Raise the Hammer

Being unemployed leaves you with hours of free time, for me, it's been a great thing.

I have uncovered quite a few telling documents that our own city has had public, they just do not appear to be easily found unless you know where to dig.

I am sick of these people who keep calling us "naysayers" and "delaying/stopping progress and change". No one wants these buildings to remain exactly as they are, and nobody wants them to continue on their various states of decay. Our Heritage Committee as far back as the mid-late 90's, has been ignored. However, in 1995, whoever was part of our South Side Task Force then, gave a damn about our historic block on the South Side of Colborne, Water and Wharf Street. They stated that there was no instantaneous fix for the problem. At the time however, the buildings had many owners. It's not like the city could buy them all out. It would have been such a mess if even one owner disputed it.

At the time of expropriation, there was two specific owners who had possession of at 70% of the buildings. These two owners had no intention of preserving the heritage or architecture. Their only interest was in the land, and devaluing the property nearby so they could buy more property for a cheaper price. Eventually it seems they were planning on demolish the buildings themselves or selling them for much higher market value to the city. However, strangely enough, they allowed people to continue to work and live in some of the buildings they owned.

In the beginning of the expropriation process, many owners, businesses and tenants on the South Side demanded a hearing. They had no intention of moving without a fight – as logic tells you, a business does not stay in a building that is supposedly infested with vermin, mold, asbestos, crumbling walls, and collapsing floors. Any business running under such conditions would be realized in a second and shut down. They would not have lasted for 19 years (International Hair Salon), they would not have lasted 5-9 years (My-Thai Restaurant), a family businesses inherited from the first days of Brantford would not have lasted for three or more generations (Floods Jewellers), they would have all been shut down, or left on their own accord.

The problem we have here, is that so many of us have been lied to during one particular councillors mayor's campaign, being told our downtown is a cancer, being told it would be like pulling teeth to keep ANY of our 41 historic buildings (within them longest stretch of pre-confederation buildings remaining in Canada), we've been told they are full of vermin, asbestos, mold, the walls are crumbling, the floors are collapsing – true, a few of the buildings are in such conditions on one floor or another, but they are not all in such an ill state of disrepair as we're being told by the “SIX” who are in control of the situation, including our own current Mayor. Now when you hear these lies for years, and years, and years, and years, repeated over and over and over again, any marketing class will tell you it becomes truth. It becomes the only thing you know and remember, so much so that you start telling people the same thing, as if you know it to be true.

Problem we have here is, too many are either undecided, or indifferent, and do not give a damn either way. Otherwise, those who are against the haste process of this demolition without a second thought, or those against demolition of some of the buildings, or against it all completely, they are all being told they're wrong, they're lying, etc. Well, many of us have actually been inside of some of the buildings. I have been inside two of the buildings and saw with my own eyes, smelled with my own nose, touched with my own hands and feet, etc. THOSE TWO have no reason to be taken down, and they are NOT the only ones that are being demolished because the state of them are being backed with lies.

We have NOT all been coming out at the last hour. Our own Heritage Committee has been trying for years, proposal after proposal to convince the city to do something to save these buildings. They have been ignored...

We have gone to the media in town,all of the newspapers were showing so much bias in the beginning and were either ignoring our letters, and or censoring them. See, one of the major editors is friends with the soon-to-be-hopefully-not mayor who is pushing this demolition full steam ahead, because he believes it will get him in the mayor's chair. Our own Mayor believes he is leaving some kind of legacy, since he is retiring. It was not until very recent has the censorship been lifted, and our letters were allowed to be published IN FULL context and at first, I guess, for years, maybe people as a whole did not think to go after other media sources outside of our city to expose what was going on. We did that. I am doing that. I will not stop doing that until we can get a STOP order on this senseless demolition that is NOT backed by any logic.

Mr. Shmuel Farhi, a heritage developer who has an absolute passion for restoration and preservation of historic buildings, so much so that he owns many of the buildings he saves, was asked by someone who was aware of our issue and our facebook group, to appear at our city council meeting. He did, and between himself and Jim Chapman (former columnist of London Free Press, Author, Radio Host, etc) and George Georgopoulos (realtor from Sutton Group Reality Inc) were all given 15 minutes to speak to our council, and our city. Normally delegations (speakers) are only allowed 10 minutes, but two of the councillors working for us, and not against us voted for five minutes, while our soon-to-be-hopefully-not mayor voted 2. Mr. Shmuel Farhi had a great presentation and proved with photos and details about previous buildings he has worked on, that ours, which are 100 years younger, can be saved. He expressed from the time he spent walking through most of them (likely the worse conditioned ones were shown, since that's all the city will allow people in), that some can be saved.

