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Updates

LPAT Hearing this Thursday

Article posted on May 6, 2019

LPAT

The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) is holding an important case management conference this Thursday, May 9 at 10 am in the Town Community Centre Auditorium on Benny Marotta’s request for approval of his convention centre/hotel proposal at the Rand Estate.

Reminder to send support for SORE to LPAT

Article posted on April 8, 2019

Benny Marotta has appealed the zoning bylaw application for his proposed convention centre and hotel to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT), rather than letting your elected Council make a decision. LPAT has now set a prehearing on May 9 at the Community Centre.

SORE granted party status by Superior Court

Article posted on April 5, 2019

St-Catharines-Robert-S.-K.-Welch-Courthouse

SORE has been granted full party status to intervene in the court challenge brought by Benny Marotta’s companies of your elected Council’s decision to designate the Rand Estate under the Heritage Act.

Update on legal proceedings and request for assistance

Article posted on April 4, 2019

St-Catharines-Robert-S.-K.-Welch-Courthouse

SORE’s lawyers appeared in court on the morning of April 3 in St Catharines on Benny Marotta’s attempt to overturn Council’s decision last August to designate the Rand Estate under the Heritage Act. Dozens of NOTL residents packed the courtroom to support SORE. In our ongoing game of “whack a mole” with Benny Marotta, we are now focused on the next legal challenge he has initiated – to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT).

SORE court hearing 10 am Wednesday

Article posted on April 2, 2019

SORE now has confirmation on the timing of its application to intervene in Benny Marotta’s efforts to have a court overturn Council’s decision last August to designate the Rand Estate properties under the Heritage Act. SORE’s motion will be heard tomorrow, Wednesday April 3, at 10 am. The motion will be heard at the court […]

SORE: Building Support to Save the Rand Estate

Article posted on March 20, 2019

Randwood Estate in Niagara-on-the-Lake

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 Official Plan.

Public meeting on Official Plan on Monday evening

Article posted on February 22, 2019

Niagara on the Lake town logo

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

Article posted on February 16, 2019

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

Article posted on January 31, 2019

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

Article posted on January 8, 2019

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

Article posted on December 17, 2018

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

Article posted on December 16, 2018

SORE counsel Pat Little letter to Town staff and Council requesting that the Town reject the Marotta hotel and convention centre application as incomplete.

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

Article posted on December 13, 2018

Friends of One Mile Creek

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

Article posted on December 3, 2018

Nov. 27 letter from attorney for Two Sisters and Solmar

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

Article posted on November 28, 2018

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

Article posted on November 20, 2018

Clear cutting of Rand Estate seen in a photo taken from a drone on November 19, 2018.

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

Article posted on November 14, 2018

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

Article posted on November 12, 2018

Rear of the Rand Estate (588 Charlotte) November 12, 2018

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

Article posted on October 24, 2018

2018-NOTL-Election_Logo

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

Article posted on October 20, 2018

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

Article posted on October 19, 2018

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

Article posted on October 10, 2018

SORE letter Oct 10 2018

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

Article posted on September 22, 2018

2018-NOTL-Election_Logo

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

Article posted on September 13, 2018

SORE yard sign

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.

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Latest Updates

  • NOTL Receives Prestigious Heritage Award
  • Rand Estate latest moves by Benny Marotta
  • Update on LPAT proceedings
  • Marotta Group zoning appeal to LPAT – important meeting Tuesday, Sept. 8
  • SORE and Town File Materials with Court of Appeal
  • Update re Marotta Group legal proceedings

On SORE website

  • December 2019 Update from SORE re Rand Estate
  • Updates
  • How You Can Help
  • Benny Marotta the Developer- Media Archive
  • History of Randwood Estate
  • Archive of Proposal Documents

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