>Grimsby Council passes 4.99 per cent tax increase, Pg. 6 >$560K fire levels Beamsville home Pg. 5 > Spring Home Improvement Pg. 17-19 > Kinsmen ready for 50th anniversary party Pg. 23 Thursday, April 21, 2016 Vol. 4 Issue 46
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Ron Houtby puts a little shine on his 1941 Chevy Master Deluxe in preparation for Jordan Lions Club’s 2nd Annual swap meet and car show set for Saturday, May 1, at Jordan Arena. Lion Glen
Up Front Traffic talk tonight Grimsby’s Transit Investigation Committee has planned an coffee-and-learn session for tonight, Thursday, April 21 at Town Hall. Presentations from two Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury officials will highlight their experiences dealing with GO Transit and other transportationrelated issues. The session runs from 7-9 p.m.
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Corfield, who chairs the car show event, officiates. The show will run from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For full details on the show, please turn to Page 15. Williscraft - Photo
Non-existent grant jeopardizes condos Brownstone development application in works for year before problem realized By Mike Williscraft NewsNow When is a grant application really not a grant application? When the program applied for does not exist: as was the circumstance for Paul Borejsza of Brite Developments. Borejsza has planned on developing the former Grimsby Stove property at 22 John St., which it was know required soil remediation due
to contamination. During this presentation to council Monday night, Borejsza noted the initial cost for remediation was $380,000 but has escalated to about $480,000. In 2013, the Town of Grimsby cited the Property Revitalization (Tax Increment) Grant program among its offerings. This program, matched by Niagara Region, could give about $18,000 of
tax relief for 10 years. The program is incentive to have properties developed which require environmental clean-up. It is geared to assessment on the property in question. The problem dealt with a Monday’s council meeting was Borejsza started the process last June when the grant program was introduced to him by staff. As part of his plan to initiate reme-
diation in June 2016, Borejsza obtained an application in October and submitted the completed document in December. With the site plan nearing completion and everything ready to go with the remediation except confirming financing details hinging on the grant, Borejsza was notified of a problem. “Apparently, due to lack of interest...the grant was not initi-
ated,” said Grimsby CAO Derik Brandt in explaining the situation to council. The outline of the grant program was set but the criteria was never developed. While Borejsza made an impassioned plea for council to approve his project under the grant in principle, council opted to shelve the application for three months as per staff’s recommendation. See GRANT, Page 3