October 20, 2009 - 9:35 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
Anyone who has ventured into Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood knows of the systemic problems that have plagued the area for many years. Prostitution, open drug selling and drug use, and violence have been on regular display for residents…here are two articles in the local Surrey dailies that will help to paint a quick picture of the situation.
Now while the existence of a myriad of social services are not the cause of this environment, the concentration of these agencies most definitely contributes to the makeup of the area.
Enter the Modern Bingo Centre proposal that faced a public hearing and vote before Surrey City Council last night.
A split vote of 5-4 approved the redevelopment of the current Bingo Country facility as well a complete overhaul of the Newton Square Mall, which has been acknowledged for some time as a blight on the community.
This is the anchor that Newton has been desperately waiting for.
Read the rest of this entry »
September 30, 2009 - 10:16 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
Former British Prime MinisterTony Blair, who Surrey will be hosting for the Regional Economic Summit, is apparently the current global king of speaking engagements, earning approximately $150,000 per appearance (this does not include add-ons like the photos being charged to patrons at $300 a pop)
September 18, 2009 - 9:35 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
So Mayor Gregor Robertson is speaking up about the bureaucratic wasteland that sits between the province and the federal government when it comes to stimulus funding that was supposed to be destined for BC’s municipalities.
Campbell: "Hey, there's our portion of the stimulus." Harper: "Where?" Campbell: "Made you look. Ha!"
And rightfully so. It is September 18, 2009, and nine months after the federal budget that promised billions in economic stimulus funding, BC communities are still waiting in limbo.
So, the question that needs to be asked is, who exactly is to blame? Read the rest of this entry »
September 14, 2009 - 10:02 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
Surrey Mayor Diane Watts is a populist, a shrewd political reader of the public mood, and a figure that appeals to a nice cross section of the political spectrum.
Watts' aspirations may lie beyond the borders of Surrey, but a kick at the BC Liberal can after Gordon Campbell would be a quick descent to an early political burial
Her steady performance on Council from 1996 until 2005 was nearly flawless.
Her timing in knocking off former Surrey mayor Doug McCallum as an independent was impeccable.
And her move to create the Surrey First slate of “non-affiliated” candidates to take control of council (she beat her opponent by an astounding 43,000 votes, and all six of her running mates won handily) was a stroke of brilliance.
Which makes all of this recent talk of Watts’ eventual run for Premier a non-starter based on her record of success. Read the rest of this entry »
