Day: May 22, 2009

Downtown Street Festival June 6th

Mike Cluett

Its that time of year again.  Milton will be holding its annual summertime tradition of the Downtown Street Festival. 

There have been many festivals in the past, but this incarnation came directly from the work people did (including myself…shameless plug) from the Town of Milton’s 150th Anniversary Committee.  Back in 2007, the committee and MANY Town of Milton volunteers pulled off a fantastic family funtime event which was only going to be a one time deal.  Thing is, people LOVED it, so the Town decided to make it an annual event.

Lots of activities for the kids are planned and no shortage of things to do.  FAS Milton will also be holding events by St. Pauls United Church that day as well.

Miltons favourite painter, Ann Kornuta might be there as well.  She is a fixture in downtown Milton on Main Street painting up a storm.  You can see Ann each and every week at the Farmer’s market as well. 

Oh ya, thats on too.  Gotta love Milton in the spring and summer.  There is SO much going on.

If you want to get involved as a volunteer for the Downtown Street Festival (and I know they are looking for lots of people to help out) … here’s how you do it.

Tuesday, May 26 OR Wednesday, May 27
6:30 – 8 pm, Milton Sports Centre (Meeting Room #4) 

 Volunteers must attend one of the above sessions.

Sign up today!

Volunteer Application Form

Additional Information

Call 905-878-7252, ext. 2620

See you there!

TTC Commissioners Just Dont Get It

Mike Cluett

It seems a bunch of TTC Commissioners have missed the news about Canada’s recent economic downturn.  Or if they do know about it, no one seems to care. 

TTC Chair Adam “Stop Messing In My Ward or else” Giambrone and others are jetting off to Vienna for an International Association of Public Transport Confernece in early June.

 

Vienna?  They have to go half way around the world to learn what?  About public transit systems?

The money for the trip comes from the TTC budget.  Yes, that same budget the TTC keeps going to the trough to fill up every year to pay for higher salaries for demanding TTC drivers and other infrastructure.

It just doesnt make sense.  And to top it off, there is another junket set for June apparently for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Whistler BC.  Its unknown as to whether or not there will be any Milton councillors attending.  12 of the City of Toronto Councillors will be.

Dont get me wrong…I’m not against the association.  The problem with this is perception.  And one of the biggest rules is “politics is perception.”  Our municipal leaders need a forum to exchange ideas.  My problem is that not everyone needs to go.  Municipal, provincial and federal governments need to be “seen” tightening of their belts while asking tax payers to tighten theirs. 

The story goes like this…

Every year municipal governments turn to the taxpayers for more money.  Oh, we need this and we need that.  Oh, you dont get that service anymore.  Oh, the union is demanding more money again.  Oh, its just a small increase in the grand scheme of things.  Oh, we need that pay increase.

I think givent the situation we are in, and even though there are signs things are imporving, the City of Toronto needs to worry about other more important items on their agenda.  CUPE locals are threatening to go on strike claiming the governments are using the recession as an excuse for their demans for concessions.

Using the recession as an excuse.  Its not really a fair comment to make mind you but considering City of Toronto councillors just gave themselves a pay increase of 2.4 per cent back in January and they are now demanding cut backs at other levels.  Again, politics IS perception.

Im sure you can go back in history to see the same story played out over and over again.  Sad really when you think of it as no one seems to have learned from history and are doomed to repeat it.