rdaner
Senior Member
For those interested, the Statford Institute is a giant step closer to securing a fantastic downtown site with immenent acquisition of the Cooper Site (please see first article below). On a more worrying note, the two largest churches in Statford may be on the market soon; they are beautiful structures whose loss would be a tragedy (second article).
Does anyone know if the churches are being looked at for the Stratford Institutes activities or by the Festival?
Judge sides with city on expropriation of former Cooper site
Posted By PAUL CLUFF
The city of Stratford won legal arguments against Lawrence Ryan yesterday in its efforts to expropriate the CNR Centre.
Justice Roland Haines said, in his view, the city has complied with provisions of the Expropriations Act and it has proceeded in a timely manner in efforts to expropriate the downtown property, the preferred site for the University of Waterloo Stratford Institute campus.
In his disposition faxed to representatives of the city, CNR Centre owner Lawrence Ryan and his numbered company, Justice Haines ruled the court would not intervene in the pace of the city's expropriation efforts, a blow for Mr. Ryan, who argued he is losing $1,500 a day in mortgage interest.
John Doherty, Mr. Ryan's legal counsel, contended the city was acting in bad faith, accusing the city of sitting on an appraisal to rack up costs for his client.
A request was made to cross-examine Stratford CAO Ron Shaw on the matter, however, Justice Haines said he "wasn't satisfied the defendants exercised their right to cross-examine with reasonable diligence."
The judge wasn't prepared to grant the defendants request for adjournment to cross-examine the CAO.
Counsel for the city earlier said its appraiser hasn't evaluated environmental issues at the CNR Centre, therefore the appraisal isn't yet complete.
"Assuming without deciding that there is inherent jurisdiction in this court to intervene where bad faith is demonstrated there is nothing to support such a finding in this case and, therefore, no basis for this court to assume jurisdiction," the judge said.
City council instructed legal counsel to prepare the materials necessary to start expropriation in December, not long after University of Waterloo officials informed council that the downtown core was their preference for a campus.
Notice of intent to expropriate was sent the following month.
The city must provide a monetary offer on the CNR Centre within the 90-day timeline that recently began and Mr. Ryan has to vacate the property by mid-September, Stratford mayor Dan Mathieson told The Beacon Herald last night.
"The city is pleased with the judge's ruling," the mayor said.
"It allows us to continue following the Expropriate Act and to keep moving in a thoughtful and legitimate manner while following legislation."
Knox-St. Andrew's merger on uncertain ground
Posted By LAURA CUDWORTH
The amalgamation of St. Andrew's and Knox Presbyterian churches may have come to a grinding halt.
A vote to approve the amalgamation plan was taken by the congregation of Knox last Wednesday and was turned down by a vote of 86 to 23.
St. Andrew's Church has been home to both congregations since November, though the Knox congregation held an Easter service at the downtown church this year.
"We voted to stop, we did not approve the plan and we wish to come back to our building and become Knox again," said Sue Orr, a board manager at Knox.
Meanwhile, members of St. Andrew's took the same vote Sunday and voted in favour of the plan 56 to 22, Ms. Orr said.
Theresa Palmer, a member of St. Andrew's and the transition team, declined to comment before meetings planned between the two sessions -- a court at the congregational level -- were held in the evening.
Ms. Orr stressed the Knox congregation didn't vote against amalgamation because members of the two churches aren't getting along. The "no" vote came out of uncertainty, she said.
The Huron-Perth Presbytery will meet tonight to discuss the issue.
The presbytery owns both buildings but the individual congregations maintain them.
About two years ago, the congregation at Knox voted 80 to 20 in favour of looking at amalgamating based on an agreement that plans for a new church would be produced before the process went forward, Ms. Orr said.
A transition team was formed with members from both congregations. Proceeds from the sale of the churches would allow for the construction of a new building to be named Grace Church.
Both Knox and St. Andrew's churches have storied and long histories in the community. Like schools, people love their churches.
"It is a tough road. I struggle with how many people have been hurt," Ms. Orr said.
The original Knox Church burned to the ground and was replaced in 1915 for $85,000. Today the organ alone is worth more than that.
St. Andrew's was the first church built in Stratford in 1840. The simple structure was later replaced on the original site beside the Stratford Public Library.
As beautiful as the buildings are, they cost a lot of money to maintain.
"We're both bleeding red ink, something's got to give," acknowledged Ms. Orr. "It's in the presbytery's hands."
Ms. Orr said if the church does go up for sale she would like to see someone preserve it rather than tear it down. She noted the church has served as a venue for many community events including Stratford Summer Music, community meals and others.
