnership faltered with the demise of Westley, who walked off the field after playing an innings of 36 runs.
Essex with 68 runs on the board, saw Shah lose his wicket as the batsman edged a delivery straight in the hands of wicketkeeper Poynton after belting an innings of 21 runs.
ML Pettini and BT Foakes then taught Derbyshire bowlers a lesson or two as they played exceptionally well to take the side to a tally of 101 runs, however the batting side suffered a minor batting collapse as they lost Foakes (18) followed by the wicket of JS Foster (0).
DJ Wainwright from Derbyshire was the most destructive bowler as he nabbed five wickets to restrict the batting side from reaching a daunting total.
Meanwhile, Essex’s batsmen just could not counter Derbyshire bowlers as they kept losing wickets randomly, which saw the lower-order batting line-up incinerated without putting much of a fight.
Derbyshire then began their first innings, aiming to score higher than their rivals but lost their first wicket with three runs, finishing the game on a tally of 37.
Source: blogs.bettor.com
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