milton canadian champion

City of Hamilton Was Never Back In It

Mike Cluett

As I stated in this blog  recently and in the Hamilton Spectator last week, the 2015 Pan Am Games committee has chosen Milton as the desired location for the velodrome.  The City of Hamilton couldnt get a deal finalized after being part of the process for a couple of years and didnt get the job done.

MPP Ted McMeekin said recently that Hamilton is “too late to recoup the velodrome.”

Recently Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina made comments that a silent funder had come forward to see if they can get one last chance to get the velodrome back to Hamilton, but that was once again shot down by Mr. McMeekin this week.

The Town of Milton has been chosen as the location of the velodrome pending approval by Milton Town Council.  There is one more report to review and that is slated to be before us by January 23rd at an upcoming meeting.  We have until the 24th to sign a binding agreeement with the Pan Am committee and we are awaiting the receipt of that report.

Here is the artcile from the Milton Canadian Champion/Hamilton Spectator by Matthew Van Dongen

Hamilton too late to recoup velodrome: McMeekin

Hamilton can’t buy its way back into the Pan Am velodrome race with mystery millions, says Liberal cabinet minister Ted McMeekin.

Sources told The Spectator last week a private corporation is willing to make a multimillion-dollar commitment to a permanent indoor cycling oval in Hamilton — even though Pan Am officials recently announced Milton as the facility host.

Milton has until Jan. 24 to sign a binding agreement to help fund the facility, which could cost up to $45 million.

“I guess if it doesn’t work out in Milton, everything is back on the table,” said McMeekin, the Minister of Agriculture and MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale. “But the Pan Am people have been pretty clear Milton has been selected as the (velodrome) site. Clearly, the Pan Am people have moved on.”

Unless Milton backs out, McMeekin said he didn’t know how new mystery funding could help Hamilton’s cause “after the horses have left the barn.”

Hamilton was originally the preferred site for the cycling venue, but lost that status after Pan Am officials rejected the city’s $5 million offer towards building costs. A local fundraising group has continued collecting pledges and lobbying government to build in Hamilton and, in a recent year-end radio interview, Mayor Bob Bratina cited a deep-pocketed “prospective partner” for a local velodrome.

The mayor of Milton figures that effort is too little and too late.

“Where was that interest a few weeks ago? Seems pretty late in the game,” Gordon Krantz said of Hamilton’s behind-the-scenes manoeuvring.

Krantz acknowledged that Milton’s offer could still fall through. His council is set to consider a business plan for the velodrome on Jan. 23 — the day before the Pan Am deadline for finalizing an agreement. The town of close to 90,000 is also waiting for the provincial go-ahead for a satellite university campus that Milton politicians want to pair with the velodrome.

But even if Milton retracts its bid, there’s no guarantee Hamilton will get another crack at the cycling oval. Krantz said Pan Am officials have told him they would consider building a temporary velodrome on Toronto’s port lands if Milton doesn’t commit to a permanent facility.

“I don’t think anyone is enthusiastic about that idea,” he said. “I’m hoping we can make (a permanent indoor facility) happen.”

Milton has its own private benefactor, Mattamy Homes president Peter Gilgan, who has offered $9 million in donations and cash for naming rights.

But the town would have to find at least that much money again to cover the 44 per cent municipal portion of velodrome building costs, estimated by Infrastructure Ontario at between $35 million and $45 million.

Target Distribution Centre Underway

Mike Cluett

I am very encouraged to see the progress in the development of the Target Distribution Centre.  This project will continue to bring in more jobs to our area and hopefully spearhead the increase in business development in Milton.  This article is from the Milton Canadian Champion.

Laying the groundwork

Construction is now well underway at the new Target distribution centre site on Boston Church Road, just north of Hwy. 401.

The 79-acre site will house a 1.3-million-square-foot facility — which will be the biggest building in town.

The distribution centre is expected to be in operation prior to the opening of Target’s first Canadian stores in 2013.

Special Council Meeting RE Velodrome December 12 2011

Mike Cluett

Again for those who missed the special council meeting last night regarding the velodrome issue, please click the following link.  More details and comments to come.  If you have any questions or concerns please email me mike.cluett@milton.ca

Town of Milton Special Council Meeting Velodrom December 12 2011

 

  

Here is the article from todays Milton Canadian Champion followed by Daniel Nolan from The Hamilton Spectator

Veledrome moves forward

Council overwhelmingly endorsed a commitment to move forward as the Pan Am velodrome’s preferred site during last night’s special council meeting.Council voted nine to two in favour of committing to funding 44 per cent of the costs of the velodrome, with only Ward 2 Councillor Greg Nelson and Ward 4 Councillor Rick Malboeuf voting against the staff-supported recommendation.

