A Canadian citizens group in Stratford, Ontario is reaching out to sprawl-busters everywhere to help them make their case with city officials, to stop a proposed Wal-Mart project. Here’s the communication for help from the group Stratford First: “Dear Friends in the Cause: I am writing to solicit your support in our campaign against Wal-Mart and its developer First Pro. First Pro acquired a 64-acre parcel of land in the east end of this city. The parcel has been zoned industrial for many years. The city commissioned a study by Robin Dee & Associates which concluded that the arrival of another big box store would seriously harm the other retailers in Stratford. It further concluded that if we could not stop the arrival of a big box store, we should insist that it locate in a vacant industrial site downtown or at a site in the west end of the city. To bring legislative effect to this report, Council was prepared to pass Official Plan Amendment 10, requiring any new big box applicant to locate in the west end or downtown. Just before this amendment was to be passed, First Pro appeared before council, and got permission to do their own study. More than a year later, they produced a seriously flawed study. There are three Wal-Mart stores now operating, and a fourth planned, all within 30 miles of our city, which has a population of 30,000. I need you to write to our city council in general and Mayor Mathieson in particular, urging the city to not give in to Wal-Mart and to pass OPA 10 as they intended to do in February 2004. I have attached a draft letter, but if you have personal experience with Wal-Mart’s disastrous consequences, so much the better. Feel free to modify the letter in any way that best suits your situation. Any help you can give to sway Council would be very much appreciated. Here’s a sample letter to the Mayor: His Worship, Mayor Dan Mathieson, City of Stratford, 1 Wellington St. Stratford, ON, N5A 6W1. Dear Mr. Mathieson: I urge you and Council to pass Official Plan Amendment 10 to restrict the development of a big box store to either the downtown core or the west end of your city. The risks to your city from a Wal-Mart locating in an already heavily commercial area are enormous. You should at least limit the damage as much as possible. Sincerely,”
Stratford First adds, “If people would like to write letters to the editor, we have two newspapers, The Stratford Beacon Herald, Box 430, Stratford, ON, N5A 6T6, and: The Stratford Gazette, 413 Hibernia St, Stratford, ON, N5A 5W2. For contacts in Stratfordl, contact [email protected]
