Responses from Mayoral Candidates to Questions from the Ratepayers

The following three questions were sent by e-mail twice to all mayoral candidates. The text of the e-mail and the questions are reproduced below. Click here for the candidates’ responses.

Dear Candidate for Mayor, please answer the 3 questions below by October 2, 2018 to this e-mail address. The questions and your answers will be posted to our web site after October 2nd and e-mailed to our community e mail list of roughly 450 individuals.
Thank you in advance and good luck in your campaign.

Sandy Levin
President

1. The Mayor is only one vote. You need 7 other votes to agree with you. Other than BRT, what one issue is your priority for getting 7 other members of Council to agree with you and why?

2. Last Council overruled the Minister of Municipal Affairs who said London could restrict secondary dwelling units from the Near Campus Area. Will you support a motion to reconsider Council’s decision?

3. The Medway Valley Heritage Forest Environmentally Significant Area is a part of our community. What have you done that would give us an idea of how you would deal with issues affecting the Medway and other environmentally significant areas in London?

Mid-September News

Disturbing incident last Saturday night

An incident occurred at one of the houses near to the Longbow entrance to the Medway Valley. The homeowners were awoken at 3am by a loud pounding on the front door. 911 was called and a car was seen speeding away. Unfortunately the police had not arrived an hour later and when the homeowner called back, the 911 operator told them that the police were busy downtown and would get there when they could. At 5am the 911 person called back and let the homeowner know it would still be a while. The homeowner told 911 that the intruder had gone. Upon examining the front door, the residents found deep indents in the steel door, apparently made with some kind of tool. This was added to the report.

At about 6:30am the police finally showed up. Apparently it was a busy night downtown, and someone trying to break down our door in the middle of the night was a lower priority. Since the perpetrator(s) left without further action, I guess that is understandable, but if they had continued for an hour as the 911 person had asked, that would be quite terrifying especially since the door is mostly glass.

The resident agreed to share this experience in order to alert you and other neighbors and to remind people to keep an eye out for suspicious activity in the neighborhood.

At last week’s ward meeting attended by the police, a question was asked if having lights on at night is a deterrent. The police suggested that motion activated lights are best, but that lighting can help neighbours see if there is someone prowling about.

It was made clear at the meeting that the police pay attention to what they call “hot spots.” Hot spots are areas from which the police receive reports of thefts, break ins to garages, bike thefts, etc. The recommendation made at the meeting was “report, report, report.” The police non-emergency number is 519-661-5670. Even minor thefts should be reported.

We are looking into conducting a Community Safety Audit.

Municipal Election news

To check if you are on the voter list, go to: http://www.london.ca/city-hall/elections/voter-info/Pages/Am-I-on-the-List.aspx

All the Mayoral candidates have received three questions from the Ratepayers with a due date of October 2 for a response. The replies will be posted.

We have cancelled the All Candidates meeting which had been planned for September 26th at Brescia. There are a number of other meetings and the Free Press web site has the candidates’ replies to their questionnaire on the Free Press web site.

Upcoming All Candidates meetings are listed at on the City’s website at: http://www.london.ca/city-hall/elections/voter-info/Pages/All-Candidates-Meetings.aspx

Election Day is October 22 and the City is using a ranked ballot for the city (but not school board) election. For more information on the ranked ballot see: http://www.london.ca/city-hall/elections/ranked-choice-voting/Pages/default.aspx

Youth Transit Pass

Those 13 to 17 years of age, can now save money on transit through the new Youth Transit Pass! One place to get the pass is at the Aquatic Centre across Wonderland Road

More information is available at: http://www.london.ca/residents/Roads-Transportation/Transportation-Choices/Pages/Youth-Transit-Pass.aspx

Labour Day Update

Municipal Election News

We have cancelled the All Candidates meeting which had been planned for September 26th at Brescia. There are a number of other all candidates meetings scheduled. The Free Press web site has the candidates’ replies to their questionnaire on their web site.

We still intend on sending three questions to the candidates and we will post the answers to the community web site.

All Candidates Meetings

The City updates this list of all candidates meetings from time to time as new meetings are added. See http://www.london.ca/city-hall/elections/voter-info/Pages/All-Candidates-Meetings.aspx

Meetings for candidates for WARD 6 (our ward)

When: Wed Oct 10
Where: Eagle Heights Public School (on Oxford Street at Cherryhill)
Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will take place from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. followed by a “meet & greet” until 8:30 p.m.

Meetings for candidates for MAYOR

All Mayoral Candidates Meeting sponsored by the Rotary Club of London-Hyde Park
When: Tuesday, September 25, 2018 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
Where: West Haven Golf & Country Club, 7038 Egremont Drive, London, ON N6H 5L2
To ensure there is sufficient seating and refreshments, please preregister on line at hydeparkrotary.org

All Candidates Meeting – Ward 7 & Mayoral Candidates Hosted by the Hyde Park Business Association & Sponsored by The Four Seasons Restaurant
When: Thursday, October 4th, 2018 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Doors Open at 5:30 p.m.)
Where: The Four Seasons Restaurant, 455 Fanshawe Park Rd W, London, ON N6H 5L3
The Hyde Park BIA invites Ward 7 residents as well as residents from across the city to join them for a chance to get to know your candidates in a relaxed and licensed atmosphere. Questions can be submitted in advance to info@hydeparkbusiness.com, and there will be the opportunity to ask your questions directly to candidates during the meeting. Refreshments will be available for purchase during the event.

Ranked Ballot

Election Day is October 22 and the City is using a ranked ballot for the city (but not school board) election. For more information see http://www.london.ca/city-hall/elections/ranked-choice-voting/Pages/default.aspx

Brescia Construction Update

Brescia will open a new state-of-the-art Academic Pavilion in Fall 2019 that will house new food labs, sensory and research laboratories, multi-tiered classrooms, an active learning classroom, an expansive student lounge and a community gathering space.

Over the course of the next year, we will receive updates from Brescia. Brescia has re-located its accessible parking spaces to the upper parking lot, just outside of the Mother St. James Building.

To learn more about the project and to view images of what the Academic Pavilion will look like upon completion, visit http://brescia.uwo.ca/about/academic-pavilion/

Fall Neighborhood News

Federal Election

You should be getting your voter information card soon. It should list your polling place. If you don’t receive one, you can check the Elections Canada web site to see if your name is listed – http://www.elections.ca – or call 1-866-249-5752
Continue reading “Fall Neighborhood News”

October Update

Sherwood Forest School Site

The rezoning of the Sherwood Forest School site passed City Council last night. The next step is for the city to prepare a Request for Proposal for the sale of the 2/3rds of the site that will be developed for housing in accordance with the zoning by law. We will update you when we hear any further news. We will also need to encourage our new City Councillor to get 7 other members of Council to add money to the 2015 budget for park amenities.

Continue reading “October Update”