Candidate Jeff Davis pushing hard for Ward 4
Below please find an exchange between the Durham Region and Jeff Davis, Regional and City Councillor candidate for Ward 4.
Giving a strong pushback and advocating now on behalf of both our neighbourhood and the local business owners who have had same or similar issues.
"Good morning, Ms. McIntosh,
Thank you for your response in a timely manner.
By way of CC, I have added Ms. Kiersten Allore-Engel, as there is definitely a degree of Community Safety and Wellbeing involved with this request.
Unfortunately, your response fails to address when the Region of Durham will take a cooperative approach to meet with the concerned citizens living within the community around the Olive Avenue Micro Home project.
This delay in action is exactly why I have been approached to intervene on behalf of the Community and their contact Denise Boudreau.
The Community has already reached out to secure a location for a community meeting and has developed their own contact list through which they continue to share information.
While you state "Community consultation is embedded in the micro homes’ evaluation and continuous improvement process" your response lacks a definitive plan for requested community consultation. The insights of the Community should be an integral part of your evaluation of this project and a helpful insight into improving the micro homes project/process.
I can assure you that despite the Region's statement that " Ensuring a positive community environment for the micro home occupants and their neighbours is important", the community experience has been far less than positive and continued delays or refusals to meet in a collaborative effort to improve that experience is not helping to improve the community environment.
Members of the Community have even suggested hosting a BBQ to assist in the integration of your tenants to the community, but continued lack of community consultation, delays in supporting their efforts to share their insights, ideas and suggestions, are creating a negative and unwelcoming atmosphere among the Community members who are invested in their community.
We have long term residents in this community whose grandchildren are not permitted to visit them due to concerns over safety. The pendulum shift of inclusivity, equity and community diversity unjustly precludes the rights of the citizens of this community. We are offering an opportunity to make this right, to improve the service being provided by the Micro Home pilot project, to build community.
I implore you to reevaluate your response and agree to the requested community meeting on a timely basis. The community has already secured a location and is certainly showing interest in opening a cooperative dialogue. One side is willing but cannot do it alone.
Jeff Davis
Candidate for Regional and City Councillor,
Ward 4, Oshawa
Long standing advocate for Accountability and Transparency"