hawthorne village

Whirlwind 24 hours

Mike Cluett

To say the last 24 hours in the life of Mike Cluett was busy, would be a big stretch. 

In between my full time job at Greenlawn Canada, there have been a whirlwind number of phone calls to media outlets in the Greater Milton …er Toronto Area talking about a little thing known as moving the Tiger Cats to Milton, I havent been able to do much else.  I have been able to get to most of them, but not all, so as long as the discussion is going I’m available to talk.

I have received a lot of responses on this blog, through email, Twitter and on Facebook from both sides (mostly positive and encouraging responses) from people both inside and outside Milton.

As I mentioned earlier on I had been interviewed by CHCH News from Hamilton about this movement that was shown on the news at 6pm, 11pm and even on CHCH Morning Live along with Mayor Gord Krantz explaining the rationale of TiCats owner Bob Young considering Milton as an option.

If all else fails in Hamilton (that is still up for debate and not over by a long shot) we hope that the ownership of the CFL franchise can see the potential benefits of moving their team here to Milton.  Nothing regarding numbers, costs, business plans have been formally discussed but we wanted to get the discussion going.  Earlier this week I had read the letter Bob Young sent to Hamilton City Council about backing out of discussions for the Pan Am stadium and playing out the remaining years at Ivor Wynne before choosing another locale.

Being a TiCats fan, I want them to stay in Hamilton.  Thats my preferred choice and I hope between all the parties involved they can come to some sort of resolution in the matter and keep the team in Steel Town.  Baring all of that, we want them to know theres a potential home for them in Milton.

So the debate will continue for the next while and I hope that some see the potential benefits to Milton and the surrounding area by getting this put together.  There is no chance this will come to a resolution anytime soon, but we can only hope.

Locally, there was an article in today’s Champion talking about municipal candidates taking to the Internet to reach voters, spark discussion on issues and keeping people informed.  You can view that article by Christina Commisso (herself on Twitter) here.

I’ll keep everybody posted on whats going on with the Cats, how the reaction is coming in and what might happen in the future.  To those people visiting my blog and website for the first time, thanks for coming…I hope you stick around.

Until then, I’ll see you at the doors.

Oskee wee wee!

Birthday Greetings and Ticats Support in Milton

Mike Cluett

Before I get started I wanted to wish my Dad a Happy Birthday.  Last year at this time we were all in Newfoundland for his birthday and this year he got to see me on TV so… its almost good enough.  Happy Birthday Dad.

First off a big thanks goes out to everyone who has called, emailed or tweeted me in the last few hours.  Ever since posting yesterdays blog, I have been inundated with support from people both in Milton AND from Hamilton of all places.

I’m going to try to get the video uploaded of tonight’s CHCH News at 6 show where they had a brief interview with both myself and Mayor Gord Krantz about Milton taking a stab at getting the CFL franchise and the Pan Am stadium for 2015.  The idea came to me after I heard the news from Bob Young that he was pulling the organization from the negotiation table about any option for a stadium in Milton.

As a fan, I wondered where would they go?  Quebec?  Moncton?  Definitely viable options for the team but  as a fan, Id lose.  And so would the hundreds of thousands of TigerCat/CFL fans in southern Ontario.  Then I thought…why not Milton?  And it grew from there. 

I gave Milton Mayor Gord Krantz a call to see what would have to be done to get the ball rolling.  After a long conversation, the wheels were set in motion.  From what Ive heard today, there has been contact with the team and they are definitely intrigued at the idea of moving 30 minutes north. 

Both of us wanted to get the point out as well, that we’re not looking to steal the Ticats away.  We both (as well as many of the supporters of the idea) want them to stay in Hamilton.  As I said in the interview “Hamilton is the TigerCats and the TigerCats are Hamilton” 

Will this happen overnight?  Not likely.  There are so many things that can happen to derail any of these options…best of one would be that the TiCats and the City of Hamilton come to some workable arrangement and keep the Cats in Steeltown.  But if not, we have a home for them in Milton and we’ll do what we can to make it work.

There’s a Facebook group up and running on this … isnt there always?  Please click here and join to show your support or start a discussion.

While you’re at it, you can join my campaign Facebook group as well to stay on top of campaign happenings for Ward 6.  There is very little time left before nominations close and in the next 10-15 days anything can happen.

Im looking forward to the next 70 plus days before election day…meeting as many people as possible and discussing issues like this and others that are important to you.  Call, email or tweet me anytime.

Until then, I’ll see you at the doors.

