Hall Monitor: A Hip Conversation
Welcome back to Hall Monitor. I’ve had the column on a bit of a break for a while, and was live-tweeting the meetings instead. But I’m back – and I’ve brought the live tweeting fun with me!
Meeting 07-2012 of Kingston City Council took place last night – and what an agenda! We had a little bit of everything, from street renaming, to zoning, to heritage considerations – and even a notice of a procedural by-law change forthcoming! Okay – maybe it’s not the most exciting for most of you… but for a municipal affairs junkie, that’s a good night! You know what else is exciting? Rock music – and we had that, too.
Last night, council voted in favour of re-naming the eastern-most block of Barrack Street (as well as the side leading to the ferry dock) to Tragically Hip Way. The debate was long, and the vote was close – passing 7-6 with the yeas coming from Mayor Gerretsen and councillors Berg, Downes, George, Paterson, Reitzel and Scott. In addition, council passed a motion to develop a framework and budget in support of a piece of art to honour the ‘Hip, and to have staff begin work on planning a Walk of Fame to recognize other great Kingstonians.
Elsewhere, they passed a motion moving the Williamsville Main Street project from ‘Study’ to ‘Implementation’, granted free transit to athletes, families and delegates when we host the Special Olympics in the spring, appointed councillors to sit on the Grass Creek Park Visioning Working Group and green-lit new row housing in the west and an apartment building in the east amongst a few other items. Then, just as we were getting ready to wrap up, Councillor Neill let everyone know that he would be bringing a motion forward to amend by-law number 1, the procedural by-law of council, with a change to the section on challenging the chair and councillor Hector gave council the head’s up that a motion looking to change the anti-smoking by-law will come next meeting, too. Personally, I can’t wait.
Thanks for following along – I’ve provided a complete recap of the tweets below. And please, let me know what else you’d like from my reports.
- 5:54 PM Our live coverage of tonight’s #ygkc meeting from @tommyvallier will start around 7:00! ^TV
- 7:15 PM Settling in for what I’m expecting will be a long night. #ygkc ^TV
- 7:19 PM Shaping up to be a full house. Who knew the heritage report was so popular!?! #ygkc ^TV
- 7:22 PM Overflow room set up again. http://t.co/MYeQ36MI
- 7:35 PM Bell rings. So we begin. We start with recognition and thanks to the Mayor’s assistant. #ygkc ^TV
- 7:37 PM A standing ovation for Geoff. The right hand to two mayors. Leaving his role in 2 weeks for a bigger position. #ygkc ^TV
- 7:39 PM Addeds approved. And so we begin. Long night ahead. We start with a delegation about the Hip. #ygkc ^TV
- 7:42 PM First delegation is John Wright. Has an ensemble with him. Not a surprising delegation at all. #ygkc ^TV
- 7:44 PM John hands off the mic to fmr Base Cmndr. I think the group as a whole doesn’t realise the time limit of 5 minutes. #ygkc ^TV
- 7:48 PM Ended at 5 minutes exactly, with a joke from the mayor about timing and John’s radio past. We move to another Hip speaker. #ygkc ^TV
- 7:49 PM Mic swap in this delegation, too. Busy podium. All speakers so far on board with a street renaming. #ygkc ^TV
- 7:52 PM A quick agenda amendment and we are out of the Hip and into… Public health. #ygkc ^TV
- 7:53 PM Aha! We’re talking bike lanes! #ygkc ^TV
- 7:59 PM @jelyot It’s a delegation promoting segregated bike lanes. Triggered by the Williamsville Main St study on agenda. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:01 PM Second delegation about bike lanes. Such a wide agenda. Williamsville, the Hip ans Heasa and Beds later, too! #ygkc ^TV
- 8:05 PM No questions of any delegates gets a comment from the mayor. “Very quiet council tonight”. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:07 PM Cnclr Neill chimed in: “We’re saving them up.” #ygkc ^TV
- 8:09 PM Emotionals pass with ease, and a hat tip to @koopy. Into reports. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:11 PM Quick delay from Cnclr Glover for Q and A… And report 30 flies through, all carried. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:14 PM Some Q&A from Cnclrs Scott and Hutchinson about the renewable energy projects process. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:18 PM Renewable energy process item passes. Cnclr Scott asks about procedure for an amendment to the Grass Creek item. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:20 PM Cnclr Scott wants to be added to the list of people on the grass creek working group. Amendment proposed and passed. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:21 PM The rest of report 31 passes. Okay. On with the show. Tragically Hip item is up next. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:23 PM Quick opinion and procedure question from Cnclr Neill. Discussion is on how to proceed. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:24 PM Discussion now is to move, discuss and vote on all 6. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:26 PM Looks like we tackle them all individually. We start with a street renaming. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:38 PM Discussion from the councillors that the community seems 50-50 on a street renaming. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:42 PM Cnclr Patterson bringing up the city motto: “where history and innovation thrive” #ygkc ^TV
- 8:44 PM He also comments about the division and that that’s life in politics. I agree. That’s what you sign onto with office. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:47 PM Discussion continues about option 1: renaming the street for one block. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:51 PM Some discussion about support for option 2 in place of option 1. At least discussion on 2 should be short. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:56 PM The mayor comments. 58% at the meeting and 67% online are in favour of a street renaming. #ygkc ^TV
- 8:57 PM Also comments that if there was an election between 6 options and one took 58 or 67 pct, that would be a decisive majority. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:01 PM Cnclr George comments that normally people who oppose something are the ones that voice opinion. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:03 PM Question to Cnclr George from his wife: Why the Hip… And not Brian Adams? Or Don Cherry? #ygkc ^TV
