At the height of the summer, the Downtown Guelph Business Association is pleased to bring artistic ingenuity and vibrancy to downtown Guelph. art on the street comes to this beautiful historic venue on Saturday July 19th and promises to offer a wealth of imagination featuring over 75 visual artists. Painters, potters, jewellers, glass-blowers and woodworkers represent just some of the regional talent that will line Quebec Street to showcase their work to the public. Join us as we celebrate the 6th anniversary of what has become a high-calibre and much loved, juried art event.

To complement the artists' booths, an inspired festival atmosphere can be found at the furthest end of Quebec Street. Guelph Environmental Leadership will oversee an Act of Art in the form of a large chalk mural at the family fountain and St. George's Square will come alive with music and magic throughout the afternoon.

At noon Taking Turns will perform world music for children followed closely by a Guelph School of Music Flute Choir performance at 12:30; then singer-songwriter Bang Ly is sure to please at 1:00pm. At 2:00pm the Suzuki String School of Guelph will delight with their classical and traditional music, and at 2:30 Wilber Cortez will dazzle the crowds with his magical prowess. Finally at 4:00pm you are invited to move to the groove with local favourites Dancehall Free For All.

All are welcome to art on the street for this spectacular and free event.

Downtown Guelph ? Where Art Meets the Street

- 500 space LEED silver parking garage
- Level floor plate at the edges
- 5 levels above grade and 2 levels below grade
- Ground floor retail space
- Pay-on-foot or pay at booth system.
- CCTV for security.
- Public washrooms, must meet the city’s Facility Accessibility and Design Manual (FADM).
- The entire garage must meet the FADM design requirement for barrier free and limited mobility parking space and height requirements for accessible vehicles to enter and exit the building.
- Bicycle storage system (lockable).
- Emergency alarm system at strategic locations to ring either the Parking Office or an answering machine.
- Signage (Electrical/Non-electrical).
- Snow Chute.
- Look at heated cables on upper deck using renewable energy source.
- Two elevators and three stairwells.
- A compatible façade with the downtown Guelph.
- Lighting (Design to more then the minimum design requirement).
- Plumbing )Floor drains at first level of each stairwell)
- Heated maintenance room 10’ x 12’ with janitor sink.
- Barriers and guard rails, etc.
- Lockable hose bib for watering and lockable electrical outlet.
- Maintain as much open space as possible.
- Garbage compactor, storage area for sand.
- Landscaping.
- Retail Space.

I'd like to offer some input for the budgetting process. There are a lot of controversial and important projects being proposed and I'd like to see the triple-bottom-line approach taken to all of them.

First, what I support:

- The convent as a museum. Congrats on the success here.
- A new library.
- A quick return to leading-edge recycling and composting technologies and services
- A downtown regional transportation hub that includes better GO service (bus and train)
- The Gummer redevelopment
- I'd also like to see residential development charges increase to a level where it is absolutely clear that the development is 'paying for itself', including all of the necessary infrastructure to service that new development.

Now, what I oppose:

- A Wilson Street parking garage. I couldn't believe this one when I first heard it. We should be discouraging car use in the downtown core where possible. Take the millions to be spent on this ugly box, and the proposed Baker Street parking garage as well, and make the bus service free of charge. At the very least, have all city employees get free bus passes and start a serious carpooling / shuttle program. I think the downtown core (or at least part of it) would be much more of a regional draw if it was a car-free zone - a unique attraction. A paradigm shift is needed in thinking regarding the downtown core.

- A 'water feature' in front of city hall. Even though the plan is to use rainwater, etc., the perception will still be that we are not very water conscious when we use water for things like large fountains and rinks, not to mention the amount of energy used. Instead, I'd like to see a 'front porch' that is more representative of the city's green values. How about an organic community garden? There must be quite a few downtown residents who would love to grow their own food but don't have the land. And it reflects our agricultural heritage and future. The city could then do more to make the Speed River a skating destination - a natural rink.

- The library should NOT be a public-private partnership. It is a major component of the civic commons and should be built and funded by public money. I also think that if expropriation of land is an option (as is being proposed for frontage on Wyndham Street), then it should be built south of the tracks on Gordon north of Wellington. This gateway to the downtown is targetted for heavy intensification and redevelopment, and the library could be a catalyst for this. Expropriate the McDonalds or the Harveys instead!

- I strongly oppose the merger of our Guelph Hydro with Horizon.
Post-merger efficiencies are always promised but rarely occur. When the trend is towards all things local - local food, local democracy, etc. - I would hope that local power is also on that list. We should retain local control over our power system. This would also encourage local companies to bid on our smaller-scale contracts. Keep Guelph Hydro ours.

- Sidewalk plowing makes the sidewalks unwalkable after about 6 weeks of winter due to sheet of ice forming after the snow is compressed by the machines rather than shovelled off. Having lived in a city where homeowners were responsible for clearing their sidewalks, I can tell you that the results are far better. It may take a few years to catch on, but it will encourage and enable people to walk in the city during the winter. Please take sidewalk plowing along residential streets out of the budget.

- I oppose the city spending any money on bottled water. Use Guelph tap water at all meetings and functions.

I'll leave it there. Thanks for your consideration of this input.     DS

I read with interest the article in today's Mercury about the concerns of business owners in properties which could be appropriated by the City.

Long-time businesses form part of the culture and fabric of our City. The art store, in particular, is a tremendous resource in this community. I would be concerned to lose its presence in the downtown core and can appreciate the owner's fears about finding a location with a similar amount of space.

At the same time, I recognize the challenges faced in providing main street frontage for a library complex.

I remember from previous discussions about the parkade that there would be provision for ground level retail. Perhaps some agreement could be negotiated which would anticipate the need for relocation of businesses on Wyndham and give them priority as tenants in the new complex. Some of their fears and concerns could be allayed if leases could be negotiated which would provide space for a similar rental fee and with similar long-term security. If phasing were planned such that the retail component of the parkade was available prior to expropriation and demolition of the Wyndham Street buildings, it would make the transition as smooth as possible.

I'm sure other creative solutions will be proposed which will allow us to nurture and preserve some of the key businesses in our downtown.                   SW

Council has directed staff to seek a private sector partner to provide Guelph with a new Central Public Library, public parking, residential and other uses for the Baker Street lot area.

