Sat 11 of Sep, 2010 [01:54 UTC]

Poll

If parking is needed in the downtown core, is the Cooper site a better location for a multi-level parking structure than Erie St?

Cooper Lot

Originally used as a locomotive engine fabrication and repair shop, the invention of the diesel locomotive forced the eventual closure of this facility.

It operated for years as Cooper Bessmer who fabricated boilers.

This property was purchased by the City of Stratford in 1991 for $1,000,000 from the Landawn Shopping Centre company in order to be used for parking

In 1996 the building portion of the site was sold to 1101644 Ontario Limited

1997 the mortgager resells the building portion to 1221025 Ontario Limited

It seemed that any componments within the building that had value were immediately removed and sold.

2002 judgement of forclosure on 1221025 Ontario Limited makes 1353837 Ontario Inc. (President Lawrence Ryan) the owner of the building portion of the site

Since then there have been disputes about ownership and what was supposed to have been inclluded in that sale agreement.

There are issues with environmental concerns.

There have been a number of attempts by Mr. Ryan to do different things with it but there seems to be controversy over whether he submitted suitable plans for approval by the City as is normal for a site development or construction project. From what I've read, Mr Ryan refuses to believe that the City has any right to ask for them.

It seems to have recently developed into what I would characterize as a shouting match between council and Mr Ryan.

From Lloyd Lichti's Letter to the Editor on Oct 27, 2005 in the Stratford city Gazzette (hopefully they'll keep it there for a while so we can check some of the facts including other items related to MOE orders, etc)

Quote:

So why not start at the beginning and get it right? Let's go back to the initial sale of the CNR/Cooper site property. Three different "Purchase and Sale Agreements" by the City of Stratford to Archie McLellan/Ray Jacobs were drawn up and were passed in council Dec. 11, 1995, Jan. 15, 1996 and Feb. 19, 1996. All these were signed by the mayor of the day, Dave Hunt, and city clerk Ronald R. Shaw and it seems these were drawn up by the Skinner law firm. Paragraph 4 in all three agreements states, and I quote: "The Purchaser acknowledges that it has been provided with copies of the Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 Environmental Site Assessments", etc., etc. Phase 3 activities are described as follows and I quote: "Phase 3 involves verifying that the decommissioning or site clean up has been satisfactorily completed", etc., etc. In a letter dated Jan. 28, 1998 (two years later) by the Skinner, Rogerson and Dunphy law firm to a law firm in Kitchener, Sloan and Pincher, then legal counsel for Lawrence Ryan who had purchased the property from McLellan/Jacobs, it is stated, and I quote: "The Purchaser did receive the Phase 3 report in question and was fully aware of its contents." Lastly, in the Superior Court of Justice, File No. 02-726, Feb. 13, 2003, in a sworn affidavit, Mr. Shaw stated, and I quote, "Those prospective purchasers acknowledged they had been provided with copies of Phase 1, 2 and 3 environmental reports. Based on these acknowledgements, the city believed that it had provided such reports to 1142063 and 1101644 (numbered companies). With these facts in mind, all I want to see is a copy of the missing Phase 3 report. essays

Information submitted by zerorazor (maybe someone could organize this page a bit better as information is added)
This page on the Option has a copy of the MOE and MOL orders against the Cooper site. Until these orders are cleared, nothing is likely going to happen.
http://www.thelocaloption.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?t=510
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Source/Regs/English/2004/R04153_e.htm
The new Ontario Brownfield legislation passed in 2004 makes it even harder for Mr. Ryan to move forward. The MOE and the City have to uphold those new regulations.

Created by: goofy_goober last modification: Tuesday 01 of June, 2010 [05:32:27 UTC] by SandovalKayla

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