Centre For Local Research into Public Space (CELOS)
Legal Researcher Belinda Cole has been paying close attention to Toronto's municipal laws, regulations, policies and guidelines for CELOS for about five years. Her study of the effects of municipal governance on public space have led her to make some lists of what is necessary to address the problems of the City's current approach. The remedies she suggests will conserve our taxes by engaging the ingenuity and insight of the citizens of many more Toronto residents than has been the practice since amalgamation.
Dear Mr. Ford, Mr. Pantalone, Mr. Smitherman
Over the past several years, my fellow researchers and I from the Centre for Local Research into Public Space (CELOS) have been looking at the effects of municipal governance on public space.
As a result of this work, I am proposing specific actions that could be taken immediately to set a new direction for Council's decision-making about public space and public amenities:
1. Stewardship principles
http://celos.ca/wiki/wiki.php?n=BelindaColeOnCOTGovernance.StewardshipPrinciples
2. City budget and cost savings
http://celos.ca/wiki/wiki.php?n=BelindaColeOnCOTGovernance.CityBudget-CostSavings
3. Community collaboration about capital projects
http://celos.ca/wiki/wiki.php?n=BelindaColeOnCOTGovernance.CapitalProjects-CommunityCollaboration
If you are elected as mayor, I would like to know your position on the following:
1. Which of the eight Stewardship principles will you support?
2. Which of the suggested actions, including Directions by Council to city staff, will you take?
I am seeking the view of all of the mayoralty candidates on these questions. Your responses, and those of your fellow candidates will be posted on the CELOS website as well as in other city media and blogs.
I look forward to your response.
Belinda Cole