Author Archives: admin

News Update:  June 11, 2008 article by John Barber Globe and Mail.

Re:   ‘City Council June 23/08  ‘Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma Management Agreement’

 Torontonians’ are about to be robbed  of over  $49.36 Million* in losses for another 20 years when City Council meets on June 23rd of 2008 to approve Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma Management Agreement.

(*refer below A to D on City loses $ 49 million)

The City Manager’s report recommendations for this lease agreement were approved by the City’s Executive Committee on June 3rd 2008, granting Kiwanis Club to receive another 20 years ‘sole-sourced’ control of Casa Loma. For the past 70 years since 1936, Kiwanis Club have had monopolistic control for governance of our city-owned Casa Loma castle.

 

On Canada Day, Kiwanis Club (a US republican charity club) agreement will be effective for another 20 year tenure over Canada’s castle – 2nd largest tourist attraction. For a total of 90

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Posted on June 11, 2008 by admin | Comments Off on Letter Jun 11/08

June-10-2008 Globe and Mail – Deal or no deal – the city and Kiwanis play for CL

Posted on June 10, 2008 by admin

by JOHN BARBER  jbarber@globeandmail.com June 10, 2008

Here are the clues: broken glass in a medieval turret, a handful of vintage weapons missing, a grandfather clock on the roof and a trail of blood leading north into the teeming city. Agatha Christie couldn’t have given the local constabulary juicier evidence than what one or more idiots left behind at this weekend’s bungled break-in at Casa Loma.

But the real-world detective gravitates to Schedule “G” of the draft version of the city’s latest management agreement with Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma, the one labelled “Inventory,” to discover whom this strange swag belonged to in the first place. Finding the dossier strangely empty, he undertakes a troubling journey into the heart of a one-sided deal that appears to arrange for profits from the tourist trap at the public’s expense.

Empty Schedule “G” is the tell-tale, if only because it demonstrates how one-sided the city’s latest deal with Kiwanis really is. Two years

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Aug-22-2007 Tug of War

Posted on August 22, 2007 by admin
http://casalomatrust.ca/documents/CL.post.mag.aug22.07.pdf… Read the rest
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Jul-2007-Globe-Behold the Black Magic of King Kiwanis

Posted on July 30, 2007 by admin

http://casalomatrust.ca/img/globe7jul07.jpg… Read the rest

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July-19-2007 The Star – City, Kiwanis at odds over Casa Loma control –

Posted on July 19, 2007 by admin
Toronto Star

City Notebook – July 19, 2007

The Kiwanis Club should get a chance to negotiate a new, 20-year licensing agreement to operate Casa Loma, Toronto City Council has decided.

But the battle for control may not be over. Richard Wozenilek, chair of the castle’s board, says the Kiwanians will insist on having voting control, something Councillor Joe Mihevc (Ward 21, St. Paul’s) vowed to fight as “totally, totally inappropriate” for a city-owned building.

An advisory committee had recommended setting up a new Casa Loma Trust to run the deteriorating facility, but after Kiwanis mounted a strong lobbying campaign,councillors backed away.

Mihevc said a poor governing structure is at the heart of the castle’s troubles – the city owns and maintains the exterior while Kiwanis maintains the interior and runs programs.

Councillor Mike Del Grande (Ward 39, Scarborough Agincourt) said it would be inconsistent for the city to insist on a tightly crafted deal with Kiwanis: “We’ve done a

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Jul-19-2007-Star- City, Kiwanis at odds over Casa Loma control

Posted on July 19, 2007 by admin
Toronto Star City Notebook

The Kiwanis Club should get a chance to negotiate a new, 20-year licensing agreement to operate Casa Loma, Toronto City Council has decided.

But the battle for control may not be over. Richard Wozenilek, chair of the castle's board, says the Kiwanians will insist on having voting control, something Councillor Joe Mihevc (Ward 21, St. Paul's) vowed to fight as "totally, totally inappropriate" for a city-owned building.

An advisory committee had recommended setting up a new Casa Loma Trust to run the deteriorating facility, but after Kiwanis mounted a strong lobbying campaign,councillors backed away.

Mihevc said a poor governing structure is at the heart of the castle's troubles – the city owns and maintains the exterior while Kiwanis maintains the interior and runs programs.

Councillor Mike Del Grande (Ward 39, Scarborough Agincourt) said it would be inconsistent for the city to insist on a tightly crafted deal with Kiwanis: "We've done a lot of lousy deals

… Read the rest
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Jul-19-2007-Globe- Dogs get their day – and room to run

Posted on July 19, 2007 by admin

Globe & Mail

By JENNIFER LEWINGTON AND JEFF GRAY

Council approves new rules for off-leash areas in parks and finally decides the fate of Casa Loma

Meanwhile, the battle for Casa Loma - seen as Toronto's tired, aging castle on a hill - was finally won yesterday when city council voted to keep it in the hands of the Kiwanis Club, despite objections from a handful of councillors.

The fight pitted the local councillor, Joe Mihevc (Ward 21, St. Paul's), an ally of Mayor David Miller, against the Kiwanians, who hired Paul Sutherland, a former councillor and well-connected lobbyist, to knock on doors and make their case at city hall.

Their efforts helped reverse a recommendation by a blue-ribbon panel that they be stripped of their control of the city-owned palatial home, which the Kiwanis Club says remains the city's No. 2 tourist attraction, next to the CN Tower.

Council voted yesterday 32-5 to instruct bureaucrats to enter into negotiations

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Councilors Question Mihevic Part 1 Jul 18/07

Posted on July 18, 2007 by admin
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June-26-2007 National Post – Kiwanis not to be cast out of Casa Loma Renovations proposed

Posted on June 26, 2007 by admin
Council committee endorses renewing 20-year contract

Kelly Patrick
National Post

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Council’s executive committee yesterday narrowly endorsed a plan to leave the Kiwanis Club in charge of Casa Loma for another 20 years — despite an advisory panel’s recommendation that the historic castle’s operations be overseen by a public trust and be put out for competitive tender.

“Casa Loma has deteriorated into largely a third-class banquet hall,” Councillor Howard Moscoe complained. “The Kiwanis proposal might make it a first-class banquet hall, but it lacks the excitement that needs to be injected into what has become a very sad situation.”

The Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma has operated the interior of the Edwardian castle near Spadina Road and Dupont Street since 1937; the city, which owns the building, is responsible for its exterior.

Under a long-standing deal that expires on Dec. 31, 2008, Kiwanis pays a portion of the castle’s operating revenue to the city, which holds the

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