Monday, June 16, 2008

Legal challenge to SD67

Summary of legal documents filed June 12, 2008

Affidavits

  • David Perry was on Council since 1990 and Mayor from 2002 to 2005 - David explains the community need for both facilities and the lack of public or formal meetings as well as the history of SONG & PLEASE - he and all the other living Mayors agree both buildings should be kept until replacements are ready for use

  • Tom Siddon draws on his Parliamentary experience and engineering background to explain the need, plus the fine acoustic quality of the auditorium - Tom details the numerous requests/attempts to save the buildings and the process that lead up to the June 5/08 decision to file the Petition

  • Sandra Congram focuses on the need for the gym in today's world where fitness facilities are at a premium; she also talks of her presentations to keep the facilities and that now is not the time to tear down functional facilities when the need is so great

  • Marylin Cleland Barnay focuses on the need for the auditorium and the need for a Performing Arts Facility Plan that meets projected community needs; she is also critical of the Board for not allowing public input

  • Adeline Rheaume reveals the overwhelming public support in favor of keeping the facilities as- 97% - 2671 to 85 and how the Board process on May 20/08 was a farce including the absent trustee, Kevin Andrews, saying his "nay" vote from Cuba!

  • Ron Mason identifies the cost of up to $1.2M to bring the buildings up to standard; that the Board's plan to the Ministry did not include either facility; and that the asbestos can be effectively dealt with

  • Al Kenyon confirms the "Six Mayors" support & cautions that the City & Board are taking a real gamble by demolishing before replacements are ready; Al also comments on the City apparently deliberately creating a facility deficit as the City seems to think it will have a better chance raising the $30M it needs for the new performing arts center, if the auditorium is down

  • Dodi Morrison explains her opposition to the demolition and the lack of public consultation

  • Dave Shunter highlights his lengthy experience as an educator and trustee and that the auditorium and gym were never part of the Board's plan; when he left the Board at the end of 2005, he thought the City would be taking over the facilities

  • Keith Lindstrom another long time educator and trustee explains that even his own plan was not considered, even though he was a trustee at the time; he also confirms that "the plan" was to "knock 'em down" from the beginning. Keith says there was no public meeting where the final design proposal was presented

  • Michael Brydon the professor, focuses on the numbers and Michael Brydon, the dad, focuses on the need. The $1,142,000 Greyback estimate, his paper "Saving the Former Pen-Hi Gymnasium and Auditorium: A Decision Analysis", and his Cost Assessment of SOPAC are filed with the Court

  • Beth Campbell reinforces that she and former Mayors Messmer, Tinning, Pearce, Kenyon and Perry have all had decades of public service and they unanimously agree, despite the fact their politics are different, that the buildings should stay

  • Cory Goodrich, an articling student at Johnston, Johnson & Company, reviewed all the School Board Minutes and other public documents and confirms the dates set out in the Petition

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