General Sector

Town hall meeting condemns privatization of public parkland

June 13, 2008 OPSEU leaders, Local 217 activists employed by the Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) and local politicians were joined by a vocal crowd of about 250 area residents last night near the Miller Creek Marina at Fort Erie.

The overflow gathering was held at Black Creek Community Centre not far from where the Parks Commission has joined with the town of Fort Erie to lease out the only public-access boating marina and 45 acres of public parkland to a private company. OPSEU members have operated the marina for generations along with many other public attractions and historic sites along the Niagara River. The privatization scheme would see exclusive condos built along with a shopping centre and an upscale private marina.

Bill Rudd, President of Local 217 kicked off the evening introducing speakers Smokey Thomas and local Liberal MPP Kim Craitor. Rudd bore witness to years of the NPC appointees off-loading public services to private interests and radically downsizing the workforce.

Smokey Thomas acted as MC as well as guest speaker. He set the tone for a string of 20 passionate speakers who each took a turn condemning the NPC’s latest privatization scheme. Thomas related his own experience defending Kingston’s shoreline and said it’s a good fight when we defend irreplaceable public services and protect our heritage. He pledged to push for a review of the provincially appointed NPC and committed OPSEU support for a coalition to organize ongoing opposition to this latest irresponsible privatization

Senior citizens, environmentalists, Conservatives, New Democrats, a Green candidate and a large number of residents attacked the NPC and the municipal council who initiated the development plan. Among the complaints:

The massive privatization plan defies the official NPC mandate to preserve and enhance the area’s parks and waterways,

threatens pristine parklands
includes a dangerous highway rerouting
has no adjacent sewage line or other municipal infrastructure
would force ratepayers to pay the freight in property taxes

Before the town hall meeting ended a large coalition had formed to take on the NPC and lobby the province and the municipality to suspend the Miller Creek marina development.