- 9:06 PM Comment from Cnclr George, too: the street signs are going to be a theft target. Cnclr Reitzel asks (early) for a recorded vote. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:07 PM Cnclr Hutchinson comments on the heritage and the “attack” tonight on generic street names. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:09 PM CORRECTION. Generic street name comments are from Cnclr Glover. Not Hutchinson. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:13 PM The vote on option 1 is going to be a close one. Seems very split right now. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:14 PM Cnclr Hector: The issue has been the address, the destination and tourism. Those can be addressed in option 4 instead. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:16 PM Quick aside, former Mayor Rosen is in attendance tonight. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:21 PM Motion to rename the block passes. 7-6. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:23 PM I don’t have the recorded vote list, though. So i can’t say who was yay or nay right now. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:24 PM @tommyvallier Bring a list of councillors next session for recorded votes. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:27 PM Appreciated, thanks. ^TV RT @StewieKingston: @kingstonist hector, schell, neill, glover, osanic, hutchison against #ygkc
- 9:28 PM Cleanup on an amendment from Cnclr Downes to option 2 happening by the clerk. Discussion happening, too. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:36 PM Discussion is about a plaque about Barrack St to be installed now. An amendment to option 2 from Downes. #ygkc
- 9:38 PM Amendment from Hector passes. Item 2, plaque for Barrack St. Work on plaque to be done with Kingston Remembers group. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:38 PM Option 3, walk of fame, amended to not specify The Hip, passes with ease. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:39 PM Option 4 fails without a second. Cnclr Glover moved. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:40 PM Option 5, art for the Hip, passes. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:40 PM Option 6 fails with no mover. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:41 PM And the audience begins to file out. Report 33 next. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:42 PM Most of 33 just passed. Williamsville item separated out. Up now. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:45 PM Quick amendment to Williamsville item to include cycle lanes presented by Cnclr Neill. 4 year pilot project. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:51 PM Quick question from the mayor about if cycling paths were not considered originally. Staff answer from transportation… #ygkc ^TV
- 9:52 PM … department is elaborate. In short, they did. Lots of cycle options around Princess, sharrows included. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:53 PM One suggestion during planning was to convert parking to cycling during rush hours. #ygkc ^TV
- 9:57 PM Recorded vote request from Cnclr Neill. Can someone watching get me a tally? #ygkc ^TV
- 9:58 PM Only oppose on the amendment was Cnclr Scott. Williamsville item passes. #ygkc ^TV
- 10:00 PM Report 34 up. Item 1 separated. All others pass. (cc @coffeeco) #ygkc ^TV
- 10:02 PM Item 1 passed with thanks from Cnclr Schell #ygkc ^TV
- 10:03 PM Grass creek park group has it’s councillors named. Father’s Day beer festival is a go, too. #ygkc
- 10:04 PM Father’s Day festival passed unanimously. Heads and Beds item next. #ygkc ^TV
- 10:05 PM Prediction: We’re done by 1015. #ygkc ^TV
- 10:06 PM Quick comment on the item from Cnclr Glover that the item is being sent to Mayor’s groups in Ontario now. Wasn’t before. #ygkc ^TV
- 10:10 PM Mayor: The mayors of Ontario will keep hammering at this. Momentum is building. #ygkc ^TV
- 10:11 PM Quick joke from Cnclr Neill rhat the mayor went on a while with background facts: “I’ll return the chair” #ygkc ^TV
- 10:11 PM Heads and Beds passes unanimously. #ygkc ^TV
- 10:12 PM Cnclr Neill provides notice of future motion to amend procedural bylaw for the ruling of the chair item. #ygkc ^TV
- 10:14 PM Another notice of motion from Cnclr Hector about an amendment to the anti-smoking bylaw. #ygkc ^TV
- 10:15 PM No more notices. No other business. Bylaws and minutes pass. We’re outta here. #ygkc ^TV
- 10:59 PM Thanks for following along, tonight. A summary (and all tweets) will be posted tomorrow. And live coverage returns in two weeks! #ygkc ^TV
Thanks to reneilet for today’s original photo.
I gotta say I'm not surprised that a motion was passed, nor the narrow margin, to honour the Hip with a street renaming. Still though, I am disappointed. There are a lot of pro-heritage arguments to be made here, and surely City Council could have found another street to rename (ie the back alley behind the K-Rock Centre). Otherwise, I don't buy that all of the members of the Hip are overly involved in the local community. Just because they've played two or three times at the K-Rock Centre over the past few years doesn't mean we should ignore their previous spats with Queen's and the MCentre.
And now we're going to have a Walk of Fame as well? Great idea, but couldn't we have simply concentrated the celebrity honours there in the first place rather than renaming streets?
I'm with you Harvey, I don't recognize the one block naming as an honour, it's bizarre really. I think it would be a bigger honour to name the Walk of Fame after the Hip. What is really disappointing though is the distraction this brought to Council, pulling valuable staff and council time away from important issues. Like the PARC (school review) processes currently underway… no city staff effort, no city run public meeting, no online polls, and when a motion about PARC came to Council it was removed from the agenda by the Mayor without discussion. The last issue has been remedied, but the effort placed on the street naming and not on important things like keeping community schools open is sad and frustrating for those of us who are concerned about bigger issues in the community.
Yep, and it sounds like there could have been more discussion about the Williamsville plan, especially bike lanes. I really don't see the need to name a street after the Hip– first of all, I think there are many others more deserving (think of all the great Kingston writers); second, if you're going to go the celebrity route what about Bryan Adams or Don Cherry? ; third and more important, we don't need to do this! Walk of Fame would make most sense. I really take the pro-heritage arguments to heart here (and I think this may be the first time I've ever agreed with a vote by Dorothy Hector!). It just seems a silly and unnecessary distraction.