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Board can‘t base schoolâ€"closure decisions on city council‘s promises, says Waterloo trustee This comes in response to the school board‘s formal recommendaâ€" tion to close the core schools in June 2002 to accommodate provincial changes made to the way the govâ€" ernment finances school construcâ€" tion. In order to qualify for a grant, school boards must determine which schools are most valuable, and which can be considered surplus. Waterloo council has agreed to back the wishes of local parents fighting to keep both schools open. Hendry admitted that while the city does have some influence over decisions regarding local schools, he‘s not sure if that influence will be significant enough to keep these core schools open. "The school board can‘t work on promises alone," he said. "There has to be a concrete definitive plan to take effect now." "I have been through two reviews of Brighton public school," Hendry said. "And the reality is that the city made promises to try to stop the spread of business along Regina Street (near Brighton) to encourage families with children to move to the area. And that hasn‘t happened. There‘s been no growth in families in that area. We can‘t help but look at all of the promises that have been made that just have not hapâ€" pened." In fact, longtime trustee John Hendry said that while he is not preâ€" judging the board‘s upcoming Feb. 12 decision on whether to keep Brighton _ and â€" Harold _ Wagner schools open, he is sick of the city making empty promises in an effort to get what it wants. Waterloo _ Region _ district A:vc':lldol board trustee said he ill be happy to listen to the concerns of local city council memâ€" bers next Monday over the possible closures of two uptown schools, but there‘s no guarantee he‘ll agree with them. WATERLOQ . CHRONICLE yAIERLODU PUksLIG LIBRARY JSE8 q ; By Anparea Baney Chronicle Staff Continued on page 4 2001 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2001 City‘s garage deal with First Gulf didn‘t involve bonus, OMB says There was no bonus. This was the decision made recently by the Ontario Municipal Board which dismissed Waterloo resident John Shortreed‘s appeal of the approved 2000 Uptown Community Improvement Plan. Last March, Waterloo council‘s unanimous approval of the plan, specifically in regards to the Project 26 Seagram Garage, drew heat from Shortreed, who alleged the â€" arrangements â€" agreed â€" to between the city and the First Gulf Development Corporation relating to the garage amounted to a bonus to the developer. If true, this would have been in conflict with the Municipal Act. Jane Huegle (left) and Sharon Sherlock, employees of the M&M Meat Shop at Lincoln Plaza in Waterloo, made their customers smile last Thursday by sporting a pair of red noses in honour of their company‘s official Red Nose Day. The purpose of the day was to make people laugh away the February blahs. Serving your community since 1856 The OMB concurred with the city‘s planning position, and conâ€" cluded that Project 26, the Seagram Garage, was in the pubâ€" lic‘s interest. The board supported the position that the arrangement reached with First Gulf was a pubâ€" lic/private partnership, rather than a bonus where the benefits are conferred to both sides. Shortreed wanted Project 26 removed from the plan; however, it was the city‘s position that the arrangements were a partnership between the city and the developer to ensure that the city‘s aim of proâ€" viding ample free uptown parking will be continued as redevelopâ€" ment in the core takes place. WATERLOO, ONTARIO Who nose? The plan coordinates 57 municâ€" ipal projects anticipated to occur in the uptown over the next several years. Project 26 will be located on the former Seagram property, and it is anticipated that approximately 750 structured parking spaces are planned to be provided with costs shared by the city and First Gulf. The actual number of spaces will be dependent upon the scale and density of the redevelopment. The _ Uptown _ Community Improvement Plan provides a comprehensive, longâ€"range planâ€" ning program for the implementaâ€" tion of community improvement initiatives in the uptown. $1 INCLUDING GST ANDREA BAILEY PHOTO |canada.com| Chairs for Charity event raises funds for ACCKWA. Viewpoint You Said It Sports Classified Saturn Saab Isuzu of Kitchener Waterloo 663 Victoria St. N. 744â€"5811 UW professor studies the behaviors of fire. Camp Tawingo®. Parkway Ford, Murray‘s Clothing *Selected Distribution WHAT‘S INSIDE Page 16 Page 11 29