The public is invited to examine and comment on a variety of options developed by staff and our urban design consultants. Feedback received will allow us to create development scenarios which will form the basis of this exciting large scale redevelopment.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 5:00 to 8:00 pm

Guelph Central Library, Main Branch, 100 Norfolk Street
519-824-6220

The format will be a drop in style open house hosted by members of the Downtown Coordinating Committee and staff

For more information, please contact:
David Corks – david.corks@guelph.ca or at 519.822.1260

City council has decided to embrace a "co-operative" approach to late-night downtown problems, rather than trying to pass extra policing and cleanup costs onto bars and restaurants that stay open after midnight.

This means extra costs estimated at about $174,000 annually - $125,000 for policing and $49,000 for cleanup services by city staff - will continue to be paid through the city's general tax base.

A motion by Coun. Bob Bell to refer the matter back to staff to have them prepare detailed, costed options for recovering the extra costs from bars and restaurants failed Monday on a 6-6 tie vote. This brings to an end, at least for the time being, a debate that has gone on for years in the city about shifting costs onto businesses seen as contributing to downtown late-night problems.

Bell took issue with a city staff report recommending that the city continue to tap the general tax base for the extra downtown costs and "continue current efforts to reduce the source of these problems in a co-operative way."

The Night Life Task Force that was formed in the spring of 2007 to address late-night bar and food seller issues doesn't include any "victims" of downtown rowdyism and vandalism, Bell said.

"I think the view that is being presented is fairly skewed," he told council.

The 12-member task force includes Coun. Ian Findlay, two members of the Downtown Guelph Business Association, two U of G reps, two police reps including Police Chief Rob Davis, two city hall officials including downtown economic development manager David Corks, one bar owner and two local neighbourhood group representatives.

Bell downplayed the staff report's claim that problems related to night life activity are on the decline in Guelph. "The contention that things are getting better may be true, but marginally," he said.

Bell also said the city's efforts to get a lot more people to live in the downtown area might fall short unless more is done about "vandalism and hooliganism late at night."

Without this, he said, "we will never be successful with residential intensification" in the downtown.

Chief Davis, though, painted a different picture. He told council that malicious damage and graffiti happens all over the city, and that there is an advantage in having many bars in one spot where police can concentrate their efforts.

Having a "vibrant" downtown both day and night, which Guelph has, comes with costs, he said.

Davis said it needs to be conveyed to city residents that "crime is on the decrease downtown right now. I think it is a safe downtown. We have to encourage people to come down and enjoy it."

Coun. Gloria Kovach said the city "should at least take a look" at the "bar stool tax" imposed in Barrie, where large bar owners pay more than small ones.

Findlay, though, questioned the logic of a "two-tier" tax system that imposes higher fees on businesses such as downtown bars. Would that mean, he asked, that the city should impose higher property taxes on residents in neighbourhoods where there is more police activity resulting from substance abuse and violence.

Corks said he hadn't been aware of Barrie's bar-stool tax, and he said he didn't know of any other cities in Ontario that try to recover extra costs from downtown bars.

The Downtown Guelph Business Association has passed a resolution opposing the levying of fees from specific types of businesses, which it calls "differential taxation."

Downtown bar owners won't be paying increased fees to the city anytime soon, although a city council motion that narrowly failed this week wanted to explore doing just that.

Instead, council approved a staff recommendation to continue working with downtown stakeholders, including the Downtown Guelph Business Association and the downtown nightlife task force, as a way to reduce costs associated with downtown, rather than recover them.

Councillor Ian Findlay, who sits on the nightlife task force, said getting at the root of the problem -- the proliferation of bars in the downtown -- will take a variety of approaches. That means adapting buildings for new uses, improving lighting and storefronts and making small changes like increasing the number of garbage cans.

"It will solve the problem as opposed to trying to Band-Aid the effects of the problem," he said.

Coun. Bob Bell disagrees. He introduced a motion at Monday's meeting for the city's legal department to explore ways of recovering downtown policing and cleanup costs, estimated to be about $174,000 annually.

That motion resulted in a failing 6-6 tie. Coun. Lise Burcher was absent.

"Nothing is going to change," Bell said. "The task force recommends if the retailers don't like windows broken then they should put security cameras and lights in front of their stores. Who's going to pay for that?" he asked.

He thinks the onus should be on the city to improve the overall situation, and suggested that Guelph look toward other municipalities.

In Barrie, for example, there is a graduated business licensing structure, which means bigger bars pay more. The city is able to recover costs associated with inspections and increased call volumes experienced by police and emergency services.

"We're on a collision course here," Bell said. "From the very beginning, my argument is we have to resolve the hooliganism first, otherwise we'll have conflicts in the future and the whole strategy for improving the downtown will fail," he said.

But David Corks, Guelph's downtown economic development manager, said providing incentives to developers through the community-improvement plan will ensure more residential moves forward. "We've seen it happen in other cities. You just need to get going," he said.

The issue of cost recovery in the downtown cropped up last June when council's finance committee passed a resolution directing staff to come back with options about how to recoup costs associated with policing and cleanup in the core. Staff reported back this month, recommending a co-operative approach focused on cost reduction rather than recovery.

Mayor Karen Farbridge said she supported that direction.

"Having a vibrant downtown entertainment scene is what a lot of downtowns would covet," she said. "So when you have a vibrant downtown after 6 p.m., it's going to come with some issues. So you work to mitigate those issues. (The solution) is not to have a dead downtown after 6 p.m."

lthompson@guelphmercury.com

There's nothing the city can do to compensate downtown merchants when their property is damaged by rowdy patrons of downtown bars.

A bar-stool tax wouldn't help, Mayor Karen Farbridge said yesterday, since the city's hands are tied when it comes to using public money to fund private interests. The Downtown Guelph Business Association wouldn't be able to help for the same reasons.

"There's misunderstanding in the community about that," Farbridge said at a meeting of the governance committee. "One of the biggest day-to-day frustrations of this can't be addressed by a bar-stool tax."

Forcing a levy on downtown bars and late-night food establishments has been suggested as a way to recoup costs associated with cleanup and policing the core.

But the idea received little support from the committee yesterday, which passed a staff recommendation for the city to continue to work co-operatively with the downtown business association and the downtown nightlife task force, whose membership includes Guelph Police, the University of Guelph, bars and other stakeholders. City staff say there's been a reduction in problems associated with the downtown bar scene over the last year.

Councillor Ian Findlay, a member of the task force, said a bar-stool levy would create a two-tier tax system -- one tax for downtown bars and another for those elsewhere in the city. He said taxes should be evenly distributed, based on the financial costs associated with the community.

But Coun. Gloria Kovach reminded councillors that a levy may need to be considered in the future.

"I don't think we can lose sight of a recovery tax that would reduce the burden for overall taxation," she said.

