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Bet you won't see any revealing insights or good reportage on this issue at LP real soon ! 
What possible gain is there for the township owning a damn restaurant? It has often been said that a restauranteur can make a lot of money, or lose it just as fast. If there is any expertise among the township staff members who have good judgement on restaurant mnanagement, it must be a deep secret.
The value is in the land not the building.
LFP,
I have absolutely no useful knowledge on the restaurant (except what I have read in the local papers, which is probably not useful).
My interest, however, is your continuing discussion of the airport leases (cited in this article).
I still haven't heard how you can justify Cllr Richter voting for the recreational rental lease at the airport for five years at 13 cents per square foot after she got all that press complaining that users should be paying over a buck a square foot...or are you just going to suggest that consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds?
OK might be right about land value, but land can take a dive as well as appreciate. I question whether the municipality should be dabbling in real estate, and whether there is some other motive. There is also some questions floating about concerning the timeline of events, but I am only going by what I read in the Province.
Yes Virginia, consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. For instance, witness the ongoing defense by the rookie councillor (among others) of HIS historic tax hikes, out of control tax money shovelled into the useless $3-4-5-6+ million Grandstand project, and now support of million $ premiums on questionable restaurant/bar purchases! What I can't understand is how we managed to get 8 of them like this on Council. Could it be the Mayor's slate?
While changing the subject you carefully avoided answering the question 
Hi Methinks,
Please stop and think of ALL the land that the Township already holds for its citizens; and don't forget the infrastructure.
Now, consider the covenants, rights of way, easements, registered building schemes and legal rights to property that the Township has.
Now, consider how the Township generates funding for its budget.
Do you still think that the Township shouldn't "dabble" in real estate?
The Township is all about real estate!
Hi LFP Ed,
I have a simple math question for you:
If 8 are the same and 1 is not, how many are contrary?
OK, The Answer is the slate of 8 of course because they essentially think (oxymoron, literally) as a single collective myopic old boys club of inept business lemmings. Think about the ridiculously inept negotiations with the City on police services after years and years of subsidizing them. These 8 geniuses surprizingly and unbeknowst to them then being bushwacked as well financially on all joint City/Township joint financial operations. Don't worry though this will be subsidized by your & my increased taxes of probably 5++% annually as long as these clearly demonstrated 8 business guru council members are re-elected.
Let me remind you as well of the ridiculous press statements in response about the city especially by boy wonder with stupid immature not so thinly veiled threats of essentially taking our toys and going home by these bozos! The cows left the barn stupid! Great & effective negotiating tactics don't you think? Works for you maybe but not this Editor.
And let me remind you again , historic tax increases, $3-4-5-6+ million Grandstand Fiasco and the continual tax , borrow and most recently once again demonstrated out of control spending with no vision at all that any one knows about other than what is in secret perhaps! Don't give them that much credit of smarts either! I challenge you to show this Editor where this Bedford house $2+ million was budgeted for in their annual plan. But then again maybe these Fort Langley area moves including the golf course is perhaps self serving for someone?
Yup, is this your favoured 8 pack of savvy and business like inteligent stewards of your tax dollars? Gimme a break. It ain't mine! Not only are they contrary to diligent and responsible financial stewardship, but they are pretty much politically stupid and arrogant baffle gabbers to boot.
OK, your view is a reasonable one under some circumstances that could benefit some municipalities perhaps. Langley Township is not one of them at the moment IMO. The mayor's point of view (According to a local paper) is that the Bedford property is necessary to maintain the continuity of the Fort to Fort Trail. I question whether it is necessary to "Buy" the property in order to fulfill that objective. A private owner should have no objections to hikers dropping in for food and drink, and would therefore benefit. I am not familiar with the exact layout of the property, but some sort of right-of-way arrangement would have been less of a burden on the township treasury. The township now faces restaurant management or lessee problems as well as maintenance issues.
I just don't think Bedford House is something that we as tax payers should be involved in at thios point in time. This is especially true if we consider the many pressing infrastructure issues facing the township due to rapid growth. The upgrades necessary for our tranportation routes are evident almost everywhere for example.
Well LFP Ed,
With an attitude like yours, your candidate will likely remain in the minority.
Hi Methinks,
I can respect your concern.
It seems to me that, when Parklane bought this property, for less than market value, a development warning probably sounded at Council. After some consideration, it was determined to keep this waterfont property for a T.O.L. facility and a purchase was arranged. However, the recent Open House hasn't supported this action. So, Council decided to sit on the property purchase announcement for a while.
Note: This property is sure to increase in value.
I hope it does OK. But we can't spend valus, and selling it would defeat the mayor's rationale. Call it an asset maybe, and he can borrow against it when he buys our next golf club. Sorry for the sarcasm.
Methinks, I understand your concern.
I just shake my head in disbelief and wonder where/when all the spending of our monies and raising of taxes is going to end....buy, buy, buy, spend, spend spend.....
At the time he was in I never thought Scholtens was a great mayor but he's looking like a choir boy compared to Kurt and his tight cronies on council. I heard theres a move on to oust that 'clicky group'. I hope it happens before we go bankrupt!
I was of the same opinion, but least Scholtens slate was in the open willy.
LP reports that Bedford House was purchased for $2.55, but has a market value of $3.5 to $4 million. If those figures are correct, does this mean that the developer gave away over a million dollars!! That's not good business practice as a rule. Is there an error somewhere in there, or are their favours owed?
Edited By Siteowner
No wonder TOL is always ragging on the city obviously TOL is spending like a drunken sailor. The City gave TOL a years notice based on what was best for them to pull out of Blair & Mcleod. I wouldn't call that bushwacked! Furthermore why should the city continue dolling out, does the TOL contribute to city coffers for Al Anderson, Seniors centre, Langley community service among others! I don't think so. You are correct LFP editor the cows have left the barn,',',', get over it!! Concern should be for what's happening in TOL not the city appears they can look after themselves quite well!
Anon, don't you think that any half intelligent Mayor should have been in touch with the next door mayor to gauge concerns ahead of time. Obviously not in this case so maybe bushwacked is the wrong term. Got a better one? Arrogance,incompetence, stupidity, etc.?
Methinks, your astute deduction reveals that the commenter obviously did not think through the ramifications of his comments. Not unexpected! But clearly it would seem that some kind of contractual understanding not yet revealed would be in order. Full & open disclosure is demanded.
I think your comments are hedging on liable LFP Editor......I would be very careful! You make many personal statements, many HUGE assumptions and draw willy nilly conclusions......maybe the purchase of the Bedford house may look like a steal of a deal for our next generation of Langlites! STOP thinking for today and look ahead to future generations.
Rennie, I hardly think the purchase of the Bedford house will appear as a good deal for our next generation. With the way in which 'our mayor', and I use that begrudingly, is spending our money.....want, want, want, buy, buy, buy, our generation won't be able to afford to live in this area.
Oh, for the frugal days where you spent as you could afford it or had the money for it. We have to live on a budget in our household, as most people do, and we can't expect to keep going back and loading more expenses on someone else's shoulders, as the township is doing to us with the taxes.
Would anybody know which painter/sculpturist did the finger pointing piece included in the article?
Best regards,
Søren Knudsen
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