Save Our Rand Estate – also known as “SORE” – was created to support responsible development, specifically of the Rand Estate. We welcome projects that respect the unique historical and cultural heritage of NOTL. At the same time, we are prepared to stand up against developers who show little regard for our cultural heritage and the Town’s Official Plan.
Updates
Public meeting on Official Plan on Monday evening
The Town will be hosting a statutory public meeting on Monday evening in the Community Centre on the proposed new Official Plan. SORE has identified a number of deficiencies in the proposed new OP concerning Randwood.
Update on Marotta court challenge of heritage designations
There was an initial court appearance on Thursday (Feb. 14) in St Catharines on the court challenge by the Marotta group of the Town’s decision last August to designate the four Rand Estate properties under the Heritage Act. The matter was put over to early April and will be further spoken to at that time. We do not anticipate an actual hearing until late June.
Marotta Group Asks Court To Quash Council’s Heritage Designation of Randwood
In the latest audacious move by Benny Marotta, lawyers hired by his companies filed a court application last week seeking to nullify Council’s vote last August to designate all four Rand Estate properties under the Heritage Act.
Update on Marotta hotel / convention centre
SORE is pleased to report that it has been given party status by the Conservation Review Board for the appeal by the Marotta group of the designation of all four Rand Estate properties under the Heritage Act.
CAO Dowd provides update on Randwood legal proceedings
Further to an article earlier today on SORE’s website, Town of NOTL CAO Holly Dowd advised residents this afternoon that the Town’s legal counsel (presumably new counsel Turksta as well as Daniels) will be providing an update to Council in a closed session this evening (Dec. 17) and that Council will be providing instructions to counsel.
SORE calls for rejection of incomplete Marotta application
SORE counsel Pat Little delivered a letter to Town staff and Council on Friday requesting that the Town reject the Marotta hotel and convention centre application as incomplete. View below a copy of the letter. Marotta’s application filed with the Town in December of last year listed only two properties – 144 and 176 John […]
Background on One Mile Creek and NPCA
In the ongoing developments at Randwood, there are references to both One Mile Creek and to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. As background for those interested, here’s more information about a group dedicated to protecting the creek. There’s also background about the NPCA.
Heritage designation appeals by Marotta Group
The Marotta Group has appealed the Town’s heritage designation of the four Rand Estate properties to the Conservation Review Board. SORE through its legal counsel Pat Little will be seeking party status for this hearing.
Town to seek injunction against Marotta
SORE’s legal counsel has learned that the Town will be in court tomorrow (Thursday) morning to seek an injunction against the ongoing destruction of Randwood. SORE encourages its supporters and interested residents to attend the court proceedings – 10 am at 59 Church St in St Catherines.
Marotta clear cutting of Rand continues
Benny Marotta continues to show the Town and its residents what he meant when he said he wants to make Niagara-on-the-Lake more beautiful. His shocking clear-cutting of Randwood continues unabated. Drone surveillance photos taken yesterday show the extent of the devastation he has wrought on this local and national treasure.
SORE’s lawyers demand Marotta/Two Sisters prosecution
Having confirmed through drone surveillance that the owners of the Rand Estate have illegally eradicated protected features, including portions of the nationally significant Dunington-Grubb designed landscape, SORE through its lawyers requested immediate prosecution of Benny Marotta and his companies on Monday.
Marotta clear-cutting Rand Estate and destroying protected landscape
Benny Marotta has confirmed SORE’s worst fears. Over the last week Marotta has supervised the virtual clear-cutting of one of the four Rand Estate properties, after misleadingly advising the Town he had a permit to do so from the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA). In spite of demonstrations and pleas from residents and our incoming […]
NOTL 2018 election
SORE acknowledges with thanks all of those who ran for NOTL Council and applauds their public service in the case of our departing councillors and Lord Mayor.
Marotta group seeks to bypass Town on Randwood
In an audacious move, the Marotta group has appealed to outside tribunals on both the heritage designation of the Rand Estate and the planning approvals for its ill-conceived hotel/conference/wedding factory proposal.
SORE’s lawyer requests NPCA prosecution of Marotta group
This is correspondence to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority from the lawyer representing SORE regarding the protected area of One Mile Creek on the site.
Marotta breaches undertaking to Town
SORE recently discovered that Benny Marotta signed an undertaking to the Town when he submitted the zoning by-law amendment application for his hotel/conference/wedding facility. The undertaking promised NO soil disturbance until his application had been dealt with by Council. SORE believes based on extensive photography that this undertaking has been breached repeatedly.
Candidate responses to SORE questions
25 of 27 candidates for the upcoming NOTL election have provided responses to SORE’s 7 questions. Their responses in full on the SORE website. We applaud the obvious effort of many candidates to carefully consider the questions and their thoughtful responses.
SORE yard signs available
SORE now has yard signs available with the message: “Vote to protect our heritage.” If you would like a SORE yard sign, send an email.
7 questions SORE asked town candidates
SORE is requesting responses to seven questions from the candidates in the Niagara-on-the-Lake election. SORE intends to post all responses on our website. Here’s the list of questions.
October municipal election – NOTL
The October municipal election sees a record number of candidates vying for NOTL Town Council and the Lord Mayor’s position. The high degree of interest in these positions no doubt reflects the passion we all feel for this special place and the desire to ensure we approach the future of our town thoughtfully.
Town publishes Notice of Intention to Designate
NOTL Town Clerk Peter Todd responded to an inquiry from SORE to say that the Notices of Intention to designate the four Randwood properties are being published in the St. Catharines Standard on August 16 as the legislated notice with an additional notice will be posted in the Niagara Advance for information to residents. The notices […]
New Marotta proposal: No real improvement
The Marotta group has submitted a revised proposal for its hotel/conference centre/wedding factory to the Town.
Designated!!!
After a several month initiative, SORE and the residents of NOTL were successful Monday night in having Council agree to having all four properties at the Rand Estate designated under the Ontario Heritage Act to recognize their unique and important cultural heritage value to NOTL and to the entire country.