UPDATE:
The Fort Erie Times did not even cover the story. No surprise there.
Nature Lover found some interesting information on Azhar Mohammad's Linkedin page:
" Attached to the facility will be a 21 acre Innovation and Technology Park for Automotive Research & Development covering motor sports and general automotive technology. This is is partnership with McMaster University in Canada. The test centre will focus on eco-friendly composite materials development, renewable racing fuels, and powertrain testing adjacent to the track. "
Yet, his e-mail to the reporter from Niagara This Week indicates otherwise:
"Azhar Mohammad, executive director of
the numbered company in charge of the CMS project, confirmed via email
Wednesday that the R&D facility was never going to be built in Fort
Erie, but that McMaster is still committed to the project.
“CMS is responsible for the costs to build the R&D centre while
McMasters PhDs and researchers will provide the software to create the
success,” Muhammad said in an email."
The original spokesman for the project, Jay Mason, who boasted that McMaster signed a MOU to pledge $30 million towards the centre in Fort Erie, will not comment on the latest news, as he is no longer involved in the project.
And the spin continues:
"Muhammad said he’s had extensive
discussions with McMaster’s engineering faculty about the collaboration
between the speedway and the university, and once the OMB hearing is
behind them and the project is moving forward, more information about
the McMaster-CMS collaboration will be revealed.
“Once we have our approvals in place, we will be happy to disclose
details on what we have put together over the last three years with
McMaster,” he said."
So, it's a "secret" until the OMB rules? What appears to be a fabrication of a great, new jobs rich research centre that, according to the executive director of the project "was never going to be built in Fort Erie" will not be revealed until after the OMB hearing. Is this a joke? Do they think that we are that stupid?
Original Article:
The $30M Research & Development Centre
proposed for the Canadian Motor Speedway was never
slated for Fort Erie.
Shall we all go down to the Crystal Beach Tennis and Yacht Club to watch the boats glide into the dock? Or enjoy the band in the outside stage near Fort-E Towers? Uh-oh, back up. We forgot the "Aging in Place" theme in the original promise to the town. And it's just a short hop to Port Dalhousie for a live show in their 400 seat theatre.
(H/T to MI)
BULLETIN: This Just in: Niagara This Week Reporter is reassigned to ubetyoullnevergettowritethetruthagainistan for writing article on the CMS's empty promise for jobs in Fort Erie.
Don't you ever get tired of being a fear mongering slanderous Bowers?
ReplyDeleteThe information regarding the CMS and McMaster was provided by a news article in Niagara This Week. How does reporting the truth and repeating that this was predicted long ago "fear mongering" or "slanderous"?
ReplyDeleteThe truth hurts. No one wants to see the promise of good research jobs disappear, but I believe that the good people of Fort Erie were promised a dream that was never going to happen.
Apparently the Canadian Motor Speedway folks misled the Town in a major way.
ReplyDeleteAzhar Mohammad, executive director of the company in charge of the Canadian Motor Speedway proposal, now says that the R&D facility was never going to be built in Fort Erie and expresses annoyance that some individuals are treating the project as some sort of scam. http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/article/1360170--30m-r-d-facility-never-slated-for-fort-erie
Yet let’s look back at what the minutes say from the Town of Fort Erie in their Council-In-Committee meeting of Sept. 7, 2010
“Kenneth R. DePodesta, P.Eng., Principal Consultant, AMEC Earth & Environmental o/b of Canadian Motor Speedway and Azar Mohammad, Principal, Canadian Motor Speedway…
…Mr. DePodesta provided highlights of the Canadian Motor Speedway as follows:
• A world class facility that will set the new standard for motor sports in North America and beyond and enhance the identity of Fort Erie and the Niagara Region. Development partners Jeff Gordon Inc., McMaster University as well as an expanding list of other Canadian notables will enable this realization.
• It will highlight a Centre of Excellence including a Research and Technology centre as an integrated component of the site anchored by the active participation of McMaster University. The Centre of Excellence along with the Innovation complex
will be the genesis of new, eco-sensitive and future high tech forms of light industry for Fort Erie and the Region.
Then, according to the minutes, Jay Mason, also from the Canadian Motor Speedway said that the speedway can be leveraged to create a successful research park and the Research and Development facility will provide Fort Erie with the opportunity to
differentiate itself from other communities. Mason then concluded that with the speedway and research development, Fort Erie has the opportunity to be a leading edge, socially conscious community that benefits from the new economies.
http://www.town.forterie.ca/WebSite/tofeweb.nsf/0/676FF0A70A4D43408525779A0053F2C0/$File/Sept7c%20-%20minutes.pdf
It appears obvious from these statements that the Canadian Motors Sports people were trying to make Fort Erie believe that the research center would be located here. And now they say that was never what they intended? Sorry, but it sounds like a scam job to me.