The man was rejected, and insulted by one of our own city councillors who are full steam ahead for this demolition. She went as far as to raise the pedestal of a local developer who supposedly has restored and preserved and or re-created historic buildings in town. But he a no expertise, ad yet she made it seem like he did, and Mr. Shmuel Farhi was sitting behind her all the while she discredited him. Stating, it was “too late.” One councillor however, backing the demolition finally admitted that what they have done is wrong – at least not the best thing, and maybe they should have considered other options... but, then he concluded that it is TOO late.

Demolition contracts are signed.
Contract for federal funding of 1.38 million is NOT signed. In fact, if it was not for the very involved members of our facebook group, they would have demolished the buildings in January or early February and would have not qualified for the funding. Why? Because there was some fine print they did not read, that our passionate members of our community found, which clearly states they have to do a full environmental assessment with respect for heritage, architecture an native resources. It was NEVER DONE. So now they have a “bump” as they call it in the process. Supposedly it will be done shortly, and supposedly they are doing it now. It's not actually an assessment that can be thoroughly conducted in the winter, so I wonder how they're going to achieve this. Likely with more lies, while not allowing us to see the report. We keep being told about a structural report on these buildings from the 90's and yet NO ONE is allowed to see it.

Our own city councillors cannot always get what they need to see and know, because city clerks find it to be a conflict of interest for whatever department the city clerk works for, and so if they want the information, well its very had for even the councillors to get. I believe this may be so for both the SIX pushing demolition, and the FI VE against demolition.
Fact is, many, perhaps most of the buildings CAN BE and SHOULD BE saved.
If not all. Which, likely, if we had taken Mr. Farhi's offer and commitment to the Y and Laurier (their funding fell through, but supposedly they may eventually take over much of the south side – they do NOT NEED THREE BLOCKS), and then allowed other heritage restoration and preservationists have a chance, we'd be able to save the entire strip of historic buildings. It can be done, it has been done in cities not much better off financially than ours, and not much larger than ours.

Fact, there is photographic proof that SOME of the buildings are not in such an ill state of disrepair.
Fact, there is documented proof that SOME of the buildings are not in such an ill state of disrepair.
Fact, we've been lied to about the actual condition of these buildings for years.
Fact, some people who are speaking and acting openly against this demolition, are being threatened.
Fact, documented proof many of the buildings are not in such an ill state of decay are locked under confidentiality, and not supposed to be seen by public eyes.
Fact, most people either fail to see the buildings as you and SO MANY OUTSIDERS do.
Fact, many people involved with the “revitalization of our downtown”, including our councillors and our Mayor have personal agendas and REFUSE to see any potential. They want “pretty” buildings. Fact, many of the supposedly historic-looking building such as our Harmony Square, don't look anything like a historic building, and were NOT built as the original plans that were contracted.
Fact, nobody is allowed in ALL 41 buildings, not even now that they are empty.
Fact, this city has NEVER given the buildings an actual chance to be preserved and restored.
Fact, none of the 41 buildings are “designated” as heritage, even though they are, and should be.
Fact, even if they were designated as heritage, that designation can be removed in order to demolish.
Fact, the City of the Corporation of Brantford has NEVER owned all 41 buildings until as of February 2010. They had only owned the Esquire Theatre, which already had a contract to be demolished.
Fact, in order to expropriate these buildings in order to demolish them all, 60 occupants that we know of were kicked out, and about 5 or so businesses or so.
Fact, the man who owned his town home on the South Side for 56 years was also the only recipient on the South Side of an award presented by the Council of the Corporation of the City of Brantford in 1994 for the upkeep of his property on the South Side. He was evicted BY FORCE last week.
Fact, no other strategies were explored before the expropriation – demolish plan was forced.
Fact, the five councillors, including our Mayor, all have a ruling vote of 6/5 which rules all.
Fact, our own councillors, Mayor, and city clerks pushing this demolition have IGNORED the recommendations of their own Inquiry Officer, City Solicitor, and the IBI Group of Consultants that stated;

"Without question, many of these existing conditions, found along the South Side of Colborne Street serve to generate discussion of aggressive redevelopment strategies. These strategies usually include demolition of all or substantial portions of the building stock. In the opinion of IBI Group, such strategies should be considered as a last resort.

Without a clear statement of value and a plan of action, based upon the principles of re-use and sustainability, that is supportable by the community, the historical and architectural heritage represented by these buildings are in danger of being lost."

Photos of the INTERIORS and EXTERIORS of some of the buildings on the South Side, ALL Target for Demolition. http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsangria/collections/72157623298893981/

Our Facebook Group (1,618 members and counting); http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#!/group.php?v=info&ref=ts&gid=264835224286

Tuesday's Council Meeting (up to 02:07:40 ends in Mayor saying "moving on"); http://www.rogerstv.com/option.asp?lid=237&rid=7&mid=52&gid=63691