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"We kept looking for ideas and wha was possible," said Shortreed. Putting his money where his mouth While he‘s not talking about just repeating something that‘s already been done. Waterioo has the rare opportunity to do something that reflects its innovaâ€" tion, imagination and community spirit, he said. Adelaide in Australia, as well as the world standard for civic square designs, St. Mark‘s in Venice, Itaiy. "Our thoughts turned into high gear because this really is quite an opportuniâ€" ty." said Shortreed. Shortreed. a professor at the Universiâ€" ty of Waterioo, said his many travels have taken him to places like Melbourne and Shortreed said the square has been on the agenda of the Uptown Vision comâ€" mittee for the last six years that he‘s been involved. and the discussion has been quite expansive on what other city cenâ€" tres have done to draw people to their cores ofits new civiec square, lohn Shortreed, an uptown resident, wid it\ time to think big about the proâ€" posed civic square in front of the Waterâ€" loo Town Square [ He feels too much of the early discusâ€" sion has dwelled on the details of the S$2.5â€"milltion development instead of developing a vision of what the civie square can be now and in the future. Local artist Podi Lawrence worked with Uptown Vision committee member reed to design a possible concept for the city‘s new civic square. The design features such as video and Web cameras. Uptown resident wants civic square to have ‘wow‘ factor tormer Waterloo city counciltor wants the city to put the "wow" Factor into the design and building By Bos Vrrin w mole Staft . 4+ *# ; at The original de\lgnfo'r suggested something quiet a That old feel is combined with new video monitors on the four sides of the tower that will be raised 18 to 20 feet off street level and reflect the activity going on in the square through various camâ€" eras trained on the space. This technoloâ€" gy has proven to be a welcome addition to squares in Melbourne and Toronto, and could even be linked to the Internet so that people can click on an icon and see for themselves what‘s going on. If it is something of interest that could draw more people to the core, Shortreed said. "Waterioos square is framed already," said Shortreed. With the architecture defined, Shortâ€" reed said people who have had input into the plan have envisioned a "Gerâ€" manic" tower that takes its cue from other towers in the core, like the one at the old post office on Dupont Street or the tower at the city‘s parkade across the Most successful squares have a frame around it, and Waterloo‘s will be no exception with the underway by First Gult, as well as the structures that already exist around it. is. Shortreed commissioned local artist Podi Lawrence to come up with a visual concept to present to his fellow citizens. Calling it Waterloo World Square, the design gives people a chance to see what could be a space that serves the city for the next generation by looking to the future for inspiration instead of the past, he said. h CITY Continued on page 6 ee member John Short The design includes r the square and reflective £ + i 'L"‘ "We‘re planning to take this fight to the next level," said Wilhard Barth, presiâ€" dent of the Environmentally Sensitive Property Owners (ESPO), a group that formed to fight the new designation with an unified voice. "We realize even at this point that we need to continue pushing ahead. "This has been very frusâ€" trating, and even though the vote was 100 per cent for the ES we don‘t feel that the ESL is complete. It has to be much bigger than it is. If you want to protect the land, it has to cover more of the Waterloo moraine or at least the water recharge." Hobin would like to see some of the surplus money go back into the "I say hallelujah (to that idea)," said Hobin, a Waterloo taxpayer for more than 30 years. Joe Hobin attended the meeting to voice his supâ€" port for Coun. Gary Kieswetter‘s recent recomâ€" mendation to offset next year‘s property taxes with this year‘s budget surplus. The City of Waterloo has long been spending money on public projects; but what about giving back to the taxpayers, asked a delegate at Monâ€" day night‘s city council meeting. taking their objections to the Ontario Municipal Board. unanimous vote for a Anv\\' Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes (ESL) designation for the northwest corner of Waterâ€" loo hasn‘t deterred oppoâ€" nents of the proposal from ESL approval has some residents OMBâ€"bound Waterloo regional coun HRONICLE .I By Jennirer Ormston City staff to take a closer look at budget surplus possibilities For The Chronicle EWS By Bos Vrsanac Chronicle Staff Hobin won‘t know he‘ll get his wish for while. "And that‘s the only reaâ€" son why you‘re here," he told the councillors. Council sits to discuss issues, such as giving excess money back to taxâ€" payers. This is part of the democratic process, he "I say thank God there is somebody who is going to do something like that," Hobin said. pockets of taxpayers. He also commented on a May 10 Waterloo Chroniâ€" cle article that said Kieswetter had been accused of showboating during an election year by other councillors. favour of the proposed plan, with some pushing for the inclusion of more lands on A total of 24 delegations made their case, with the majority, 16, coming out in In total, more than 3.500 acres were affected by this new policy, including 2,047 acres in [h(' ”Urlh\\'l'\l COrâ€" ner of Waterloo and the three surrounding townâ€" ships, Wilmot, Wellesley and Woolhwich. Coming out of the region‘s new Growth Manâ€" agement Strategy, the recâ€" ommendation sought to identify environmentally significant features of the region, such as the Waterloo moraine, and come up with a policy that would not only protect but preserve these natural areas from future development. Kieswetter h cil unanimously voted to extend the designation to the Laurel Creek headwaters and the Blairâ€"Bechtelâ€" Cruickston _ ESLs _ last Wednesday â€" almost two years to the day after the proposal was first formulat ed by regional staff. as with if Coun. Jan d‘Ailly supâ€" ported this motion, saying it is important to review surplus allocation processes periodically. City staff will report back to council on June 19 with more information on Kieswetter‘s proposal. As well, Kieswetter wants the public to have a chance to speak out about the potential use of surâ€" plus funds. drawn _ his previous motions, but asked counâ€" cil to support his newly proposed directions for city staff to review annual surplus amounts with the objective of applying 50 per cent of the surplus against a _ potential increase in property taxes in the next budget. § number of tough decisions ahead of us," said Galloway of the ambitious plan that will have future developâ€" ment directed towards Bresâ€" Kitchener Coun, Tom Galloway noted the vocal opposition of property ownâ€" ers affected by the new desâ€" ignation, but said it was a necessary decision in light of the principles laid out in the region‘s new Growth Management Strategy. He supported the ESL proposal as an important step in protecting the region‘s groundwater resources, with 75 per cent of local water supply comâ€" ing from the recharge areas and aquifers of the Waterloo moraine, Waterloo Coun. Mike Connolly said the passion ignited by the debate rivalled the one surrounding the region‘s smoking bylaw, adopted in 2000. the west side of Waterloo, like the Owens and McNally properties. This is the first of a Continued on page