Author: DanGibson (Page 12 of 12)

I’d like to thank the many residents of East Guelph for your comments, phone calls and email messages received in the weeks leading up to the Council planning meeting last night (Dec 8, 2014). I have been listening to resident concerns related to the balance of residential and commercial growth on the subject properties at Starwood/Watson and believe these concerns have served a reminder to council and city staff just how important the East End Node (inclusive of commercial development and a grocery store) is to our community. I’m proud of the level of engagement this file has garnered in the East End as it demonstrates the level of ownership residents feel toward ensuring our community is developed in a sustainable/desirable way.

Based on the questions/answers provided below my decision to support the proposed development at 144 Watson was based on the following factors;

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Ward 1 Residents;
 
I was truly humbled this past week to see our campaign (which began in May), culminate on election night across our wonderful Ward.  Ward 1 your collective voice was loud, clear and unmistakable…..No Longer Ignored! Continue reading

Urban renewal is a means for municipalities to maximize built assets/infrastructure, increase tax productivity and strengthen a city’s fiscal standing. To this end I support the concept of downtown renewal in Guelph. Not to be lost in this however, are the growing concerns over the recent tone and direction of our downtown revitalization aspirations. While the vision has merit, the social/economic tradeoffs in terms of increased taxation, affordability, capital project deferral and gentrification need to be better understood. Continue reading

For residents living east of Victoria Rd, the lack of commercial services and business amenities has been a long suffering issue.  The reasons are complex but the facts remain true, since the rescinded “Superstore” proposal in 2003/2004, commercial growth in East Guelph has stagnated and frustrations have risen.

Despite the frustration however, there are (in fact) commercial projects working through the planning process for the envisioned East End mixed use node at the Watson/Starwood intersection. Street level commercial along Starwood is intended to create walkable storefronts (as per the 2014 Urban Design Plan), with the larger  commercial anchor being situated on the south side of Watson Parkway (i.e. Loblaws grocery store/pharmacy).

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District Energy as it relates to Guelph fulfilling it’s economic/environmental and employment potential is a file I am supportive of.  I believe publicly owned, district energy is a positive step and one that should be leveraged to create a real competitive advantage in Guelph.   Notwithstanding the fact that we MUST be open and transparent to residents on financial matters related to Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc an the investments they are directing/overseeing. Continue reading

A passion for the environment is part of what makes Guelph such a unique and wonderful place to live. In saying this however, an environmental conscious without the counterbalance of economic and societal demands/benefits can quickly spiral into misguided ideology, a dysfunctional planning process and a break down in sustainable development. In these scenarios, innovative solutions to development can be impeded and the City building process can break down. Continue reading

In addition to the traditional communication tools (email, phone), my commitment to building and maintaining the relationships between City Hall and residents will include all forms of social media such as Twitter (@dangibsonward1 and @Ward1Guelph), Facebook (Dan Gibson/Guelph) and a Ward 1 website (www.Ward1Guelph.ca). Continue reading

Setting the Foundation 
Greetings Ward 1 residents;

For those of you receiving this newsletter, requesting a lawn sign, following my campaign on Twitter/Facebook or are volunteering, I sincerely thank you for your support.  Collectively we are pushing forward with October 27^th in our sights. 

Ward 1 | No Longer Ignored! 
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Dan Gibson Running for Ward 1 City Council – Press Release – May 12th, 2014

There’s a new voice in East Guelph and he seems bound and determined to provide renewed advocacy for Ward 1 on City Council this fall.

“I’m humbled by the challenge, but am truly excited to announce my candidacy for Ward 1 City Council,” says Dan Gibson.

When asked why he is running , Dan explained,  “My wife and I are proud to live here, proud to raise our family here, and we believe our concerns are commonly shared in Ward 1.  I want to serve and advocate for our community on Council.”

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The Need for Dedicated Go Train Parking Downtown

I want to be clear in saying the recent announcement regarding provincial investment in track upgrades along Kitchener/Waterloo/Guelph corridor to provide all day two way service to Toronto is a good thing. Who can argue with some extra sleep on the train in the morning, less time behind the wheel, more productive time on the commute home (for you workaholics), and most importantly more quality time at home with our families. These are all positives to commuting on GO. In saying this however, I’m resigned to feel like this announcement only begins to address some of the road blocks facing Guelph commuters. By this I mean, increasing service in Guelph only deals with the “supply” side of the equation; and skips over the equally important “demand” side.

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