Go Train Service - what service?

Well here we are coming into a Provincial election in Ontario. The federal Liberal Party has just been given a well deserved whack by the electorate for not paying attention to the issues that concern the public. I see that property developers are being taken care of with the GO extension to Grimsby but why isn't the population centre of Niagara, St. Catharines, the goal for immediate GO service? Can it be that there isn't a fortune to be made by land developers in St. Catharines? Yep, that is the reason alright. While the government is addressing the Niagara GO train issue, the line should be electrified all the way to Niagara Falls. Not diesel, peak oil is real and implementation of electrified locomotives is critically important to Ontarians.

If it can be electrified between Toronto and Burlington / Hamilton, it can be electrified all the way to at least St. Catharines. Bombardier Transportation (http://www.bombardier.com/en/transportation/products-services/rail-vehicles) is a world leader in these technologies. If the railroads involve don't want to play ball and start electrifying their railroads and locomotives, the rail lines and land should be confiscated and be government administered in the public interest. Seriously, bold actions will be required to make electrification happen soon. I would encourage all residents of the Niagara area to contact the Premier at the telephone number below and DEMAND that the GO service be extended to St. Catharines immediately.

Here is the Premier McGuinty's email address: dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org.

Hon Dalton McGuinty

Queen's Park Room 281,

Main Legislative Building,

Queen's Park Toronto, Ontario

M7A 1A1

  

Tel   416-325-1941   

Fax 416-325-3745

dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

---

Hon Dalton McGuinty :Constituency

1795 Kilborn Avenue Ottawa,

Ontario

K1H 6N1

Tel 613-736-9573

Fax 613-736-7374 d

mcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

---

Where is St. Catharine's MPP, Jim Bradley, in all of this? Wake up Jim and smell the upset electorate.

Hon James J. Bradley

Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services

18th Floor, 25 Grosvenor Street

Toronto, Ontario

M7A 1Y6

Tel 416-326-5000

Fax 416-325-6067

jbradley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

---

Hon James J. Bradley: Constituency

Unit 2, 2 Secord Drive

St. Catharines, Ontario

L2N 1K8

Tel   905-935-0018

Fax 905-935-0191

jbradley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Eastern Redbuds in front of the St. Catharines Central Library

Eastern Redbuds ..... I love them. Many of people find the crocus and forsythia to be the harbinger of Spring but I know Spring has really arrived and Summer is soon coming when the redbuds are in bloom. The Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) below are to be found in front of the St. Catharines Library on St. James St. just North of King St. These photos were taken 17 May 2011.

The photos don't do these trees justice. Go see them for yourself and while you are there, register at the library. Contrary to popular belief, books are not passe.

Why are gasoline prices higher in the Niagara region than the Ontario Average?

As I write this the current average for Ontario as described by TorontoGasPrices.com is 132.32. For St. Catharines the average is 136.4. The prices are set to rise by 6.5 cents/litre tonight. Gas prices are too high!

What are our governments going to do about this? That is a ridiculous disparity and there is no good reason for this. I encourage Niagarans to contact our two Parliamentary representatives and have a chat with them. Their contact information is below.

---

Jim Bradley, MPP

Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, St. Catharines

Queen's Park, 77 Wellesley Street West, 3rd Floor,

Ferguson Block, Toronto, Ontario,

M7A 1Z8

Telephone: 416-327-9200
Fax: 416-327-9188

---

Constituency Office

2 Secord Drive, Unit 2,

St. Catharines, Ontario,

L2N 1K8

Telephone:  905-935-0018

Fax: 905-935-0191

jbradley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Web Site: http://www.jimbradley.onmpp.ca

---

Rick Dykstra, MP

Room 880, 151 Sparks Street, House of Commons Ottawa,

Ontario, Canada K1A 0A6

Telephone: 613-992-3352      

Fax: 613-947-4402

email: Rick@RickDykstra.ca

St. Catharines Community Office: 905-934-6767    

Charles Daley Park

It was a beautiful day to visit and enjoy Charles Daley Park in Lincoln Ontario.  

Here is a link if the reader would like directions. People were walking and talking, picnicking, playing bocce and just relaxing on the benches. The park is a favourite place for locals to watch sunsets but all should be aware that the park is locked closed to vehicles at 10 p.m. Here are a few photos taken 8 May 2011.

If you have comments or would like to have a review of a feature here in the Niagara Region, please email me at NiagaraWatch (at) gmail dot com.