Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Dear Mayor Miller and Members of City Council,

Re: City Council's agenda starting July 16, 2007- 'Casa Loma's Operations and Governance'

The Executive Committee and staff recommendations are to grant an additional 20 year lease to Kiwanis Club. Since 1936 these sole sourced leasing agreements have continually been renewed in partnership with the city.

Yesterday I delivered a letter to Your Worship and City Councillors, addressing these concerns of the city's 70 year history of back room deals with Kiwanis Club’s governance control of Casa Loma. On the letter’s cover page is a copy of John Barber's Globe and Mail article (Sat. July 7/07) addressing these issues. "Behold the magic of King Kiwanis." The last page of the letter is a copy of John Spear's Toronto Star article June 26/07 Heavy Agenda for Executive Committee 'Casa Loma Control debated.'

 The letter and articles question why this 20 year lease is been recommended to continue Kiwanis unaccountable history of city back-room deals. A plan developed between city officials in partnerships with Lobbyist Paul Sutherland, the Deputy Mayor to former Mayor Mel Lastman and Liberty Grand Entertainment Group's CEO & President, Nick Di Donato.   It is a sole sourced, private partnership agreement made between the City officials and Richard Wozenilek, lawyer partner at Weir and Folds, and chairman of Kwainis Club of Casa Loma's board of Trustees.

The letter delivered is urging all Councillors to endorse Councillor Mihevc's motion in support of the City's, Casa Loma Advisory Committee (CLAC) recommendations for new governance for Casa Loma under a public trust with an RFP open tender process. The letter details the 3 years of Mayor Miller and city staff's endorsement of CLAC's recommendations for a NEW governance that have suddenly been 'derailed' after the head of Kiwanis hires lobbyists and partners to secure another 20 years to their 73 year monopoly control of the city's castle. 

36 Years ago in 1970 Sid Adilman wrote an article in Toronto Life Magazine (attached) refers to Kiwanis's PRIVATE CLUB CONTROL over Casa Loma in 1970.  That was midway between Kiwanis‘s 70 years of multiple leases (with 27 months extension made to Sept. 2006 lease end). Now staff is recommending another 20 years lease be granted. During the past 36 years, half of Kiwanis 70 year leasing history, NO Mayor or City Council has been held accountable to the public to uphold transparent open governorship against the black magic powers of Kiwanis, (Republican Party) control of Canada’s castle since 1936.

Will Toronto's Casa Loma continue to be controlled by Kiwanis's back room deals?

If Toronto’s new City Act cannot act to take back control of our city’s castle, will the provincial government be a better custodian of Canada’s castle? If Casa Loma’ builder Colonel Sir Henry Pellatt was alive he would have had his Queens Own Rifles take back control of his castle.

Trusting in your govern- ship of Canada’s Casa Loma.

Yours Truly,

Trelawny Howell,

Sir Henry Pellatt’s great grand niece

416 927-1866

References: for archives of Press, City Council and Committees’ reports please see www.CasaLomaTrust.ca