While it’s looking like a strong possibility world-renowned bikers from across the Americas will be descending on Milton during the 2015 Pan Am Games, a business plan will have to be worked out before council enters into a binding agreement with Pan Am organizers over the estimated $40 million facility.

“You hear that other municipalities tried and turned it down, so why are we moving forward with it,” said Ward 6 Councillor Mike Cluett. “We have a good working relationship with the private sector. That’s the only way this project will move forward. This is going to put a big spotlight on the town of Milton and that’s exactly what we want to do. We want to bring people to Milton.”

If approved by council, Milton will be on the hook for $17.6 million in velodrome funding, plus the cost of land and servicing the site.

Council was presented with letters of support from Mattamy Homes and TD Canada Trust, to name a few, during last night’s meeting.

Mattamy President and CEO Peter Gilgan has committed $7 million in pledged donations and $2 million for exclusive naming rights of the velodrome. Gilgan and Tim Hockey, TD Canada Trust president and CEO, also pledged support to rally behind a $3 million fundraising campaign.

“We recognize that the establishment of a permanent velodrome in Milton, already a hot bed of cycling, is a ‘game-changer’ for the sport in Canada,” wrote Hockey in a letter to the Town.

Staff will take the next month or so to work out a business plan that will identify any financial risks the Town may face in hosting facility and verify a cycling legacy in Milton.

Council will decide whether to give the project the final stamp of approval or not once the business plan is presented sometime early next year.

The Town has hired Sierra Planning and Management, the same firm that developed the Hamilton velodrome business plan, to draft the Milton version at a cost of no more than $95,000.

Malboeuf questioned the cost of the business plan. “How much money is it to edit out Hamilton and put in Milton?” he asked.

However, staff said the plan must be drafted using Milton data and taking into account the shared amenities and partnerships with the Milton Education Village, the planned site for the velodrome.

Malboeuf insisted since the velodrome debate came to light, he hasn’t heard any support for it from residents. “My concern is any time government gets involved in something, it doesn’t come out as planned…should something happen and the fundraising doesn’t come about, it’s the people of Milton who are on the hook.”

But Mayor Gord Krantz, who’s remained a strong supporter of the facility, said the velodrome would put Milton on the map. 

Milton to pursue Pan Am Games velodrome

MILTON Town council is pedalling forward with the idea of the 2015 Pan Am Games velodrome being built here after Hamilton and Vaughan parked their interests over funding questions.

Council voted 9-2 Monday night to accept a report from community services director Jennifer Reynolds to have staff look at the scheme — but with strings attached.

They committed to funding the local share of $17.6 million required for the indoor cycling facility, but only if the project cost does not exceed $40 million.

They committed to hiring a consultant to prepare a business plan — Sierra Planning and Management, which did a report for Hamilton — but not to spend any more than $95,000 for it and any other analysis. Council was told the due diligence could take four to six weeks.

Councillors also agreed Mayor Gordon Krantz would not sign any agreements with senior government levels and 2015 organizers until completion of the business plan and verification of operating costs, community use and cycling legacy needs.

Milton staff had been lukewarm to the velodrome idea after Hamilton turned it down, but the town lately received letters of financial assistance — or what Reynolds called “significant commitments” — from the private sector. This included a promise from Mattamy Homes president and CEO Peter Gilgan to donate $7 million from his firms and foundation, plus $2 million for naming rights.

The proposed site for the velodrome is in the Milton Education Village, where the town is hoping to locate a Wilfrid Laurier University campus, at Tremaine and Derry roads.

Krantz and Councillor Mike Cluett were excited about what the velodrome will mean for Milton, with Cluett saying it was a good investment, would create jobs “and will definitely put Milton on the map.”

Both men said, however, it would not be going forward without support from the private sector.

“The only way this project can move forward is with co-operation from the private sector,” Cluett added. “It helps lessen the burden on the taxpayer.”

Reynolds’ report outlined $19.8 million coming from the “host” community. She said $3.8 million would come from the town, $7 million from Gilgan, $2 million from naming rights, $3 million from a fundraising campaign, $2.5 million from the education village partner (not confirmed) and $1.5 million from in-kind capital.

Councillor Rick Malboeuf, who had opposed the velodrome at the outset last month, complimented staff on the report. He said, however, all calls he got from residents were against Milton getting involved and that his comfort level had still not been met.

“My concern is that when governments get involved with something, it doesn’t come out as planned,” added Malboeuf.

