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Council postpones Condominiums to oppose further channelizaâ€" together with their neighbors on the other side of the creek at the Black Willow Currently, ducks abound in that stretch of the creek, and mature black willows line the banks, creating a parkâ€"like atmosphere that area residents are eager to preserve. "This is a unique area because it‘s in the downtown of the city and at the same time it‘s got a rural feeling," said Cassidy. "Try to find such natural beauty in the heart of any city on the continent," added Adele Slater, a senior citizen who lives in the "We don‘t know if the problem is as serious as the GRCA says," said Colleen Cassidy, a resident of the Brighton Yards Coâ€"op. "We have yet to be convinced." Laurel Creek has been channelized over the last decade from Silver Lake in Waterloo Park to Erb Street. Much of the work has involved cutting down existing trees and building concrete embankments to contain the waters in case of a rare severe flood. Black Willow Condominiums. "It is important to me that the trees and Residents living along the bank of Laurel Creek at Bridgeport Road say they need to be convinced the creek needs to be channelized, thereby destroying the unique parkâ€"like atmosphere of the area. The Grand River Conservation Area (GRCA) is currently developing plans to channelize the creek from Erb Street to Weber Street, claiming it is necessary to deal with a "100 year flood." Residents of the area and classes just as boring. And to top it all off, if you‘re a teenager in Waterloo, you can‘t legally skateboard within city limits. True, this is not an earthâ€"shattering issue. But, to at least 80 people who have signed a petition on behalf of skateboarders in Waterloo, there is something at stake here. Skateboarding can be a thrilling activity as I remember â€" I haven‘t been on one for a dozen years, but as a teenager in London, Ontario I used to build up quite a speed on the curved hill in our subdivision. It‘s good for developing balance, agility, confidence and social skills. Like organized hockey, it can be a fun spectator sport (and without the unnecessary violence). What I liked about it as a kid was that it was an individual sport, not a "team sport such as hockey, baseball, basketball or football plaza decision It‘s not easy being a teenager these days. There‘s the fear of frying in a nuclear annihilation, or being poisoned by longâ€"term chemical exposure in our air, water and M'stbeptuherstrying&;peddledope,thepeers peddling alcohol, and the puritans censoring records and Brighton Yards residents have banded movies. Parents are about as restrictive as they ever were, Equal treatment for city‘s skateboard fans Residents of the University Avenue and Bridge Street area of Waterloo may have won a reprieve from the building of a 67,000â€"squareâ€" foot plaza in their neighborhood following a decision of Waterloo‘s city council Monday. Council voted to not make a decision on whether to change the city‘s official plan to allow the development until a favorable marketâ€" ing study is received and approved by council. While a representative of the developer told counciliors a marketing study would be submitâ€" ted to council in the near future, area residents are not so sure. "It‘s great. We‘re right back to square one," said Dennis Wallace of 292 Braemore Avenue. stall a similar proposal for development of the site. Mark Courtepatte, who has been the central "The developers will get tired of (delays) and sell it." Wallace said he led a fight four years ago to Amy Black, 10, feeds the ducks along Laurel Creek near Bridgeport Road. Area residents are opposed to the creek being channelized with concrete, pointing to the effects on the trees and wildlife in the area. lan Kirkby photo will cause the water to run faster," said Cassidy. "If a child falls down, it could be a Today skateboarding is promoted on television as a fun, healthy sport for teens. Unless you live in Waterloo. If you skateboard on Waterloo streets, you risk a fine. Presumably safety and liability are at stake here. If skaters take their boards to the nearest plaza they can be charged under the trespass act. Obviously, disruption of commercial business and safety issues such as the danger of crashing through glass windows are aconcern here, as well as the everâ€"present fear of being sued by someone who has injured themselves on your property through their own stupidity. which I (and my friends) found boring. So where can the kids go? Well, right now, nowhere. And City Seen lan Kirkby figure in the current attempt by Lincoln area residents to prevent the development, is more not convinced the study will be unbiased." However, he said, council has now done what it should have done in the first place. The residents had a surprise at Monday‘s council meeting â€" they were told they could not "I specifically asked at the last meeting if we would have a chance to speak at this meeting," said Ingrid Hartman, who lives in the area and is the owner of LC. Flowers in the Dansbury Plaza. Hartman fears the proposed plaza could destroy her business if built too soon. Hartman said she had been told at the time that she could address council. "We were shocked and surprised that they didn‘t give us an opportunity to speak tonight," said Courtepatte. problem to save her." The GRCA‘s plans are based on what it considers the "worst possible conditions" said Cassidy. "What are the worst possible condiâ€" tions? We want to know where they get this "They‘ve given us a new lease on life. We‘re Planning Commissioner Tom Slomke told WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY AUGUST 31, 1988 â€" PAGE 3 Rosehart) attended Waterleo city council Monday to make an appeal for a place to skate. It was touching to see them sitting there, wellâ€"behaved, with their skateboards very neatly piled up outside the council chambers. Coun. Lynne Woolstencroft (who is a teacher in the business program at Conestoga College) took the opportunity to give them a civics lesson, explaining how to make a presentation to council. Council asked them to meet with staff to discuss their requirements. It asked staff to research the alternatives open to the city. Kathy Durst, the commissioner of culture and recreation has some reservations â€" such as the issue of liability and what standards of conduct and safety can be established. She also wonders whether skateboarding thight be a fad, but concedes that establishing a permanent skateboarding facility may ensure it stays around in this area. The city is putting increased emphasis on individual sports such as building a trail system for adult walkers and for bikers. Skateboarders want equal treatment.I think maybe it‘s time to check my basement for my old 1970s model... feeling frustration, 15 of them (led by 15â€"yearâ€"old Lori "My sympathy is to keep it as natural as possible, keeping in mind the creek has to accom modate the (100 year flood) flow." George Smith, the city‘s landscape architect said it is city policy to keep the creek in the Ultimately, Waterloo city council will deâ€" cide what measures to take in the area, he said. "If it‘s council‘s decision to not proceed, it won‘t proceed at that time." UpTown area "as open and as natural as amendmenit. "I feel we should have a marketing survey before going ahead with an official plan amendment," he said. council that while the current population does doubt that when the area is fully developed there will be a need for a plaza in that area." practice as a planning consultant, told council the city could eventually lose the case before the OMB without sufficient justification for the not warrant an years," he said. The residents attempted to launch an appeal of the city‘s decision to endorse in principle the official plan amendment. However in a letter to Courtepatte dated August 9, 1988, Slomke said the appeal would not be heard by the OMB because the amendment had not yet been passed as part of the city‘s new official plan. The plan is The demand for a plaza could exist within seven scheduled to be considered by council in Septemâ€" Coun. Brian Turnbull, who has a private "I have no