Audrey Jamal, executive director of the downtown business association, told committee that a bar-stool tax wouldn't get to the root of the problem. What's needed is to move forward with the Community Improvement Plan to encourage residential development in the core.

In the meantime, she stressed the need for better lighting, public washrooms and more garbage cans in the downtown.

City staff estimate it costs $125,000 for downtown policing and $49,000 for operational staff to clean up after late-night revelers. Previously, the figure was reported as being around $400,000.

Peter Cartwright, manager of economic development, said the old number erroneously included costs for the whole city and were not specific to downtown.

The issue goes to council April 28.

lthompson@guelphmercury.com

Congratulations on the outstanding success of your free parking pilot in the downtown core.

The recent Oracle survey results are crystal clear: your constituents are in support of free on street parking in the downtown, and perhaps more importantly, free parking has resulted in a marked positive change in consumer behaviour in support of the city centre. How many decisions does council make that garner 88% support? How many programs could one conceive of which would result in 35% of the respondents changing their behaviour?

The pilot project has confirmed the premise that historical parking policies have had a significant negative impact on the downtown area.
The public has spoken. It is pretty clear that the free parking pilot should be made permanent.            DM

Thank you for your comments, you are not alone in wondering about the apparent disconnect between building parking garages and our own environmental goals.

The decision to build two parking garages of about 500 cars each was not taken lightly. It was a necessity to maintain the competitive market position of the downtown in the current car dominated society. Our longer term goals are all aimed at decreasing urban sprawl and creating a city where higher density allows practical alternatives to car dependency.

Our present reality is that Guelph developed just like most North American cities, with a post war baby boom coupled with affordability of cars that allowed people to move to the outskirts of a city and commute to work for the first time. That legacy of urban sprawl is only now being reined in due to environmental issues becoming forefront because of people like you, resulting in political support for denser and greener cities.

Even so, it is a hard pattern to reverse – we’re trying to undo 60 years of home building in Guelph premised on automobile use. While our goal of creating a sustainable pedestrian and transit friendly city is underway we have to maintain the health of the downtown as it is now.

We also have an important goal to encourage more people to live downtown. There is currently a shortage of parking permits available in the downtown to meet existing residential needs. Building owners would like to convert more of their upper floors for housing but have trouble renting their existing apartments because they cannot secure a parking permit for their tenants.

Our challenge is that most trips in Guelph presently take place in cars. If we want people to come downtown we have to accommodate their vehicles. If lack of parking meant those same people would choose alternative means to get downtown, that would be ideal. However, at present, parking shortages means they will go somewhere else. Likely to a suburban location with surface parking – and that is the pattern we are trying to interrupt and prevent from growing.

Although these parking garages have been in the news lately, other ventures aimed at increasing the amount and quality of downtown amenities are also underway. The Baker Street complex includes a library and residences, we have plans for a Civic Square and a new museum to add to existing facilities. All of this is to increase the attraction to people, not cars.

The garages are to deal with present immediate problems and to keep downtown vibrant as we implement long term goals to create the increased density necessary to allow the examples of transit you see elsewhere.

Mayor Farbridge

I am concerned about the number of large capital projects the city is taking
on, and how that's going to affect my taxes. Simple really. I have trouble
wrapping my head around the $30,000 per parking space cost. I don't believe
the average taxpayer is going to be happy with this information at all.

I also learned today about the city going ahead with building a bridge between Earl and Emma Streets. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this yet, as I'm a property owner one house in from the proposed plan on Earl Street. It could actually be a good thing, but I was surprised that up until today, I hadn't heard a thing about it. I don't imagine too many of my neighbours have either.

Any information you can share would be appreciated.     BS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can understand your concern about the capital projects moving forward. A lot of projects are being approved and it may seem like these are being financed with your money. But funding for these projects comes from various sources.

In so far as the Wilson St. Parking garage is concerned, I did support it. I did so because it is needed to replace the parking spaces lost when the transit hub is built. Presently we have already lost parking in that area due to the work on city hall. This combined with the existing shortage of parking is causing problems with businesses downtown.

If we didn't approve the Wilson St. Parking garage and went ahead with the Baker St. project we would remove even more parking spaces from the downtown. By completing the Wilson St. Parking before Baker St. we will offset the parking lost from the closure of Baker St.

The cost of capital expenditures usually comes from four sources - user fees from the project itself (parking fees in this case), capital funds that have been set aside in previous years for buildings that have be planned, property taxes and sometimes grants from the Province. Development charges are also often available to help pay for projects but not in this case. I will get information on the actual funding composition in this case and send it to you.

As you may have noticed for the last two years your tax bill has not increased as much as it has in previous years yet more projects have moved forward. The reason that your taxes haven't increased to pay for the capital expenditures is that money for these projects was previously saved and placed in reserve. Each year reserve funds are set aside to meet the costs of future projects that are required to meet future needs. Council makes final decisions as to the design of these buildings, where they should be located, when they should be built and the final overall plan. The staff formulates the details under the direction of Council and Council then reviews and approves plans based on their understanding of what the majority of residents want and what is best for the City. Many of the capital projects have not moved forward in the past due to Council indecision. This council is making clear decisions based on staff inputs. The money has be set aside for some time and now its time to move forward. That is what we as a Council are doing.

The bridge connecting Emma to Earl will be for bicycle and walking traffic and is actually a continuation of the trail from downtown to the Guelph lake or out to Woodlawn. This trail is part of the trans Canada Trail that should run to the outskirts of Guelph through the cemetery on Woolwich out to Woodlawn. The bridge would allow cycle and pedestrian traffic a connection beside the tracks to downtown that avoids car traffic.
Presently the connection is not really clear and most people cross at the tracks on Speedvale or the lights in front of the fire station. The tracks are not a safe crossing. This bridge will open up a safe crossing to the Emma street area and will allow cyclists and pedestrians to avoid the Speedvale and Woolich intersection.The bridge will be put in after the trail beside the tracks is complete.                Councillor Beard

The Downtown Guelph Business Association (DGBA) believes that increased traffic generated by the new Civic Administration building (opening this summer), a Provincial Offences Courthouse at old City Hall, and a redeveloped transit transfer station will put a tremendous strain on local parking resources. In addition, in order to fill buildings vacated by the City of Guelph and to support the redevelopments on Douglas and Baker Streets, this parkade will provide essential parking supply to local businesses. The DGBA continues to strongly support the development of the Baker Street lands which will also include a parking facility.