"My dream is to make Knox green. It would take maybe $2 million but at least we'd have something in the end," she said.
Does anyone know if the churches are being looked at for the Stratford Institutes activities or by the Festival?
Judge sides with city on expropriation of former Cooper site
Posted By PAUL CLUFF
The city of Stratford won legal arguments against Lawrence Ryan yesterday in its efforts to expropriate the CNR Centre.
Justice Roland Haines said, in his view, the city has complied with provisions of the Expropriations Act and it has proceeded in a timely manner in efforts to expropriate the downtown property, the preferred site for the University of Waterloo Stratford Institute campus.
In his disposition faxed to representatives of the city, CNR Centre owner Lawrence Ryan and his numbered company, Justice Haines ruled the court would not intervene in the pace of the city's expropriation efforts, a blow for Mr. Ryan, who argued he is losing $1,500 a day in mortgage interest.
John Doherty, Mr. Ryan's legal counsel, contended the city was acting in bad faith, accusing the city of sitting on an appraisal to rack up costs for his client.
A request was made to cross-examine Stratford CAO Ron Shaw on the matter, however, Justice Haines said he "wasn't satisfied the defendants exercised their right to cross-examine with reasonable diligence."
The judge wasn't prepared to grant the defendants request for adjournment to cross-examine the CAO.
Counsel for the city earlier said its appraiser hasn't evaluated environmental issues at the CNR Centre, therefore the appraisal isn't yet complete.
"Assuming without deciding that there is inherent jurisdiction in this court to intervene where bad faith is demonstrated there is nothing to support such a finding in this case and, therefore, no basis for this court to assume jurisdiction," the judge said.
City council instructed legal counsel to prepare the materials necessary to start expropriation in December, not long after University of Waterloo officials informed council that the downtown core was their preference for a campus.
Notice of intent to expropriate was sent the following month.
The city must provide a monetary offer on the CNR Centre within the 90-day timeline that recently began and Mr. Ryan has to vacate the property by mid-September, Stratford mayor Dan Mathieson told The Beacon Herald last night.
"The city is pleased with the judge's ruling," the mayor said.
"It allows us to continue following the Expropriate Act and to keep moving in a thoughtful and legitimate manner while following legislation."
Knox-St. Andrew's merger on uncertain ground
Posted By LAURA CUDWORTH
The amalgamation of St. Andrew's and Knox Presbyterian churches may have come to a grinding halt.
A vote to approve the amalgamation plan was taken by the congregation of Knox last Wednesday and was turned down by a vote of 86 to 23.
St. Andrew's Church has been home to both congregations since November, though the Knox congregation held an Easter service at the downtown church this year.
"We voted to stop, we did not approve the plan and we wish to come back to our building and become Knox again," said Sue Orr, a board manager at Knox.
Meanwhile, members of St. Andrew's took the same vote Sunday and voted in favour of the plan 56 to 22, Ms. Orr said.
Theresa Palmer, a member of St. Andrew's and the transition team, declined to comment before meetings planned between the two sessions -- a court at the congregational level -- were held in the evening.
Ms. Orr stressed the Knox congregation didn't vote against amalgamation because members of the two churches aren't getting along. The "no" vote came out of uncertainty, she said.
The Huron-Perth Presbytery will meet tonight to discuss the issue.
The presbytery owns both buildings but the individual congregations maintain them.
About two years ago, the congregation at Knox voted 80 to 20 in favour of looking at amalgamating based on an agreement that plans for a new church would be produced before the process went forward, Ms. Orr said.
A transition team was formed with members from both congregations. Proceeds from the sale of the churches would allow for the construction of a new building to be named Grace Church.
Both Knox and St. Andrew's churches have storied and long histories in the community. Like schools, people love their churches.
"It is a tough road. I struggle with how many people have been hurt," Ms. Orr said.
The original Knox Church burned to the ground and was replaced in 1915 for $85,000. Today the organ alone is worth more than that.
St. Andrew's was the first church built in Stratford in 1840. The simple structure was later replaced on the original site beside the Stratford Public Library.
As beautiful as the buildings are, they cost a lot of money to maintain.
"We're both bleeding red ink, something's got to give," acknowledged Ms. Orr. "It's in the presbytery's hands."
Ms. Orr said if the church does go up for sale she would like to see someone preserve it rather than tear it down. She noted the church has served as a venue for many community events including Stratford Summer Music, community meals and others.
"My dream is to make Knox green. It would take maybe $2 million but at least we'd have something in the end," she said.