25 February 2009
More to Budget Than Simply Balancing
Passengers board the Don Valley Conservation Association's
"Conservation Special" at Don Station in 1954 - City of Toronto Archives Series 101 File 20.
Toronto Ontario - Is it just a balanced budget that
people want from their local government?
Or is there something more that people are looking for in order to be happy when living in their community?
This is emerging as "the question" that will be, in my opinion, the primary issue for the next municipal budget.
What is particularly galling is that while a major part of the city crumbles, there is money found to remove the historic Don Railway
Station from its rightful place at Todmorden Mills Heritage Museum.
Saved by the Borough of East York, and then maintained by the work of community members and volunteers since then, the Don Station was
a strong expression of Todmorden's unique railway heritage.
That accomplishment of saving and preserving the station only comes about when local people care deeply about their community and its
future.
When the municipal budget comes up at the end of March, you should be asking your local councillor where he or she stands on the
issue of how your local tax dollar is to be spent in your community.
We know the city is in crisis, but do we need a disaster to make our municipal politicians act?
A flatbed truck moves the CPR historic station to its second
new home (after Queen and the Don) from Todmorden Mills to the John Street Roundhouse National Historic
Site.
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