In order to support business though this transition, the DGBA and City Council have endorsed an interim parking strategy. This will see an additional 22 parking spaces on Carden and Wilson Streets through the creation of angled parking. Over 30 spaces will be created for customers in the Macdonell Street lot by relocating permit parking to other facilities. Once the Civic Administration building opens, an additional 22 two-hour spaces will be added on the periphery of the civic square. For more information, visit the Guelph Mercury or contact Audrey Jamal at audrey@downtownguelph.com.

Downtown Networking Evening
The DGBA is pleased to invite you to the first networking evening of 2008 on Monday April 14th at 5:30 p.m. It will be hosted by Ouderkirk & Taylor, located at 3 Wyndham Street North. They are pleased to welcome downtown businesses, property owners and staff to the newly opened hand-crafted food store. This is a chance to get informal up-to-date information on the latest downtown issues and promotions. It's also a great opportunity to meet new neighbours and chat with staff and the Board. Please RSVP to info@downtownguelph.com or (519)836-6144.

Summer Student Job Posting
The DGBA is seeking a summer student to work 35 hours per week as a Promotions/Office Assistant. The successful candidate will possess exceptional interpersonal and communication skills along with a professional attitude. For more information please visit our website. Please forward resumes by April 11, 2008 to info@downtownguelph.com or fax to (519)767-0698.

Gummer Building Redevelopment
The Gummer Building, The Victoria Building and the Stewart Drugs Building are historical landmarks in Downtown Guelph, and were badly damaged by fire on Easter weekend in 2007. Skyline has purchased all three buildings to incorporate them into a high profile, fully accessible commercial complex. The Gummer Leasing Office is now open, please contact (519)837-2009 for an appointment or visit www.gummer.ca.

Doors Open Guelph
You are invited to step inside some of Guelph's finest heritage buildings on April 26 between 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. This collaborative initiative is put on by Guelph Arts Council, Heritage Guelph and City of Guelph Tourism Services to celebrate and increase awareness of the city's tremendously rich architectural and historical heritage. For more information visit the Guelph Arts Council website or contact them at gac@sentex.net or (519)836-3280.

Guelph Arts Council Historical Walking Tours
Guelph Arts Council Historical Walking Tours of Guelph's core area begin April 27 on selected Sundays through to October. For more information visit the Guelph Arts Council website or contact them at gac@sentex.net or (519)836-3280.

Dig-In Downtown
Mark your calendars every Tuesday and Wednesday in April for Dig-In Downtown! This culinary event will see unparalleled prix-fixe dining at 14 of Downtown Guelph's finest restaurants. For participating restaurants and menus visit the DGBA website.

This decision has truly shattered my faith in the leadership and decision making abilities of you and this council . I can't express how disappointed I am in the approval of this project, particularly so quickly, seemingly with little debate.

My optimism and hope for this city is fading.

Five storeys . . . Just enough to ruin the view / sightlines between the Church of Our Lady grounds and the new admin centre, with its lovely restored stone wall on the east side of Wilson St.

The expensive new admin centre has very limited parking in order to be LEEDs certified, and you'll be able to trumpet about that, but really, the 500-spot parking garage right beside it kind of annuls that achievement in my mind. If you must build more parking, why not build on the parking lot between Macdonnell and Cork St.? Seems to me that's a better spot. Why not close part of a downtown street or make it one way to allow for more angle parking? It works in Europe; doesn't Guelph have the guts to try it out? Why not build an underground parking lot instead of an eyesore? Why isn't the Baker St. garage enough?

Furthermore, I'm amazed that this decision goes directly against the city's own growth and planning policy.

Please, please reconsider.

Public transit infrastructure planning is what we need; I happen to agree with many of the great ideas of David Graham, and am glad to hear he's been at council, trying in vain to convince you to do something for this now-well-behind-the-times city's infrastructure that will work in the true long term.   BS

The city has asked some downtown property owners if they would consider selling so a new central library could front onto Wyndham Street.

If buildings are acquired and presumably demolished, it would mean the new main library would be near, if not beside, the old post office on Wyndham, which the last city council decided against buying and converting into a new main library.

The area being targeted is north of the former post office, now home to Wellington County's social services department, and could include buildings that house the Family Thrift Store, Wyndham Art Supplies and Hush Salon and Spa.

Council approved the Baker Street parking lot as the preferred site for a new main library last November. The city's realty services has approached several business owners and asked them to think about whether they would be willing to sell.

Property owners say the discussion is preliminary and no offers have been made.

Gary Grewal, who owns the commercial-residential building that houses Fresh Start and Hush Salon, said the city provided him with an estimate of his property's value.

He said he still needs to consider the number, which he would not disclose.

"If I don't have to sell it, I probably won't. I like the building. I like the area," he said, adding he purchased the property about two years ago.

Doug Bridge, who co-owns the building that houses Wyndham Art Supplies, said he's been asked to consider a sale, though no timeline or price was discussed.

"That's a pretty serious move for us and we haven't decided," he said, explaining the city likely has the ability to expropriate the land, which is "the last thing anybody needs."

David Corks, downtown economic development manager, declined to comment whether any discussions were underway with landowners. Jim Stokes, manger of realty services, could not be reached yesterday.

Corks said several options are being considered as a way to give the central library frontage and access onto a main downtown street. That could mean taking over property on Wyndham, Woolwich or Quebec streets, he said. It could also mean converting Baker into a main street by widening and then opening it up to two-way traffic.

Staff are working on the options and the goal is to present them to the public in May, Corks said.

Norman McLeod, chief librarian of Guelph Public Library, said the library board has always felt a presence on Wyndham would be desirable.

"It's my understanding that they (the city) share this view," he said.

Councillor Ian Findlay, who chairs the city's downtown co-ordinating committee, said at one time Quebec Street was a serious option, but is less so now because the situation has changed with one of the churches.

Wyndham Street appears to be the most promising choice because of the availability and the current usage, Findlay said.

Two upper Wyndham Street commercial spaces will become available this spring when Ed Pickersgill moves his housing centre, food bank, youth shelter and gallery to a single property on Baker Street. The storefront at 156 Wyndham is already vacant.

But Pickersgill, an affordable housing advocate, said it doesn't make sense for the city to target buildings that have residential on the upper storeys. He said 148 Wyndham has 16 apartments and there are more above Wyndham Art Supplies.

"That's totally the opposite of residential intensification to take out apartments from the downtown," he said.

Ray Mitchell, who owns the Family Thrift Store, said he's likely to take a huge hit if the city acquires the building where he rents.

"I'd be completely screwed. I'd have no revenue coming in and my business would be gone."

"This didn't have to come to this. They had the post office they could have bought," he said.