Murray Noble, senior vice-president of infrastructure for the 2015 Games, attended the meeting. In a letter to council, he said Games officials would work closely with town staff over the next four to six weeks as the velodrome plan is finalized.

Voting to proceed were Krantz, regional councillors Colin Best and Tony Lambert, and councillors Cluett, Sharon Barkley, Rick Di Lorenzo, Zeeshan Hamid, Arnold Huffman and Cindy Lunau. Voting against were Malboeuf and Greg Nelson.

dnolan@thespec.com

2012 Town of Milton Budget Documents are HERE!

Mike Cluett

It’s that time of year again Milton.  No, not the long lines at the shopping malls, the honing of Christmas lists of your kids and the never ending list of holiday parties to attend.  Its budget time at the Town of Milton.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is a fun time for your local councillor as well.  Over the last year I have talked with you on what your budget priorities are.  This past summer myself along with a number of other councillors sat down with you to discuss the issues you found to be important.  I have received close to 100 emails over the course of the year of you letting me know what you would like to see.

All of the comments received were sent to staff and what you will see here is a list of the budget documents.  This budget will come before council on December 12 and 13th for review/debate/approval.  Members of the public are more than welcome, and encouraged to take part in this process as well.  If you’d like to know how you can be a part of this important process, please email me mike@mikecluett.ca for more details.

Over the course of the next week or so as I dive into these documents, drink lots of coffee and find more dark circles under my eyes due to lack of sleep, I will be posting more details, my thoughts and attempt to get as many of your comments ready for the budget committee meeting on the 12th.  If you want a hard copy of the budget, they can be purchased at Milton Town Hall as well.  Email me for details.

A quick overview of the budget will find that it recommends at 4.18% increase in the tax rate.  That doesn’t mean your taxes will go up by that amount, its the rate of increase in budget spending.  In the past I have stated I wouldn’t support a budget with an increase over the rate of inflation and I look to keep that same commitment here.  That rate doesn’t include education, the Region of Halton, the Library levy or DBIA. 

I’ll post more details on what can be done to reduce the impact of the tax increase in the coming days.  Again, if you have any questions at all, please email or call me anytime.  With over 400 pages in the budget document, odds are I will be up late reading it.

Here are the links online from www.milton.ca for the 2012 Budget Documents

Operating and Capital Budgets

The Town’s annual budget is developed by staff in consideration of the guidelines approved by Council in July and input received from the public. Council deliberates and approves the budget in December of each year ensuring an approved budget is in place for the start of the new year.

2012 Proposed Budget Documents

Milton Haunted House a HUGE Success

Mike Cluett

This past weekend at the Milton Mall was another edition of the Milton Haunted House.  Hundreds of children, young and old, made their way through a maze of ghouls n ghosts with surprises around every corner.

The Haunted House originated from Ward 7 Councillor Rick Di Lorenzo’s garage in Hawthorne Village.  People used to come from all over town to visit his home during Halloween to take part in his ghoulish creation.  Just last year, Rick along with others held this event at the Pirate Festival and raised over $5,700 for Milton District Hospital Foundation.

This years goal was $10,000 and even though the donations are still being counted, we are confident we either hit or surpassed our goal.  On behalf of the team (which included a LOT of people) I want to thank Miltonians for their generosity.  Our donation boxes were filled to the brim over the course of the two days and we were blown away by the enthusiam of the residents of our town.

To Rick and his even more enthusiastic mother 🙂 , Zeeshan, Jennifer, Kim, Ed, and the MANY volunteers, actors, face painters, greeters, raffle ticket sellers and everyone who took part in the event….THANK YOU!

Another big THANK YOU goes to the sponsors of the event who helped us out.  MinMaxx Realty, Milton Canadian Champion, Mattamy Homes, SST Group, Milton Nail Spa and of course without the help and space from Milton Mall, this couldnt have happened.

Taking Miranda around trick or treating last night I had the chance to hear directly from people who did come to the haunted house and the reviews were fantastic and they cant wait for next year.  There are a bunch of volunteers who are pretty tired and who also have the fun task of taking down the scary structure in the mall but Im sure theyll be ready to go for next year.

I was happy to help out this weekend and it was great to see all the smiling faces and the kids who came back more than once to get the full effects of the haunted house.  Some didnt make it through all the way and had to turn back but Im sure next year they will be back again.

Thanks again to Rick for the concept of the haunted house and thanks to his wife Nicole who is expecting their second child any day now.  Thanks for letting Rick do this.