RUN from these people. They don’t seem even a tiny bit trustworthy to me.
Once again, Nature Lover, thank you. I spent a good part of the afternoon checking out McMaster's website and saw no mention of the CMS. There has been little coverage of the speedway and its progress, so the article today was like the "other shoe dropped." Notice too that Jay Mason is no longer involved in the CMS. This was a rumour that has been around for over a year. So have the stories about the land options being dropped or not renewed. Yet, we're supposed to believe that this project is the next big thing to hit our job challenged community.
ReplyDeleteWhatever was in the water they served Martin and Thibert when they went on their "excellent adventure" in Dubai?
http://www.bulletnewsniagara.ca/2012/05/23/30-million-research-and-development-facility-never-slated-for-proposed-fort-erie-speedway/
ReplyDeleteDid you read this? It's priceless.
“Muhammad said he’s had extensive discussions with McMaster’s engineering faculty about the collaboration between the speedway and the university, and once the OMB hearing is behind them and the project is moving forward, more information about the McMaster-CMS collaboration will be revealed.
“Once we have our approvals in place, we will be happy to disclose details on what we have put together over the last three years with McMaster,” he said."
GREAT. So, in other words, “Sign on the dotted line, Fort Erie, THEN we’ll tell you the details.”
Those details will no doubt include the fact that there’s no research gonna go on in Fort Erie. And Lord knows what else this Kuwaiti guy will try to put over on Fort Erie, because he apparently thinks he’s dealing with people in Fort Erie who are dumber than dirt.
Just in case anyone misses my point...NEVER sign any agreement with anyone who says they'll fill you in on the details AFTER you sign. And if anyone ever tries to sucker you into doing that, quit dealing with him, because he's up to no good.
Totally agree with you folks, but some of the reasons they want the Not For Nascar here is because
ReplyDelete1) we are dumber than dirt, gave away a beach didn't we.
2) with the lack of moral values steering this town's ship right now,how can they miss! Free trip to the middle east, few drinks, nice dinner for the mayor and his closest pal, Voila! another blight on the landscape of the town.
Please keep up the investigations folks as nothing but crap and propaganda comes from the Times on this and I really hope that you are right Madam Editor and this great job producer (what a joke)goes the way of Salter,Strange and Moustacci or whatever their names where. Just have to get rid of a few more now.
Seems like more "smoke and mirrors" coming from martin's town website.
ReplyDelete"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive".
Well Doug and Jimmy were trying to get the OLG to do it - remember no business plan! So why would they expect anyone else to have a proper business plan??
ReplyDelete"gave away a beach didn't we."
ReplyDeleteWe know that the beach is still"public" in the sense that no one will shoo you away if you park your tush there, but that section of the beach, in front of Fort E. Towers, will have to be shared with the toad habitat and an outhouse.
Speaking of dumber than dirt and outhouses...
ReplyDeleteWHY are we letting Molinaro put public washrooms where the dance hall foundation is? That is PRIME waterfront sandy beach. If that old dancehall foundation were removed, there would be lovely sand there, and that spot would be right where the first people to the beach each day would rush to claim their spot for the day.
Here's the answer. We're letting Molinaro put the washrooms there so he won’t have to take up space on “his” property with them.
I say, let’s not do that. The sandy part of the beach (including the spot where the washrooms are planned) is still Town property and so is the grassy hill where the washrooms presently are. We can decide to do with these two areas what is best. And here’s what’s best:
That old foundation on the sandy part of the beach should be REMOVED, plain and simple. The sandy area underneath it should be allowed to add to the available beach area.
IF MOLINARO CAN’T THEN FIND ROOM FOR PUBLIC WASHROOMS ON “HIS” PROPERTY, WE SHOULD INSIST THAT THE PUBLIC WASHROOMS STAY WHERE THEY ARE, out of the flood zone, on the grassy hill that is STILL Town property.
Sure, there will be no room for the toad habitat then, and the MNR won’t approve the plan. Well, then SO BE IT!
And THAT could be the end of the whole Molinaro problem.
(Don't forget, Council and the voters were previously misinformed about the flood-zone status of the washrooms, and it is only now being announced the the MNR requires the whole area that is now grassy hill area should be turned into toad habitat.)
It really is unfortunate that the CMS may never get off the ground.