The previous city council voted against purchasing the Wyndham Street post office in February 2005. The city could have bought the historic building for about $1 million. Renovations for interim staff use would have cost another $1 million to $1.2 million. Costs to convert the building into a library were estimated at $17.3 million.

In the city's capital budget, $17.3 million is earmarked for a new main library in 2011, however several councillors have expressed concern that the price tag could be much higher.

20 Minute bus service

Funding for Hospice Wellington and Guelph General Hospital's MRI

Increased life cycle reserve

Land Ambulance improvements

Performance funded curbside and environmental advisors

Youth at risk funding

Increase to reserves

Service review requests for sidewalk snow clearing and leaf/yard waste pick up

Community energy plan manager

Municipal election enhancements

12 additional park maintenance students

Playground inspector

8 fire alarms :)

A. The list of priorities was derived from an open review of over 200 existing, pending and new project priorities which account for approximately 10-20% of the city’s resources and capacity. The two review meetings took place in the fall.

Meeting 1: October 19, 2007 at the Cutten Club
Meeting 2: November 23, 2007 at the River Run Centre

Following the meetings, Councillors completed a survey to distill a set of findings for final review by members of Council.

Q. What criteria was used to identify the priorities?

A. The Strategic Plan was the primary driver behind all discussion about priorities.

More specifically, staff asked Councillors to consider those projects that, in their opinion, would:

best position the City to achieve an approved strategic goal (s) set a strong and balanced foundation for moving forward result in a measurable success

Q. How was the public involved in the priority setting process?

A. The Strategic Plan, developed from the input of hundreds of community members and stakeholders, was the primary driver behind all discussion concerning potential priorities. As well, many of the existing priorities have been carried forward from numerous other public processes during this and previous terms of Council.

Q. Now that you’ve identified priorities, how are you going to implement them?

A. High and medium level priorities will be integrated into 2008 Departmental workplans. Other priorities raised that relate to the high and medium priorities or are significantly underway will also be addressed in the 2008 workplans. Once approved, all of the priorities will serve as the basis for 2009 priority setting and workplan development discussions.

This priority-setting process is an important step towards the establishment of a more comprehensive strategic management system. This system will include strategic planning to set organizational goals, setting of priorities and development of work plans, development of budgets that align with goals, priorities and workplans, and systems to evaluate progress. Ultimately, this system will help ensure more effective and accountable decision making.

Q. This is an awfully ambitious list of priorities. Are you planning to complete them all in this term of Council? How do you plan to get all this done?

A. Our goal is to have made a substantial start on all of the high and medium priorities in this term of Council. Some of the priorities will be achievable in a relatively short period of time, while others (e.g. York District, CEP) are much longer-term projects. The list gives staff a clear indication of what Council’s priorities are; it will be up to staff to develop work plans to start addressing them.

Q. What is the price tag for all these priorities?

A. Many of the priorities are underway or already budgeted for, and many are large, multi-year initiatives (e.g. York District plan) that we don’t yet know the total costs for. The costing for each priority will be addressed through the workplan and budget processes.

Q. What impact will the priority list have on the Budget?
A. These priorities will be part of budget decisions in February but it is important to note that they are just one of the many inputs into the budget process. The priorities will also be integrated into Departmental workplans that are scheduled for completion in April 2008.

Q. Are you going to hire more staff to get all of these priorities done?

A. Staff resources should be addressed in departmental workplans. Many of the priorities are underway or already planned for so in many cases budget and staff resources are already in place.

Q. Why did items that only receive 2 votes (out of a possible 13- just 15% of Council) get listed as “medium” priorities?

A. Council and staff initially discussed a list of more than 200 potential priorities. Many did not get any votes at all, and several received one vote. In that context, the fact that these priorities received two votes is fairly significant. They merit further investigation and inclusion into departmental workplans.

Q. Why are the new main library, Baker St parking garage, Loretto Convent, Civic Square, new transit terminal NOT on the list?

A. These priorities are all part of the Downtown Action Plan, so they are incorporated within that priority. The downtown projects are not being pursued in isolation, but as part of an overall plan to enhance investment and activity in the downtown.

Some of the larger strategic initiatives like the CEP or Downtown Action Plan will have their own priority setting process. These sub-priority setting processes will help to further refine our priority setting process in the future.

I read in the Tribune about your involvement with the Downtown Nightlife Task Force looking at how to keep the downtown clean in the evenings. We have a solution for the problem of over flowing garbage receptacles that is proving to be very useful in many communities. It is the Big Belly Solar powered trash compactor. By going to our website www.greennclean.ca and clicking on the link for the Solar Compactor at the bottom of the page you can view this product. After you have viewed the site I would like to be able to talk with you about the suitability of the Big Belly in helping to keep the downtown green and clean by reducing the number of trips needed by the trucks to pick up the waste and to keep the streets clean by keeping the waste in the bins, without having the street overcrowded with bins.     MF

There won't be any tax relief for city residents in 2008 resulting from extra policing and cleanup costs in the downtown being passed on to bars and other businesses there.

Amid hints that city hall's enthusiasm for recovering extra downtown policing and cleanup costs is cooling, council passed a motion last week delaying any staff recommendations on the issue until March - too late to have an impact on the city's 2008 budget.

This disappointed Coun. Bob Bell, who said he'd been hoping for $400,000 worth of property tax relief for city taxpayers.

"We need to use a carrot-and-stick approach" in dealing with the downtown's late-night woes, "but I don't see any stick," Bell told council.

Although recovering the extra police and garbage costs would anger some downtown businesses, there is broad support in the community for doing this, he said.

However, Bell was the only councillor who advocated a hard line at the meeting.

Coun. Ian Findlay, a member of the recently formed Downtown Nightlife Task Force, said the city has to share some of the responsibility for downtown problems.

"We don't have nearly enough garbage cans," he said, so they sometimes overflow.

There's also a problem with lack of public washrooms for people who flock out of bars at closing time, Findlay said. He wants the planned new transit hub on Carden Street and a new main library on the Baker Street parking lot to include 24-hour washrooms.

Vacant buildings have created opportunities in the past for more bars to move into the downtown, but this dynamic might be changing, Findlay said. It's hoped the planned redevelopment of the fire-damaged adjacent Gummer and Victoria buildings will help improve the downtown climate, he said.

The task force that Findlay is on also includes representatives the University of Guelph, Guelph Police, city staff, the general public and the downtown business community, including bar owners. It was formed to address downtown issues, including ways of reducing extra downtown policing and maintenance.

Bar owners, Findlay commented, "want to be good citizens and they want to do the right thing."