Milton TigerCats? Its Possible & Here’s How

Mike Cluett

Town Of Milton Should Pursue Pan Am Stadium and Tiger Cats CFL Franchise

The City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Tiger Cats franchise are embroiled in a controversy that might result in the beloved CFL franchise to leave Hamilton forever. 

At the heart of the dispute is the location of the stadium to be constructed for the 2015 Pan Am Games, a stadium that would end up being the home of the Tiger Cats franchise.  Caretaker Bob Young, successful Hamilton businessman and the person responsible for bringing the Ti Cats back from the brink of bankruptcy over the past several years, wants to build a stadium on an east mountain location in Hamilton.  By having the stadium there, it would be able to locate a state of the art facility as well as much needed parking that their current location at Ivor Wynne doesn’t allow for. 

The City of Hamilton wants to locate the new stadium at the west harbour location of Hamilton near Barton and Bay Street.  For several months now there have been negotiations between the City of Hamilton and the Tiger Cats franchise to come to a solution and none has been met.  Yesterday, the owner of the Tiger Cats Bob Young, issued a letter saying that seeing how they can’t come to a resolution on the location, he notified the Mayor and City Council that they will play out the remainder of this season and 2011 and find another location, possibly outside Hamilton.

The Tiger Cats have been a part of Hamilton for over a hundred years and this would deal a severe blow to the local economy.  Both sides seem steadfast in their ideas and it looks like the Tiger Cats CFL franchise will be looking for a new home.  Personally as a Tiger Cats fan for many years, it would be heart breaking to see them move to other locations including Quebec or Moncton NB.  I would like to provide the Tiger Cats owners and the Pan Am officials a backup plan…a plan that can work for all parties involved.

This is where Milton comes in.  The Town of Milton has the available land to house such a facility available for Pan Am officials and the Tiger Cats to consider.  There are many benefits for all parties involved to consider Milton as a viable location for the Pan Am games AND becoming the new home for the Tiger Cats Franchise.  The potential location would be on the west side of the 401 Industrial Park in Milton.

By having it there the games and the franchise have easy highway access to Toronto (45 minutes) downtown Kitchener / Waterloo / Cambridge (30 minutes) and residents of Hamilton as well (30 minutes)

Here’s how it can work.

Why Milton as a Pan Am Games partner? 

  • Willing host
  • Proposed site could be easily rezoned for stadium purpose
  • Located 20 to 40 minutes from all other Pan Am Games venues
  • Located on west side of Greater Toronto Area
  • Located 20 minutes from Pearson International Airport
  • Proposed stadium site is located on with easy access to Highway 401, North America’s busiest superhighway
  • Proposed site alongside Highway 401 would make it highest visibility Pan Am venue in Canada
  • Located 20 minutes from Q.E.W. and 10 minutes from Highway 407
  • Located in an area with more than six million Ontarians
  • Well supported by local hotels, restaurants, general goods merchants and service industry; high-quality municipal services, well-trained workforce
  • Easy media access

Why Milton as a Hamilton Tiger-Cats partner?

  • Willing host
  • Most Milton CFL fans are Hamilton Tiger-Cat supporters
  • Proposed site could be easily rezoned for stadium purpose
  • Proposed site still reasonably close for many current seasons’ ticket holders to commute to
  • Proposed site alongside Highway 401 would make it highest visibility CFL stadium in Canada
  • Located 20 minutes from Pearson International Airport
  • Located on and easy access to Highway 401, North America’s busiest superhighway
  • Located 20 minutes from Q.E.W. and 10 minutes from Highway 407
  • Located in an area with more than six million Ontarians
  • Well supported by local hotels, restaurants, general goods merchants and service industry; high-quality municipal services, well-trained workforce
  • Easy media access

 Why west side of 401 Industrial Park?

  • Proposed site could be easily rezoned for stadium purpose
  • Located 20 minutes from Pearson International Airport
  • Located on and easy access to Highway 401, North America’s busiest superhighway
  • Located 20 minutes from Q.E.W. and 10 minutes from Highway 407
  • Located in an area with more than six million Ontarians
  • Well supported by local hotels, restaurants, general goods merchants and service industry; high-quality municipal services, well-trained workforce

I talked directly with Milton Mayor Gord Krantz early this morning, he will be directing town staff and the economic development department to work on getting a preliminary proposal prepared for review and possibly present to the Pan Am officials and the Tiger Cats franchise.  The Town of Milton is no stranger to the Pan Am committee as just recently they were involved with other municipalities to look at Milton being an option to have locations for the Pan Am games in 2015.

Milton has been Canada’s fastest growing municipality for the last 3 years and will be the “go to” location for businesses from around the region, the province and the country.  We have the ability to take on something like this and put Milton further on the map.