ReplyDeleteWe can only hope the Fort Erie taxpayers are not on the hook for any expenses including legal fees for the OMB hearing. Azhar Mohammad seems to be spinning a new tale to keep interest in the project. If McMaster is NOT involved which certainly seems to be the case since they have never promised $30 million dollars.but Mohammed has it in writing - the MOU as per his comments then lets have it - get it out in the public forum as proof. If Mason is out I would question whether Jeff Gordon is involved or frankly was he ever part of this CMS group? It also appears that Town officials have been kept in the dark, however a prudent, experienced Mayor & senior staffer should have asked for the MOU with McMaster to verify their major contribution to the CMS project before re-zoning the property. It will be very interesting to see if the OMB hearing takes place as scheduled.
Lets hope Mohammed doesn't come to Town Council with his hand out for financial assistance.
Once again, let me refer you all to the interview of Martha Lockwood, then councillor for Ward 5, in the Fort Erie Times March 29, 2008:
ReplyDeleteResponding to a request to council by the CBIA and the FOCB to remove the old dance hall foundation on the beach, Martha had this to say:
"If we take it out, it eliminates any possibility of anything being built there again."
That was said before the Molinaros were officially in the picture and the Fort-E Towers were on the record. Yet Martha already kknew that something was to be built on that old dance hall foundation, didn't she?
And, because it can't be repeated enough, she also said in that same article, "Nobody in town hall, including myself is in favour of selling any of the waterfront property."
Comment left at article about the CMA/McMaster situation:
ReplyDeleteUnimaginable!!, developers, planners and politicians exaggerating the benefits of their favored projects?
As I sit at the Crystal Beach Pier Restaurant overlooking the marina, enjoying a Chai tea latte I wonder how anyone could be surprised by this.
Anyone want to go to the new theatre in Port Dalhousie?
Priceless!
"If we take it out, it eliminates any possibility of anything being built there again." These were also Rino's and Tom V's word when they were working on the Neighbourhood plan!
ReplyDeleteThere will be an enormous revetment wall where that foundation is. It will angle way under the sand near the shore to shore up the condo parking wall and the condo itself.
ReplyDeleteNothing would make me happier than the Not for Nascar going the way of the dodo bird (except maybe the condo falling over), but what makes you folks so certain it will never be built? They have money to burn in the Middle East, the likes of which is beyond comprehension here and it's not about business or the biggest joke of all, jobs. It's just a rich man's raceway that is relatively close to Toronto with a cooperative Mayor to ram it through. If you're expecting the OMB to be fair, don't hold your breath as they have an attitude not unlike our local Committee of Adjustment. It's called "build it at all costs". What is the OMB's track record for the appellant I wonder? I think you have more chance with a lotto ticket than a fair hearing from these people. Sure they will make it look good and put on a show of caring and a pretense of listening. After all the condo was found to be "good planning" with a mountain of evidence to the contrary.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said.. May 25, 2012 10:16 AM
ReplyDeleteSad but seemingly true. Money talks and we all have some good idea's as to who is getting it.
Sorry, Anonymous @10:16 am, I had to do a little editing, but you are right. Only slight correction is that the Middle East money is endless. Word is that the ME money men are pulling back from a lot of projects all over the world.
ReplyDeleteI find it odd that certain bloggers have a problem with tax-paying Americans having a say what goes on in Fort Erie, but foreign track owners are revered. The Fort Erie Race Track is owned by a huge Israeli conglomerate: El-Ad. The CMS is being put together by a numbered company based in Kuwait. The Bay Beach project is being built by a firm from Burlington.
There is nothing wrong with this as it is. But, the selective use of editorial outrage against of a group of people who care about their summer community, while certain foreign interests are lauded and even pandered to - even against the town's best interests.
El-Ad is in the building business, so is Molinaro. Do you think there is a connection?
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is a connection between El-Ad, a multi-national investment/building firm and the Molinaros, but who really knows? Certainly not us regular folks. We have no idea what goes on in the towers of power that run the world.
ReplyDeleteWhat I wonder is why the CMS website has not been updated since Jan. 12, 2012. (BTW, the audio of a race that plays on the website, almost made my ears bleed.) Other than an e-mail from Mr. Mohammed, there is nothing new about the speedway. Meanwhile, the OMB hearing will start on June 18. The mayor can't reach the CMS; the intrepid reporter who broke the story about the never-going-to-be-built-$30 million-R&D-centre cannot get a confirmation about the promise floated in late 2009 of the relationship between CMS and MCMaster. A spokesperson from McMaster says he never heard of any such agreement between McMaster and CMS. Jay Mason, who spoke of the $30 million MOU between McMaster and the CMS has dropped out of the project and refuses to speak about it on record.