We will see you next year.  Stay tuned for the final total … all in support of the Milton District Hospital Foundation.  Our community needs this hospital expanded and the community showed just how much this weekend.  Thank you! 

Council Eyeing Velodrome

Mike Cluett

From the Milton Canadian Champion By Christina Commisso

Council eyeing velodrome

The Pan Am Games velodrome has sparked the interest of Milton council.

The velodrome, an indoor track for cycling, is the only major Pan Am sports venue that’s still without a home after the City of Hamilton decided to cap its funding for the $45 million project at $5 million. Organizers, however, were looking for the host municipality to fund 44 per cent of the capital costs — about $20 million.

They’ve now reached out to communities who previously expressed an interest in hosting a Pan Am event, one of them being the Town of Milton.

“We did not go seeking this, they came to us to see if we could be interested,” Mayor Gord Krantz said during a committee meeting Monday. “I’m interested.”

However, Krantz said he wouldn’t be looking to the taxpayers to fund the local share of the project. Rather, it would be funded, if possible, through private partnerships.

The Town is proposing the Milton Education Village (MEV) location, a 150 acre-site at Derry and Tremaine Roads, house a permanent velodrome. If Pan Am organizers opt for a temporary facility, the Town is proposing the Derry Green Business Park or any existing vacant building in Milton.   

In a letter addressed to Krantz, organizers indicate they require a “shovel ready” site between five and six acres to be provided by the municipality by January 31, 2013.

Milton’s CAO Mario Belvedere pointed out the deadlines for the Pan Am site are similar to those of the MEV. Council has previously said the MEV would be shovel-ready by early 2013.

“Is that just a coincidences, or something we can look at more vigorously,” said Belvedere. “There are opportunities for project partnering by looking at other community partners who are already in place for the education village.”

But he warned that Hamilton had more than a year to work out site-selection and funding for the velodrome, and that still wasn’t enough time.

Milton has been given about a six-week window.

Organizers are looking for municipalities to express their interest and propose a site by tomorrow and a binding agreement to be signed with a host municipality by November 30.  

“Simply put, we haven’t had enough time to ask the appropriate questions,” said Belvedere.

Some of those questions include whether the interior of the velodrome could be modified to include other sports, what kind of operating subsidy would the Town receive to help with the ongoing costs of the velodrome and if the entire project can meet Pan Am’s tight timeframe.

Asked if the Town can meet the November 30 deadline, Belvedere responded, “absolutely not.”

“To be fair no one could meet those timelines. No one could put together a $40 million project in six weeks,” he said.

Krantz reiterated that he has no intentions of putting the Town’s finances in jeopardy and that the project would only move forward with private sector support.

 “There’s no doubt in my mind the Milton Education Village will be built in the next two, three, or five years. Will this fit in the college? I think it’s a perfect fit.”

He continued, “I’m looking 10, 20 years out to what the benefits of this facility may be.”

Krantz said three or four communities were approached by Pan Am organizers about the project.

While the committee voted express their interest in the Pan Am velodrome, several councillors raised concerns about the project.

“We only have six weeks for binding agreement. That’s not enough time for public feedback and that makes me nervous,” said Ward 8 Councillor Zeeshan Hamid.

He requested that the Town host a public meeting regarding the velodrome, but Belvedere said it’s best to wait and see if a private partner is found, as the velodrome wouldn’t move forward without one.

Hamid also raised concerns about ongoing operating costs.

Ward 6 Councillor Mike Cluett asked if there has been any indication from the Province regarding when MEV will move forward.

“There’s been no real contact at this early stage by the government or the ministry,” said Belvedere. “Prior to the election it was opinion of the ministry that they needed to move quickly on securing an additional 40,000 new spaces in the GTA, and that was a high priority.”

Ward 2 Councillor Greg Nelson said a velodrome would be a “hard sell” for downtown residents.

“With the hospital expansion and underpass underway, residents expect us to move forward with a razor-sharp focus,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t support funding the project with taxpayer dollars. “I hope we have Donald Trump or Richard Branson on speed dial.”

The velodrome will be an International Sports Federation-approved facility and will be used for Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games track cycling events and for training. The four-seasons velodrome will have a 250-metre track and will serve as the national training centre for Cycle Canada.

Belvedere said if organizers opt for a temporary site at the Derry Green Business Park, it would mean that area of town would receive water and wastewater services ahead of schedule. A temporary facility would be housed in a dome. When the games are over, the track would be removed and the dome could be used for indoor sports.

Mississauga councillors were expected to decide whether to bid on the velodrome at a meeting today.

A status report on the project will be presented at the November 21 Milton council meeting.