A new report from city staff puts the annual extra cost of downtown policing at about $125,000 - the cost of four constables on duty from midnight to 4 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It puts the cost of extra downtown garbage collection and cleanup at $279,000 a year, for a grand total of about $400,000 in extra policing and cleanup costs.

In July, council's finance, administration and corporate services committee passed a resolution directing staff to report back on how to recover extra downtown policing and cleanup costs. Staff were supposed to do this in time for 2008 city budgeting, the committee resolved.

However, the new report says staff haven't been able to complete this task yet, for a variety of reasons. It asks for an extension to no later than March.

Coun. Lise Burcher said the city is looking at a variety of approaches, not just ones that would shift $400,000 in costs from the general taxpayer to some or all downtown businesses.

"This report does not mean we will necessarily come back with a pocketful of cash," she said in response to Bell's comments about tax savings for the public.

Mayor Karen Farbridge sought to confirm her understanding that staff will have the option of recommending that no action be taken on shifting the extra costs to downtown businesses. Peter Cartwright, the city's general manager of economic development and tourism services, agreed this is the case.

The new staff report says there are questions about how to develop a fair and equitable policy for recovering extra police and cleanup costs from downtown businesses.

"Suggestions have been made that only those establishments that are open after midnight should be subject to a special fee," the report says. "However, this is problematic as it has been difficult to identify, with any degree of certainty, which business establishments are contributing to the current situation.

"Others feel that all establishments should contribute, while there are groups that feel the implementation of such a recovery is an unfair tax and counter to creating a positive environment for new investment in the downtown."

As well, it says, "the manner in which costs are to be calculated has been difficult to rationalize. For example, if one were to distribute costs based on the pro-rated number of licensed seats for an establishment, then fast food take-out restaurants may not have to pay such a fee because they do not have licensed seats."

The report says staff are encouraged by the efforts of the Downtown Nightlife Task Force and see a willingness by most establishments to "become more vigilant and directly involved in reducing the amount of downtown policing and maintenance.

"In fact, staff would comment that there has been unprecedented co-operation on behalf of the bar owners, especially those who are working among themselves and with police to minimize problems with patrons in the public realm.

"This is an approach that has been successful in other communities," the report says.

The stick:
A motion (moved by myself) passed at the Finance and Corporate Services Committee (FACS) directing staff to investigate the possibility of implementing a bar stool tax. This tax would target the problem business's in Downtown to help recover policing and cleanup costs. A report is expected sometime in the spring of 2008. Potential new revenue for the City could be $500,000.

The carrot:
A task force has been struck to deal with the problems associated with Guelph's nightlife. It is comprised of representatives from:

University of Guelph Student Services and Communications
Downtown Guelph Business Association
Guelph Police Services
Planning and Economic Development Staff
Downtown bar & business owners
Local residents
City Council

The Guelph Nightlife Task Force (GNTF) is focusing on the short term solutions with an eye to big picture.
Shortly there will be additional garbage receptacles located in the Downtown, mostly along MacDonnell Street to provide better capacity. Currently, the inventory of garbage cans is being overwhelmed by large volumes of garbage. More cans are needed.
The GNTF hopes to see 24/7 public washrooms in all new municipal facilities as they are built (ie Carden St. transit transfer station, Baker St. Library and the New Civic Square). This will provide after hour facilities for patrons wishing to relieve themselves in private.
New taxi stand pick-up locations and the revived Magic Bus are helping to get the late night folks out of Downtown quicker with less lingering.

The bars are considering a harmonized identification device to track problem patrons with an attempt to limit their access to all City bars.
U of G is reviewing expanding it's student code of conduct to include off site actions.
Improved back alley lighting could help to dissuade problem activity associated with alcohol and drug use.
Staggered closing hours may help to diffuse the impact of a common closing time.
Working with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to create stricter alcohol licensing conditions.
The Albion Hotel's Downtown Wash Down should be expanded to include more members of the entertainment district participating in clean ups more often.

Long term the city needs to change the dynamic in Downtown so that it makes more sense financially to operate a business or service other than a bar. Within the last 10-15 years Guelph has seen two former banks, a large furniture store and a movie cinema transform themselves into bars. This is partly because no other business model makes sense.

The GNTF would be happy to consider any other ideas that will help to make Downtown Guelph a clean, safe and hospitable place to live, work and play.                                      Ian

It's like an elaborate game, perhaps of dominoes, or maybe Jenga -- how do you take a block from the bottom and put it on top without the entire structure collapsing? A couple of rounds of meetings have already happened, and there's more to go. The discussions can seem dry, the topics disembodied. But you could easily argue this is the time of year when councillors make their most important set of decisions.

It's budget time.

The proverbial Jenga pieces were flying around council chambers all last month as each committee met to hash out how to spend the precious one per cent of the budget -- roughly $1.4 million in all -- that council has tentatively set aside for new projects. That's on top of another 3.5 per cent increase to maintain the current level of services.

Is it worth canning sidewalk plowing in favour of every-two-week yard waste pickup? What can be put off or outright cancelled to allow for more frequent bus service?

Managing growth.

Fixing the transit system.

Building a new central library.

When you're deciding how to spend something like $140 million, it helps to sit down and make a list of priorities.

That's what council is doing right now. And the list is long and varied -- a recent draft included 100 or more items, Councillor Karl Wettstein said. The goal is to get it down to the top 20 or 30.

"There are all kinds of worthwhile projects and initiatives always in front of us at budget time and even between budgets," Mayor Karen Farbridge said.

So how do you figure out what's important?

"Priority-setting is very individual," Wettstein said. "I don't worry too much about the operations stuff, because I know that will be looked after."

What's important to him is making sure council works properly to make decisions that benefit the community. That's why he's pushing governance and growth management as his priorities.

For Coun. Ian Findlay, it's a matter of balancing out choices that reflect his own values with what he hears from his constituents.

And for Farbridge, a lot of it is based on the city's strategic plan -- a high-level document of goals for this term of council.

Of course, while things like the library proposal and extra buses get lots of attention, the bulk of the city's budget -- about 80 per cent -- is spent on mundane but essential things like fixing roads and cutting grass.

"We still have to plow the snow, cut the grass, do all of the normal, day-to-day things," said Hans Loewig, the city's chief administrative officer. "But now, we have goals on top of that."

The reality has changed drastically for cities over the last 15 or so years, he said, in a way that's made planning and goal-setting much more important.

"Historically, municipalities functioned at different levels than they are today," he said. "They did the traditional thing. But now, we're doing social services, housing, provincial courts, ambulance. We have to take a more strategic, businesslike approach."

