This past year, residents like you formed the largest spontaneous grassroots movement in recent memory – the Burlington Save Our Waterfront campaign. More than 2000 people from across the city joined the campaign to ask city council to rethink their plans to put highrise buildings on our waterfront East of Brant.
Challenges cut across issues
But those of us involved in Save Our Waterfront quickly realized the challenges we faced getting councillors to listen and respond to our concerns are not unique to our campaign. Citizens like you from across the city have faced these same challenges when you’ve spoken out on an issue in your own neighborhood, whether it’s the loss of greenspace to development, a stadium being built in your backyard, increased traffic on your street, or a highrise going up across the street.
Change needed
You’ve often learned about issues in your neighborhood far too late in the process to meaningfully influence change. But when you faithfully attend a community meeting to voice your concerns, you’re told nothing can be done, or worse, you’re accused of being a narrow-mind NIMBY or over-wrought fear-monger.
Those of us who have advocated for our community have all been there. These are just some of the systemic problems at City Hall, and unless there is change, we’ll continue to be thwarted when we ask for meaningful public input on issues in our city before decisions are made.
What must change, and how we can do it
You’ve been asking for better public engagement and accountability on decision-making, better protection for our downtown and waterfront, and better control on spending. You’re concerned about the impact of population growth on our city, and the pressures to develop in ways that threaten the unique character of our city. You’re worried about increased traffic, and increased taxes. You care about our city and want to be involved, but you’ve got a day job, and often a night job, as a parent or caregiver.
You’ve been asking for regular, brief and easy to understand communications that let you know what’s happening and how you can shape decisions before they’re set in stone. You’ve been asking for a commitment to your vision to protect the character of our community as our population grows. You’ve been asking for strong leadership to set strategic priorities and keep spending in line so we’re not at the mercy of development dollars to keep us afloat.
In 2010, you have an opportunity to vote for the change you’ve been asking for, by supporting the movement to elect Marianne Meed Ward for Ward 2 City/Regional Councillor.
My commitment to you is to put my passion for this community, and my experience in communications, business management and strategic governance to work for better public engagement and accountability on decision-making, better protection for our downtown and waterfront, and better control on spending.
As the campaign progress in the months leading up to the Oct. 25 vote, watch this space for more specifics on how we can achieve these goals. It starts now – leave a comment about what you’d like to see at City Hall, and how you think we can make it happen – together.