The recent revelation that there never was a plan to place the R&D at the proposed speedway has only brought a spin that promises more details of "amenities" if and when the OMB rules in favour of the CMS.
WTH is really going on here? How can we trust that the numbered company the is in charge of the project when it is almost impossible to reach or get a straight answer from?
The only thing we hear from the CMS spokesperson is that there is a negative spin being put on the project by "a few." Well, maybe Mr. Mohammed can shine a little more light on the project in light of this new (old) information instead of just e-mailing a reporter and making rumblings of threats against those who do not trust that we're getting an accurate picture of the project.
Martha Lockwood was telling the truth when she said "nobody at Town hall was in favour of selling part of the beach," but giving it away was a different matter so she was right about that statement was this a Freudian slip?
ReplyDeleteI believe that Martha was clued in on the big picture during the junket to Port Credit earlier in 2008. Around the same time, the issue of what to do with the old dance hall foundation came up in a request by the BIA and FOCB to remove it, thus expanding the usable beach and removing a major eyesore. She had to "explain" why the removal was not a good idea, thus her statement to The Times on March 29, 2008.
ReplyDeleteWho would say such a thing unless they were made aware of plans for that old foundation? What conscientious councillor would work against cleaning up a safety hazard/eyesore on the public beach?
Martha, that's who. And that, as well as other statements, are the reason she was voted out of office in 2010.
Here's some good news:
ReplyDeleteGroundbreaking for new combined fire stations on Central Avenue.
Will be open in May, 2013. Wasn't this something that the present council pushed through? I seem to remember the RB whiners saying that the fire station would never happen because of the new council. Am I right?
Of course the new Council will be criticized for the firehall.Wait for it. They have approved money we dont have. Tax increase estimated to be 9% will soar into double digits.A responsible Council would have deferred until the repercussions of so much unemployment is felt with more to come next year,
ReplyDeleteCount the For Sale signs, Can a Town declare bankrupcy? Of course the lighthouse can be listed as an asset and can we get our parade money back?
Speaking of parades how come we dont hear anything about this 2 million dollar deal as reported in the 1812 Council minutes, Its not even mentioned in this years Tourism brochures, So waz up? Can our rep on the Comittee, Passero ,be approving this supposed 2 million expenditure?
ReplyDeleteYes your right, RB attacked the four relentlessly because they (in their dillusional minds) said it would not be built because of the four.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Rino and Tom V back in 2004-5 the whole beach is considered a Hazard Zone! In other words it is a liability and we should not be using it!
ReplyDeleteto anonymous May 25, 2012 8:23 PM
ReplyDeletewaz up?
2 million, I think you added a few too many zero's. Fort Erie council minutes referred to $200,000 towards an important part of Fort Erie's history towards the War of 1812 Bicentennial celebration/recognition.
Get your facts straight dude.
I just have to note that the Times of May 26 makes absolutely NO MENTION of the McMaster news. Could this rag be any more in the tank for the council and developers?
ReplyDeleteYes, just maybe. The Times were to cover the rally at Bay Beach years ago, he was a "No Show".
ReplyDeleteNo change.
So sick of one-sided coverage.
And that other newpaper [a misnomer] is so ridiculous it is hilarious. And the Town even acknowledges him as "press" at Council Meetings.
Here’s a little more evidence that it was not that the Town of Fort Erie somehow merely imagined (and put into their meeting minutes) that the Canadian Motor Speedway was supposed to have a research and development facility on site.
ReplyDeleteExcerpted from the Linkedin site for Azhar Mohammad:
"Summary
Sourcing strategic investment opportunities in North America which are Shariah compliant or hilaal for our investors…
Experience
Partner & Executive Director
Canadian Motor Speedway
June 2007 – Present (5 years)
The World's First Carbon Neutral Speedway Development and Innovation Park. Located 10 minutes from Niagara Falls in Canada and will be the country's first professional oval track and combined FIA road course. Attached to the facility will be a 21 acre Innovation and Technology Park for Automotive Research & Development covering motor sports and general automotive technology. This is is partnership with McMaster University in Canada. The test centre will focus on eco-friendly composite materials development, renewable racing fuels, and powertrain testing adjacent to the track. NASCAR Champion Jeff Gordon is a strategic partner…”
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/azhar-mohammad/7/87a/80b
If indeed, as the newspapers say, this rather big research-park claim isn't true, why does that seem to be okay with some people in Fort Erie? And it the research-park claim wasn't true, don't you have to ask what other claims also aren't true?