WHAT RESIDENTS WANT

Deciding how to spend taxpayer money includes the unenviable task of figuring out what residents really want.

That's tricky, in part because of the apathy surrounding local politics, says Tim Mau, a political science professor at the University of Guelph.

"The beauty of local politics is individuals can participate in ways that are not possible at another level. You and I and everyone else in the community has the opportunity to express our viewpoint, and the ones that do have tremendous opportunity to influence the rhetoric in a big way," he said.

That became apparent, he said, through the vocal opposition to Wal-Mart's application to open a store in north Guelph -- perhaps the biggest public response to any single civic issue in Guelph's history. But Mau questions whether that response was indicative of what the community wanted.

"With so many things on the local level, when we talk about public outcry, what does that represent? With Wal-Mart, there was huge public outcry, but thousands of people sat silently waiting.

"If you look at the last year and a bit since Wal-Mart has been active, the store is doing booming business," he said.

Mau cautions against becoming beholden to that so-called vocal minority.

"In a democracy, it's ultimately up to the people and elected leaders of the day to determine priorities. More often than not political leaders don't actively survey constituents," he said.

But, he says, perhaps they should.

The problem is, people who come to meetings, call their councillors and write letters to the editor aren't random.

A survey "forces people to take more responsibility for their citizenship instead of casting blame on politicians for unpopular tax increases or spending cuts," he said. "We can talk to 10 different people and, depending on their perspective, someone will say 'we need to invest in 20-minute bus service' and someone will say 'I don't use the bus.' You have to aggregate those opinions."

But Wettstein, who chairs the finance committee, says there's little he can do about people who don't speak up.

"The silent majority, from my perspective, is somebody who nobody knows what they think," he said. "Unfortunately, I can't respond to the silent majority. The only thing we know about majority is they're silent. We don't know if vocal minority represents the silent majority."

Findlay has a unique and direct way of finding out what people want.

As owner of the downtown Thomas Video, he hears first-hand from video-watchers.

People come in, talk about civic issues, then rent a video, he said.

For Farbridge, finding out what residents want means integrating a whole slew of techniques -- from e-mails and phone calls to council presentations and things like phone surveys and focus groups.

There's not much council can do about people who never say how they feel.

"What's the alternative -- to do no consultation? If we go down a path that's not supported, we hear back," she said.

TIME FOR TRANSIT CHANGE

And hear they did when Guelph Transit announced with little warning in August that it was cutting bus service from every 30 minutes to every 40. Staff almost immediately put forward a proposal to increase that service to run every 20 minutes.

But the financial realities made for heated discussion at committee.

Increasing the frequency of service would cost at least $1.5 million -- more money than the increase council approved for the entire budget. (Staff say 20-minute service at peak times, with 30-minute service other times, would cost $1.6 million. Running the buses every 20 minutes all day would cost $2.5 million, and 20-minute service day and night would cost $3.3 million -- more than twice the budget increase approved by council.)

"To meet the guideline, it would not have been possible for us to make that recommendation," said Loewig, the CAO.

But residents and council have made it clear more frequent service is a priority. And so discussion was heartfelt as a council committee tried to figure out what to do.

Their options constitute another complex game of Jenga. Should they hike taxes more or increase bus fare? Should they take something out of the budget -- sidewalk plowing is an option that's been discussed. Should they restructure the entire bus system to find efficiencies?

Because of a new budgeting system, which includes bringing proposals to committees before Christmas to give council and staff time to shuffle the pieces, the city has time to reconsider how to provide the service so many people are asking for.

PUTTING THEIR HEADS TOGETHER

Lots of work happens even before those committee meetings. It all starts with city staff, who plot out their department's budget and then meet as a group to hash it all out.

"The directors need to clearly understand all of the operations as well as their own," Loewig said. "That's how we can sometimes get efficiencies."

It helps, too, to have people from outside of the department review the budget with an outside perspective.

"If you don't have those interdepartmental discussions, everyone wants their 4.5 per cent (increase)," Loewig said. "Everyone has to take their department hats off and put their corporate hats on and say 'I might have to give up my one per cent.' "

Two departments are working together, for instance, to try to streamline leaf collection with yard waste collection.

HOW IT'S EVOLVED

The reality's grown more and more complex for Canadian cities, as they're left tackling more and bigger challenges. They've adapted to that by acting more like businesses, developing long-term plans, strategies and lists of priorities, Loewig said.

Cities have also collectively been pushing for more help from the province and the federal government.

And it's started to come in. The federal gas tax is a big boon to municipalities, giving them a chance to catch up with increasingly crumbling infrastructure, said Susan Aram, who's spearheading the city's budgeting process in the absence of a director of finance.

The provincial government finally carried through on its promise to pay half the cost of providing ambulance service -- a promise that was made when ambulance service was handed off to municipalities, but was never kept.

And recently the provincial government gave Toronto extra taxation powers so that city could seek more cash to keep things afloat. Those extra taxes could be given to other municipalities in the future.

Many argue it's essential for all levels of government to contribute to maintaining the quality of life in cities.

"The feds should be contributing more to cities," said David Amborski, a planning professor at Ryerson University.

"In the Canadian context, municipalities are creatures of the province, but there are items such as major infrastructure and transit that really provide for economic growth. It's the feds that gain from that via corporate taxes."

And although he says it just makes sense, he doesn't see a big change under the current federal government.

"This government doesn't seem to be too motivated," he said.

TAKE A BLOCK FROM THE BOTTOM

In the meantime, councillors and staff are diligently working away, trying to figure out which pieces to take out and which to put in. They're listening to community members, and weighing what they heard during the election with their own values.

In the end, it'll be a blueprint for 2008 in Guelph. And it's all coming your way, between now and Feb. 19, when council votes on the final document.

mkonieczna@guelphmercury.com

TRYING TO GET ON TOP

On page A3, four stakeholders state their case for why the projects they represent should be considered top priority for the city's upcoming budget.

Norm McLeod, Guelph Public Library chief librarian, is advocating for a new central library.

Katherine McCracken, director of Guelph Museums, is advocating to move the Civic Museum into the Loretto Convent.

Todd Dennis, chair of the Clairfields Neighbourhood Group, is advocating for a new community centre in the south end.

Kyle Mackie is advocating for buses that run every 20 minutes instead of every 40.

TRANSIT SERVICE

BETTER BUS ROUTES

Kyle Mackie is advocating for buses that run every 20 minutes instead of every 40.

City hall figures that would cost between $1.1 million and $2.9 million a year, plus the cost of buses.

