GUELPH POLITICAST #510 – The Unknowable(?) History of the Waterfowl Park (Real Audio News)

Last week’s discussion at city council about the City of Guelph buying a portion of the old Kortright Waterfowl Park lands on Niska Road captured a lot of attention from the community and community activists. No one’s going to debate the need for more parks and open space, but it’s hard to get a full sense of the history of *this* because it goes back before the internet, so can we ever really have a firm sense of that background and the stakes? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #510 – The Unknowable(?) History of the Waterfowl Park (Real Audio News)”

This Week at Council: This Land *Is* Our Land

At February’s planning meeting, council showed some love to community advocates by voting their way on a couple of key issues. First up, the last meeting about the heritage conservation district for the OR Lands will now be the second-to-last meeting after council sent it back to staff for a change. Council also asked staff to make a change to the Official Plan in the name of protecting a well-loved, and long ignored piece of property. Here’s the recap! Continue reading “This Week at Council: This Land *Is* Our Land”

RECAP: City Council Meeting for February 10, 2026

If you love planning, this is going be a good meeting for you! You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here for the Politico preview. For the complete blow-by-blow of today’s council meeting, you can follow along during the meeting on Blue Sky or recap the complete thread after the meeting below. You can also watch the City’s own live-stream of the meeting here. Continue reading “RECAP: City Council Meeting for February 10, 2026”

City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the February 10, 2026 Meeting?

You better show your love of planning policy at this February planning meeting of city council because it’s going to be a very busy one. There are a couple of new heritage designations on the docket, plus a new development plan for consideration, but mostly this meeting is about approving another heritage conservation district and an update to the Official Plan. Pack your pajamas? Maybe, here’s the preview… Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the February 10, 2026 Meeting?”

MEETING PREVIEW: Grand River Conservation Membership Meeting for October 27, 2023

Like a lot of local boards and committees this month, the focus is on money matters at October’s meeting of the Grand River Conservation Authority membership. The 2024 budget has come due for this board, and it may be the lowest increase of any board this year. Also of note, especially for those of us in Guelph, is a new piece of infrastructure at our eponymous lake in the north end. But that’s not all so check out the rest of the preview. Continue reading “MEETING PREVIEW: Grand River Conservation Membership Meeting for October 27, 2023”

RECAP: GRCA Members Hear About the Plans for the Old Waterfowl Park

September’s meeting of the Grand River Conservation Authority’s membership had a Guelph-centric agenda item. Deliberations began about the future of the old Kortright Waterfowl Park in the city’s southwest end, and while no decisions were made at this meeting, decisions are going to be made in the near future. In other news, there may be some relief for GRCA pass holders who want to access the Elora Gorge. Here’s the meeting recap… Continue reading “RECAP: GRCA Members Hear About the Plans for the Old Waterfowl Park”

MEETING PREVIEW: Grand River Conservation Membership Meeting for September 22, 2023

The Grand River Conservation Authority membership will get together for their monthly meeting with a packed agenda that includes the usual financial updates and policy updates, but there’s some new stuff that you might find interesting including a potential change that will allow people to use their season pass at Elora and the fate of the old Kortright Waterfowl Park and surrounding area. So let’s see what’s all on the agenda… Continue reading “MEETING PREVIEW: Grand River Conservation Membership Meeting for September 22, 2023”