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Updates

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 2018

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.

7 questions SORE asked town candidates

Article posted on September 5, 2018

2018-NOTL-Election_Logo

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

Article posted on August 31, 2018

Niagara on the Lake town logo

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

Article posted on August 20, 2018

176 John Street East - Notice of Intention -

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

Article posted on August 15, 2018

Randwood revised

The Marotta group has submi‎tted a revised proposal for its hotel/conference centre/wedding factory to the Town.

Designated!!!

Article posted on August 15, 2018

144 John Street East - Notice of Intention

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.

Urge Council to support MHC on demolition

Article posted on August 11, 2018

SORE encourages you and  your friends to email Lord Mayor Darte and Council prior to Monday night’s special Council meeting and urge them to accept the recommendations in staff report MHC-18-039 as modified by the recommendations adopted by the MHC at its meeting of Aug 8, 2018, concerning designation of the Rand Estate properties. SORE […]

Important special Council meeting Monday, August 13

Article posted on August 9, 2018

Mayor Darte has called a special Council meeting for 6 pm next Monday in Virgil.   The meeting is intended to allow Council to vote on instructing staff to proceed with the heritage designations of all four Rand Estate properties. Please attend to let Council know they need to finish the job they started, and […]

Draft of proposed delegation by David Bell to Council about the 2011 decision

Article posted on July 20, 2018

This is the text of the intended delegation by David Bell about the Council 2011 decision on Randwood. The Town Clerk did not allow presentation of this delegation at the July 16, 20158, Council meeting.

David Bell speaks to COTW about “Callum Opinion” on role of MHC

Article posted on July 9, 2018

David Bell appeared before NOTL Council Committee of the Whole (COTW) on Monday night, July 9, to address the legal opinion prepared by Callum Shedden and referred to as the “Callum Opinion” in the agenda of the June 12th Municipal Heritage Committee (MHC) meeting about the 2011 decision of Town Council that the MHC should play a key role in approving any development plans for Randwood.

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Latest posts by SORE

  • SORE Letter to Council and OLT Update
  • How the Lord Mayor candidates answered SORE
  • NOTL candidates provide responses to SORE survey
  • Richard Mell responses to SORE 2022
  • Maria Mavridis responses to SORE 2022
  • Alistair (AJ) Harlond responses to SORE 2022
  • Allan Bisback responses to SORE 2022

On SORE website

  • Updates
  • 2022 municipal election
  • How You Can Help
  • Benny Marotta the Developer- Media Archive
  • History of Randwood Estate
  • 2021 Rand Subdivision proposal documents
  • 2018 Hotel Proposal Documents
  • 2018 Hotel Proposal Media Coverage
  • 2018 Hotel Proposal Process
  • December 2019 SORE Update

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