Anonymous May 25, 2012 8:34 AM said...
ReplyDelete"There will be an enormous revetment wall where that foundation is. It will angle way under the sand near the shore to shore up the condo parking wall and the condo itself."
Thanks for pointing that out. I have lots of questions about the revetments that I hope you or someone else can answer.
They call these "buried" revetments, but from the cross-section on the plans, it looks to me like stone wall will be exposed too, right? Do you know how high these revetments will be? Will toads actually be able to hop up them? Will they be something you could fall over? And how wide will the exposed walls on the revetments be? I'm trying to picture how much of the beach will be used up by angled stone walls. And how stable will the tops of these will be, i.e., can we walk on top of them? If the washrooms were removed, could the revetments by the waterline be removed too, or are they required to be that close to the water to support the building from hell? I see that the planned revetments were placed farther away from the water by the artificial toad habitat that takes up what used to be the large town-owned public recreation space. Will all the revetments be the same height or will some be higher than others?
If anyone can answer any of these questions or point me to the right documents, I'd appreciate it. Surprisingly, to me, I don't see dimensions on the plans.
12;13 Dude
ReplyDeletePerhaps 2 million is an exaggeration but the following facts are not. The town indeed gave $200,000 tax money to this project and Ileave it with you to calculate the following.
From the 1812 Bicentennial Planning Committee Minutes as presented to Council April 23rd 2012
John Johnston Coordinator reports
2 Employees hired to assist with the Grande Parade and other events
Grande Parade Budget $1,185,000{yes that is the correct number of zeros}Over one million dollars!!!
Hire a band from England $100,000
$50,000 travel expenses.
Marketing budget $74,000
Fireworks $15,000
Parade Marshall $20,000
Expectation is for50 bands to come out,
Family members out of work due to slot closure are very pleased with a million dollar parade,,Whooppee
The first 66 feet of the beach is Federal property how can the Town give land they don't own to anybody, Oh the Dougie and his father-in law and Heinz Hummel already did that, and got away with that, the land by the Fort left of Bardol Street. 1982. they also sold the only access to the Woehl Pioneer Cemetary off the Niagara Parkway, that shows how much respect they have for our founding families.
ReplyDeleteIt becomes obvious from nature lovers post 4;30 that Mohammed and the boys have a marketing stategy, Eliminate Fort Erie from the scene and align themselves with Niagara Falls "10 minutes from NF"
ReplyDeleteI join the fear mongers who say there will be no benefit to the Town and local merchants,,,,We will soon hear {if it ever happens} come to Niagara Falls and enjoy race car events.
I think there is a concerted effort to wipe FE off the map as a first step towards the Regional plan of amalgamation.In losing services we are always first,,,unfortunately.
One huge problem with the revetment design concept is that the shoreline consists of shale, very unstable! The Molinaro's stated in their Justification Report, the condo should have 12 storeys, that is the maximum height possible in that area, therefore making the best use of the land.
ReplyDeleteThe Baird Report was done previously and mentions the damage wave action can make on an abutment. The revetment wall has to be dug very deeply and then is to be covered with sand. Some other coastal engineers have looked at the plans and said it was not sound. Let's hope we don't have to find out.
Anon @ 6:30 AM: I agree with you. The better place for the speedway is in Niagara Falls. It is a better fit for that tourist area. It fits right in with what is there now: gambling, high wire act, thrills and chills. Oh, and a beautiful, natural wonder. It is also better positioned, having three bridges in the vicinity. The Falls already has plenty of hotels, camping grounds, restaurants and B&Bs. Fort Erie would benefit from the overflow and it would cost us nothing. And we get to have peace and quiet while a major tourist area gets all the expense - and the headaches.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan to me.
Just like Fort-E Towers, the "benefits" of the speedway are still way out of proportion to what it will cost the taxpayers.
Even Meghan McCain can't catch a break.
ReplyDeleteCut it out, Internet bullies!
I have just noticed that Azhar Mohammed's LinkedIn profile features the following; "Sourcing strategic investment opportunities in North America which are Shariah compliant or hilaal for our investors."
ReplyDeleteThere is reason to believe that to be a shariah compliant facility, the Speedway would have to refrain from serving alcohol or pork products, or any other non-halal meat product at any of its concessions or hospitality facilities. It is quite conceivable that this also means that these products would be unwelcome in the camping areas. This amounts to a very strange business plan for a facility with aspirations to drawing NASCAR fans.