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Globe and Mail
Opponents of Bloor makeover 'mudslinging,' city says
JEFF GRAY
October 17, 2008
A group of retailers along Bloor Street led by china shop William Ashley has launched what one city official called a "mudslinging" campaign in their fight against a $25-million plan to remake the posh downtown shopping strip with wider, granite sidewalks.
The group, called Concerned About Bloor, alleged in an e-mailed press release that the local business improvement area groups paying $20-million toward the Bloor project are plagued by "serious irregularities," including the granting of tens of thousands of dollars in contracts to two volunteer board members, lobbyist Doug Jure and real-estate broker Bob Saunderson.
Clayton Ruby, the high-profile lawyer hired by William Ashley to fight the Bloor Street project in court, argues the contracts, which totalled more than $100,000, broke the BIA's own rules: "What these guys did is ignored the language of the constitution that governs the BIA."
Mr. Jure, chairman of the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area, called the accusation "outrageous." He said that his $3,000-a-month contract to act as "government affairs consultant" for the BIA to seek funding for the project, among other things, does not break any rules and that he recused himself when the board made the decision.
He has had the contract since 2002, but was paid $2,000 a month until last year.
On the BIA's board, Mr. Jure also represents, but does not work for, the Devon Group, a Yorkville-area PR firm also hired by the BIA last year, in a decision from which he also recused himself, but that was also highlighted by Concerned About Bloor.
"You can appreciate how awkward it is that we have a major retailer behaving in this manner," Mr. Jure said, referring to William Ashley's campaign against the project, which he said now has nowhere near the 50 dissenting retailers the group originally claimed.
Mr. Saunderson said he was paid $3,000-a-month for an 11-month period from 2005 to 2006 to work two days a week selling the project to local businesses.
But he also recused himself from the vote on his contract.
He said he would be seeking legal advice: "It's actually, I think, libellous ... I wouldn't rule [a libel suit] out. This is disgusting."
Mike Major, the city official in charge of overseeing the city's business improvement areas, said no city rules were broken: "It's all mudslinging at this point."
Concerned About Bloor, which has hired the communications and lobbying firm Navigator Ltd., sent the press release to The Globe and Mail on Wednesday, saying that members of the BIAs would raise the issues at a joint annual meeting of the two organizations that night at the Royal Ontario Museum.
But according to Briar de Lange, the general manager of the Bloor-Yorkville BIA, and Mr. Jure, William Ashley representatives did not raise any concerns.
Mr. Jure did make a presentation about his contract at the meeting, however.
Last week, Mr. Ruby argued in Divisional Court that the city failed to conduct a proper environmental assessment for the project. He urged a panel of three judges to stop the project - already under construction - to allow for an economic impact study and more public consultations.
The court reserved its decision.
Opponents of Bloor makeover 'mudslinging,' city says
JEFF GRAY
October 17, 2008
A group of retailers along Bloor Street led by china shop William Ashley has launched what one city official called a "mudslinging" campaign in their fight against a $25-million plan to remake the posh downtown shopping strip with wider, granite sidewalks.
The group, called Concerned About Bloor, alleged in an e-mailed press release that the local business improvement area groups paying $20-million toward the Bloor project are plagued by "serious irregularities," including the granting of tens of thousands of dollars in contracts to two volunteer board members, lobbyist Doug Jure and real-estate broker Bob Saunderson.
Clayton Ruby, the high-profile lawyer hired by William Ashley to fight the Bloor Street project in court, argues the contracts, which totalled more than $100,000, broke the BIA's own rules: "What these guys did is ignored the language of the constitution that governs the BIA."
Mr. Jure, chairman of the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area, called the accusation "outrageous." He said that his $3,000-a-month contract to act as "government affairs consultant" for the BIA to seek funding for the project, among other things, does not break any rules and that he recused himself when the board made the decision.
He has had the contract since 2002, but was paid $2,000 a month until last year.
On the BIA's board, Mr. Jure also represents, but does not work for, the Devon Group, a Yorkville-area PR firm also hired by the BIA last year, in a decision from which he also recused himself, but that was also highlighted by Concerned About Bloor.
"You can appreciate how awkward it is that we have a major retailer behaving in this manner," Mr. Jure said, referring to William Ashley's campaign against the project, which he said now has nowhere near the 50 dissenting retailers the group originally claimed.
Mr. Saunderson said he was paid $3,000-a-month for an 11-month period from 2005 to 2006 to work two days a week selling the project to local businesses.
But he also recused himself from the vote on his contract.
He said he would be seeking legal advice: "It's actually, I think, libellous ... I wouldn't rule [a libel suit] out. This is disgusting."
Mike Major, the city official in charge of overseeing the city's business improvement areas, said no city rules were broken: "It's all mudslinging at this point."
Concerned About Bloor, which has hired the communications and lobbying firm Navigator Ltd., sent the press release to The Globe and Mail on Wednesday, saying that members of the BIAs would raise the issues at a joint annual meeting of the two organizations that night at the Royal Ontario Museum.
But according to Briar de Lange, the general manager of the Bloor-Yorkville BIA, and Mr. Jure, William Ashley representatives did not raise any concerns.
Mr. Jure did make a presentation about his contract at the meeting, however.
Last week, Mr. Ruby argued in Divisional Court that the city failed to conduct a proper environmental assessment for the project. He urged a panel of three judges to stop the project - already under construction - to allow for an economic impact study and more public consultations.
The court reserved its decision.