Nothing is written in stone but the play has been called and the time clock is running.  Can a Hail Mary save the Tiger Cats franchise and keep it in southern Ontario or will an icon in Canadian sports history be forever lost.

Stay tuned, this will be a fun ride.  I’ll see you at the doors.

Round 2 Begins

Mike Cluett

Ward 6 only seems like it’s the smallest ward.  Over the past several months I have taken to hitting the doors for this campaign and it’s taken a few months, but I’ve personally canvassed/literature dropped every home in the ward.

Now on to round 2. 

I hope that I can meet as many of you before Election Day on October 25th and discuss issues that are important to you.  Many of the people I have talked with have similar concerns about growth in Milton, where everything will go when it’s all said and done, infrastructure and neighbourhood safety.

There are less than 80 days now until the election and before then, I hope to make it around the ward once more.  This is what you can come to expect from me as your councillor as well.  I am the only candidate in Milton who has made a promise to continue to knock on doors in between election campaigns, and not just during them.  It’s a commitment I made back in 2006 for the last election, and although I wasn’t successful then, over the last 4 years I have continued to talk with you directly and find out what issues are important to you.

Many of the incumbents on council now think I’m crazy.  I’ve been told that it’s impossible to knock on doors because I will be as busy as a councillor.  I don’t think it would be that hard to knock on every door in the ward over the course of 4 years if it can be done in a matter of months.

Communication is key for the democratic process.  You can’t be successful having a one sided conversation with anyone, especially the tax payers of Milton.  There are a number of major initiatives that will happen over the next 4 years from intensification of Main Street, the Boyne survey that will add over 55,000 new people in town and infrastructure demands that need to be addressed.

Council needs to be more proactive when it comes to these issues.  They can’t continue to be reactionary when issues arise and need to take the time and solicit input.  The other part of this equation is you…the taxpayer.

We need your input as well.  We need to you let us know your opinion and concerns when these decisions are made. 

That’s why I am asking for a small commitment from you.  A commitment of 15 minutes of your time on election day (or the advance polls) to come out, vote and take part in the election process.  I’ll return that commitment of working directly with you for the next 4 years.

Check out my election information page for the dates/times/locations of all the advance poll dates.  There will be 8 days prior to October 25th that you can take advantage of the advance polls, shorter lines and less stress to go and vote for your choices.

So, if I didn’t get a chance to speak with you on my first time around the ward, I hope that I get a chance to speak with you before Election Day.  If at anytime you have any questions or concerns, please email me mike@mikecluett.ca or call me (905) 878-1327 or directly on my cell (647) 888-9032.  You can also leave your comments on my blog.

Until then, I will see you at the doors.

Wind Turbines in Milton?

Mike Cluett

 Public Meeting Notice – Wind Turbine Project – August 19th, 2010

Back at the June 28th meeting of council there was some discussion about a possible opportunity with Milton Hydro to install wind turbines at the Sports Centre as a pilot project.  This arrangement with Milton Hydro will not cost the Town of Milton (directly anyways) any money and could possibly be another source of energy for the Sports Centre.  In return for having the turbines located at the Centre would be 15% of the gross revenue for the advertising sales.  The pole height is supposed to be no higher than 9 metres as well.

Some residents brought up concerns at the meeting regarding the size of the turbines, sound polution if and general asthetics in front of the Milton Sports Centre.

From the report COMS-009-10

Background

Staff from the Town of Milton and Milton Hydro have been in discussions with representatives of a company that manufactures vertical wind turbines to consider a possible pilot project on a Town of Milton property. This report recommends a pilot installation of 2 units at the Milton Sports Centre, pending execution of a Memorandum of Understanding for said project, attached as Schedule A, and approval from the OPA.

Discussion

Representatives from a company that manufactures vertical wind turbines approached Town staff to recommend consideration of a pilot project to install two units at the Milton Sports Centre. Subsequent discussions resulted in Milton Hydro taking the lead with respect to the management of the project, pending Council approval.

Staff has provided correspondence to Milton Hydro outlining the proposed terms that would have to be included in a Memorandum of Understanding regarding a pilot project at the Milton Sports Centre. (Schedule A, proposed terms) (Schedule B, image of proposed units at Milton Sports Centre).

Council had approved that motion to look into the possibilities and then have an open house to discuss the matter with the public.  Today the Town of Milton announced an open house on August 19th, 2010 at the Milton Sports Centre and invites members of the public interested in learning more to attend.

The open house starts at 7pm and goes to 8:30pm.  There will be a presentation and then an question/answer session.

Until then, I’ll see you at the doors.