Most Ward 3 candidates unconcerned

 Regina – Large-scale retailers got a free pass at last night’s Ward 3 candidate’s forum, with three of four City Hall hopefuls saying they aren’t worried about the city’s big box plans for southwest Regina.

 “The southwest has some capacity,” said incumbent councillor Fred Clipsham, in response to a question from the audience. “The Lewvan is a relatively unused infrastructure.”

 Clipsham said “it’s prudent to plan” for continued city growth, and that the southwest sector was the best available area. “The growth has to happen, the plan has to happen in the southwest,” he said.

 CCFR candidate Chad Moats disagreed. “I don’t think Regina needs any more WalMarts and Home Depots. It hurts local businesses,” he said, noting Regina already has the highest per capita big box presence in North America.

“Planning is good, but putting the commercial development in the southwest before the residential needs there is putting the cart before the horse,” Moats said.

Earlier this month, the city scaled back its residential ambitions in the southwest by two thirds, leaving a single section of land as a more stand-alone commercial area. The plan anticipates 90,000 square metres of “large format retail” south of the airport.

 Candidate Tim Haynes said 13^th Ave. businesses “won’t be affected” by the plan. “If people want to shop at
the Safeway on 13^th Avenue, they will. If people want to shop at big boxes, they will,” he said. “I believe the unique product supplied on 13^th Avenue won’t be affected.”

 Haynes said in any case he doubted large retailers would move into the new area in the immediate future, stating perhaps his granddaughter might shop there someday.

 The city plan categorizes the area as slated for “imminent development”.

 Don Young was equally sanguine. “We can’t control what’s happening in the east end,” he said, referring to Regina’s current big box sector, often criticized for haphazard planning. Instead, we should concentrate on “developing what we have” in Ward 3, he stated. Young said he would concentrate on making the Ward more attractive to business through tax incentives. 

 Crime was another topic on people’s minds at the small gathering of some 35 area residents. An audience member said several of his friends and neighbours have been mugged, assaulted and even stabbed in downtown Regina.

 Haynes said he didn’t know the answer to crime, but that he would use his “national and international contacts” to find out what other cities do.

 Young said the number one crime factor was “family breakdown”, stopping just short of blaming single mothers for failing to raise their children properly. “Kids need to be taught discipline and fear of consequences at an early age,” he said. “It starts with discipline in the home.”

He added that “slaps on the wrist” don’t deter small crimes, which quickly escalate to major crimes. The Guardian Angels and citizen patrols will help reduce incidents, he said.

 Moats recommended two approaches: first, there needs to be more police presence; second, the police need to make crimes against individuals a higher priority than crimes against property. “Women disappearing from the streets are more important than cars and BBQs,” he said.

 In advance of the question period, the four candidates outlined their experience and platforms and answered four questions put forward by the Cathedral Area Community Association, the event’s sponsor.

 Clipsham highlighted his record during the fight to keep inner city library branches open. “It was pretty much me who took on the job right away of challenging that,” he said. Clipsham said he would promote better recycling, joint community approaches to problems like grafitti, and a more representative city workforce.

Moats said he would advocate more infill development in established areas, curbside recycling, a wireless hotspot on 13^th, and facilities to attract youth, like a skatepark and a graffiti wall. “We need to finish all the infill areas before we sprawl out,” he said.

Young praised the Ward’s diversity and vitality, highlighted the need for small business development, and said he would seek more input from citizens.

Haynes stressed his background dealing with the city’s infrastructure development so the past 31 years as an engineer and consultant, and said he would seek value for taxes. “Taxpayers fund the corporation called the City of Regina, and that fund is not limitless,” he said.

The municipal election takes place Oct. 25. Information about where to vote is available on the city website.

Comments

Don Jedlic Written by Guest on 2006-10-20 09:35:49 I was very surprised to hear Mr. Clipsham state that he was very disgusted with the way "youth" were treated during the skatepark in Les Sherman debate. After telling me that he would speak against having a skate park in Les Sherman, he went on to outline his reasons one of which was that "youth" might gather there and get into trouble. He wondered what would happen if there was a car accident at the same time as a gathering of youth in Les Sherman, God forbid.   "There wouldn't be enough police to take care of the situation", said Clipsham.   So Mr. Clipsham equates youth with crime, and then shames anyone else who does. Shame on you Mr. Clipsham!

Corporation and Customers Written by Guest on 2006-10-20 12:33:09 I am just about sick to my stomach of hearing loacl government referred to as a corporation and me, a customer.  It is an elected level of government and I am a citizen.

CW Concurs with C&C Written by Citizen Wilson on 2006-10-20 19:14:43 Two of my favorite quotes by the late Sam Walton.    1. “There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.”    2. “It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages.”    On election day, we citizens get to spend our one and only vote. Spend it wisely.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire! Written by wagmitfam on 2006-10-22 01:30:42 Clipsham highlighted his record during the fight to keep inner city library branches open. “It was pretty much me who took on the job right away of challenging that,” he said.    I call bullshit! It was Vanessa Thorson, Merrilee Rasmussen and Bernadette Wagner who took on the job of challenging the library closures! They organized the first meeting. They connected with the DAG group! They organized a rally! How &%*#@!^ typical of a male to take credit of women's work! GRRR!    Shame on you, Mr. Clipsham! Shame on you!

Chromozomally challenged, but an ally no Written by oswald on 2006-10-22 11:35:32 While I certainly know what you mean by "typically male" behaviour, and, as a male, am frequently embarrased by such displays, I'm not sure your gender absolutism (men are X, women are Y) does any of us any favours in the struggle against patriarchy. Criticize the behaviour, not the gender; the power structures in which men and women participate and from which men benefit, not the "maleness" of men.    Just a thought.

title correction Written by oswald on 2006-10-22 11:40:32 title cut off, should have read "but an ally nonetheless"

Written by spyralstairs on 2006-10-22 17:17:51 “It was pretty much me who took on the job right away of challenging that”    Wow, is Fred Clipsham ever a blowhard! I really appreciate his skill and consistency in tooting his own horn, especially with fabricated dream-like scenarios.    And, I don't know who all has spent any time talking to Don Young - but that guy is pretty extreme.     If anyone on the board is thinking about voting for him, I encourage them to phone him and talk to him for about 5 or 10 minutes, cause my guess is they won't want to vote for him after that. I've heard him ranting about the Globe Theatre, poor people, etc...     Go Chad Moats!

Opportunist(s) Written by Guest on 2006-10-23 10:20:03 One of the reasons why Fred Clipsham may feel safe in rewriting recent city history is that, unfortunately, the Friends of the Library movement became more identified with the Connaught Branch than with the Prince of Wales and Glen Elm branches, though all 3 were on the block. The composition and leadership of the movement, concentrated as it was in the Cathedral area, unintentionally provided Councillor Clipsham with a group to whom he could hitch his aldermanic wagon. That he was supportive (once the group showed real strength) is not debatable; that he was the impetus of the cause is an outright falsehood. It's sad that no one has called him on this in media other than this website, which makes one wonder if there isn't more than one opportunist in the mix here.

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