If your head is reeling trying to follow the Boardwalk on Thames project saga, you’re not alone. We broke the story online last Tuesday, had it refuted by other media later that same day, had the developer confirm it to still other media the following day, and by the end of the week we had the mayor riding to the rescue to save it or let them hash it out depending on which media he was speaking with.
Does he get double bonus points for bringing the same $50 million investment twice?
Chatham Mazda from Chatham Voice on Vimeo.
We’ve had armchair engineers speculate about the cold, and developer Victor Boutin’s own words that the union “parasites” ruined the project, as well as lots of other theories.
Here’s the truth: No one’s telling the truth. At least not all of it.
Elsewhere in the paper, we debunked the theory that its union cost will ruin the project.
The ridiculous idea that construction can’t take place in the winter can be crossed off the list too. The fact is, it simply costs more to pour concrete in the winter, and that cost is usually negotiated into the contract. Or not.
See where we’re going with this? It’s money, pure and simple.
Boutin has claimed since 2013 that 80% of the units have been sold. Call us skeptical but we’re not buying it. People willing to spend upwards of a quarter of a million dollars on a condo have options. Would anyone financially commit to that kind of expenditure and tell the developer he can finish the project when he gets around to it?
If so, we have an invisible high rise in New Scotland for you. Drop your cheques off at our office.
So what’s next?
With the mayor too busy saving the project, we’ll step in and say something he should have but managed to forget. If you’re a teacher, nurse, cop, firefighter, bricklayer, electrician, municipal employee or labourer who belongs to a union, you’re not a parasite. We don’t think the mayor was a parasite when he was a union member back before he moved up to tailored suits and international travel.
With that out of the way, he can focus on the other business affected by construction. He may not feel it’s cool to hang out with pawnbrokers, but they pay taxes too.
Funny how tailored suits can do that to a person…thank you for speaking truth. Lord knows this community needs more of it!
What A Go, Chatham Voice. Keep digging and build more factual information into this story. "BoutinWalk" has just started to grow. Has anyone admitted buying one of these condos? I was a Boutin supporter when the project was first announced. Now I am not so sure. I certainly hope this project gets finished by someone in the next 12-16 months…..a six to eight story building would be acceptable here.
You guys say, print and stand by what others are thinking. Thank you!
"TRUE" journalism.
Where's the one in New Scotland? I'm in for 2 units, and I'll drop the cheque off tomorrow. 😉
Excellent!
It's really nice to get news that isn't word for word from the police, from the business, etc… You actually report news in your own words and don't care what billy bob rich guy told you to print or not to print.
Great article, I have read some other reports from different media sources and they sure like to sugar coat the truth, or what they want us the taxpayers to believe is the truth, twisting and turning each others words. Keep digging…the plot as they say thickens. As others have previously posted you print what others are thinking or to scared to say. Journalism at its finest …Way to go Chatham Voice
I don't believe anybody. I do give credit to The Chatham Voice (TCV) for fluffing up the media pillow which is what readers like to see. No hard facts drives people around the bend. Always good for a publication to throw another log on the fire. But don't make false statements. One, condos are pre-sold all the time. Where haven't you been? Second, when Boutin mentioned 'union parasites', he means the union execs, who play vicious games. not the workers. Lastly, pretty sad The Voice would imply Boutin is directing his comments to "teacher, nurse, cop, firefighter, bricklayer, electrician, municipal employee or labourer". Not cool. Again, I wish everyone prosperity in their patience.
Good to see a paper that attempts to dig in (investigate). The other one, not so much. Good reporting takes effort.