Mackie's family has one car and two kids. He usually takes the bus to work.

When buses ran every half hour, it took him about half an hour to get to work.

The 40-minute service adds at least 15 or 20 minutes, he says.

"Adding the extra 10 (minutes) doesn't seem like a big difference, but it can greatly change your commuting time."

He's considered getting a new car. He's begged for rides and has occasionally taken a cab.

"People won't take public transit if it's frustrating or difficult to understand or unreliable," he says.

REC CENTRE

A PLACE TO PLAY

Todd Dennis, chair of the Clairfields Neighbourhood Group, is advocating for a new community centre in the south end. The city figures that would cost $35 million from 2010 to 2015. Developers would pay the bulk, with the city having to cover the remaining $3.5 million.

"The city has been promising a south-end community centre for 30 years," Dennis says. "With Guelph's stated goals of being a healthy, active community, it's right we have something down in this end of the city. . . . If people have to drive a long way, they're not going to go."

He stresses the new facility wouldn't serve just the south end. The city's recreation programs are often filled to capacity, so the south-end facility would mean more recreation spots to go around.

Council recently decided to go ahead with a feasibility study for the new facility.

"This was a big step. At least someone will say these are the services needed, and it's not in 15 years," he says.

LIBRARY

ROOM FOR BOOKS

Norm McLeod, Guelph Public Library chief librarian, is advocating for a new central library. The city is projecting that will cost $10.3 million in 2012, with another $7 million coming from developers.

McLeod has spent more than 10 years pushing for a new downtown library.

"We need a library system adequate for a community of 150,000, 200,000 people," he says.

And with around two-thirds of the city's population holding a library card, it's a battle he can't let go of.

"Libraries are one of the few genuinely public places left. It's important they be good space. We've got the relaxing down pat; we've got the user-friendly down pat. What we don't have is enough space -- shelf space, seating space."

Politicians, he says, have long been in agreement.

"This council and every previous council have agreed we need a central library. But we can't agree on timing and how it will be paid for. It's proper for the mayor and council to think long and hard.

"We will reap the benefit for another generation. We've just got to figure out how to pay for it, because there are so many competing pressures."

MUSEUM

HISTORIC IMPORTANCE

Katherine McCracken, director of Guelph Museums, is advocating to move the Civic Museum into the Loretto Convent.

The draft budget suggests the city put $700,000 into that this year, $2 million next year, and $10 million the following year -- as long as other governments pitch in $6 million.

"To anyone who has been here, it's not hard to make the point that we need to expand if we're going to continue to meet our mandate in terms of collecting, researching and exhibiting our history," she says.

But there's no room for the museum to expand on its current site. And the museum board would like the facility to stay downtown, and preferably in a heritage building.

"If we don't pursue the convent, we know there aren't very many options," McCracken says. "There are some museums that build new facilities, but in a community like Guelph where there's a real richness on architectural history, a heritage building is perfect."

When council's finance, administration and corporate services committee directed city staff last June to come back with options on how to recoup the costs of policing, cleanup and garbage pickup downtown, we thought action was finally in the offing in an age-old problem.

That's why it's disappointing -- but understandable -- to see the staff recommendation put off until March. Disappointing because taxpayers will continue to pay the freight until a solution is found; understandable because some bars and restaurants fear they may be stuck with an extra tax while others will get a pass.

Trying to create a livable downtown while working around the ever-present spectre of weekend partying is a daunting challenge, but not an unsolvable one. But simply pinning cleanup and other costs on some businesses -- say those that are open after midnight or those that do brisk trade in takeout food -- in the form of a special levy is too much of a quick fix. And as city staff have already signalled, trying to determine which businesses are contributing to the problem and which aren't is proving to be a fool's game.

Let's not write off Councillor Ian Findlay's suggestion to get more litter bins downtown, or get round-the-clock restrooms in place. And bar owners who are unambiguous in their contention that they are already overtaxed by the various levels of government -- and who aren't already doing so -- could do their part by employing their own cleanup crews on the Sunday morning sidewalks.

We may not retire all of the city's estimated $400,000 annual policing and maintenance costs, but it might be a healthy start.

At least two downtown bar owners say they pay enough tax and don't think the city should impose a "bar-stool levy" as a way to recover costs associated with late-night policing and garbage collection.

Mike Hauser, who owns Doogie's and Pablo's, said bar owners do their part by cleaning up in front of their own businesses and it's the city's responsibility to handle security and cleanup of the rest of downtown.

"As small-business owners, we contribute enough already," he said.

The debate has been sparked by a city council resolution for city staff to report back on how to recover costs associated with downtown policing and waste collection. Last week the city delayed that staff recommendation until March, which means the savings won't be reflected in the 2008 budget. A staff report pegged the costs of downtown security and maintenance at about $400,000.

Councillor Bob Bell said he was disappointed with the deferral and thinks something needs to be done soon.

"We're trying to move away from the rowdiness that occurs late at nights on the weekend," he said, explaining it inhibits residential growth and the look of the downtown.

He supports introducing a levy on business licences that would be based on the closing time of the bar and the number of seats in the establishment. He said bar owners could pass the costs on to patrons by introducing a surcharge on drinks after midnight, for example.

"I understand the bar owners don't want to pay for the cleanup and extra policing but they're the only ones who can control the extent to which we have to police their patrons," he said.

But the staff report questioned the ease of developing a tax that is fair and equitable to downtown businesses.

"Suggestions have been made that only those establishments that are open after midnight should be subject to a special fee," the report said. "However, this is problematic as it has been difficult to identify, with any degree of certainty, which business establishments are contributing to the current situation."

Coun. Ian Findlay, who represents council on the Downtown Nightlife Task Force, said there may be other means to help mitigate current problems.

One suggestion is for the city to install more garbage cans downtown to discourage late-night visitors from littering. Another suggestion is to install 24-hour restrooms either as standalone units or in upcoming capital projects such as the new Carden Street transit hub or the Baker Street library.

"Certainly the idea of a bar-stool tax makes for not huge support from any of the bar owners," he said. "Hopefully we can resolve problems by other means."

Bob Dehu, who owns Trappers Alley, Bobby O'Briens and Palace, said between municipal, provincial and federal taxes, he's paying enough. He thinks the responsibility for cleanup costs shouldn't be pinned on bar owners.

"What's a fair allocation? I've heard it said before that big bars should pay," he said. "This industry has been hit hard enough in the last few years as it is with changes to the smoking bylaw and changes to the double cohort (of students at colleges and universities)."

lthompson@guelphmercury.com