Rumour Mill - Page 9

drpgq · #**161** Posted **Apr 2, 2009, 3:00 AM**

I didn't see this posted already, but it interested me.

Jackson Hayes
The Hamilton Spectator
(Apr 1, 2009)

A city official was driving a truck with a plate registered to a prominent Hamilton developer's company when he was in a drunk driving fender-bender -- the same developer from whom he is accused of illegally accepting $5,000.

The city will not comment about the case.

Information linking Moodie to local developer Denis Vranich came to light through documents filed in a Burlington court earlier this week.

Calls to both Moodie and Vranich were not returned.

Moodie, former head of Hamilton's downtown residential loan program, pleaded guilty Monday to impaired driving and driving with a suspended licence stemming from a minor accident on Feb. 22, 2008.

Ministry records show the licence plate of the truck Moodie was driving was registered to Vrancor Real Estate Corp.

A corporate profile report for Vrancor Real Estate Corp. shows Denis Vranich as president and secretary of the company.

When told about the impaired driving incident, city spokesperson Michael Kirkopoulos said it is a "personnel issue" and the city does not have a comment.

The controversy over the relationship between Moodie and Vranich emerged in May 2008 when the OPP charged both men with municipal corruption.

Moodie faces an additional charge of public breach of trust.

At the time, Moodie was heading the downtown residential loan program, which gave city money to development projects aimed at revitalizing downtown.

Investigators allege Denis Vranich gave Moodie $5,000 in November 2005 to secure loans for his father, developer Darko Vranich.

Though he is still facing the corruption charge, an internal investigation by the city in July 2008 showed Moodie did not violate the employee code of conduct and he returned to work last summer.

However, instead of returning to the loans program, he was moved to the downtown renewal office where he works as a business development consultant.

It was also revealed in court on Monday that Moodie's driver's licence had been suspended since November 2006 because of unpaid fines.

He was forced to surrender his already suspended licence following his guilty pleas and the city has not revealed how the convictions will affect his current job.

There was also no word from the city on if another review of the relationship between the two men would occur.

Moodie and Denis Vranich are expected in court April 16 on the municipal corruption charge. Moodie will be in court June 9 for sentencing on the driving offences.

realcity · #**162** Posted **Apr 2, 2009, 12:13 PM**

Word is Stinson's Hamilton Grand has be modified into a supertall. He plans on unveiling the new design soon.

matt602 · #**163** Posted **Jun 30, 2009, 6:59 AM**

Anybody heard anything about the old Lifesavers building on Cumberland? At some point in the last while the owners installed a ton of cameras on the outside and sealed the building down pretty good. They also appear to be gutting it out and it looks like some new windows were installed. I think the building would make an excellent loft project, myself.

BrianE · #**164** Posted **Jun 30, 2009, 12:47 PM**

No idea. But someone has been using the property as a granite storage facility for over a year now.

drpgq · #**165** Posted **Nov 14, 2009, 6:30 PM**

Heard that an accounting firm is moving into the old Skinner Optical building on John St. North, right by Gore Park. Good news, since that building has been empty for a while now.

realcity · #**166** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 5:14 PM**

nice.... but can't picture the bldg

Gurnett71 · #**167** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 6:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by realcity

nice.... but can't picture the bldg

I think its the building right behind where McDonalds used to be at John/King.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8...HAFN1g6dpahxi45QZg&cbp=12,305.4,,0,-9.75

drpgq · #**168** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 7:32 PM**

^^^

That's the one.

matt602 · #**169** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 9:55 PM**

I still don't know what building it is that's being referred to. I don't know where that McDonalds was.

drpgq · #**170** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 2:16 AM**

The McDonalds was the big white building on the NW corner of King and John. If you follow the McDonalds building along John going north, there's an alley and then the next building on John is it.

Jon Dalton · #**171** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 11:52 PM**

Hi & Buy Dollar Discount. My roommate remembers as a kid when it was McDonalds. I believe it's vacant now except for the dollar store.

matt602 · #**172** Posted **Nov 18, 2009, 12:18 AM**

Yep, took a walk around the building today. I honestly could never picture the building as a McDonalds. I guess it has been changed a fair bit since.

SteelTown · #**173** Posted **Nov 18, 2009, 12:56 AM**

I remember McDonald's at that location. Must have closed early 90s?

markbarbera · #**174** Posted **Nov 18, 2009, 1:35 AM**

It closed when it relocated to the Jackson Square location in the Standard Life Centre -1988 maybe?

Personally I miss the King Street Wendy's even more...

bigguy1231 · #**175** Posted **Nov 18, 2009, 8:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbarbera

It closed when it relocated to the Jackson Square location in the Standard Life Centre -1988 maybe?

Personally I miss the King Street Wendy's even more...

I worked at that Wendy's the day it opened. It was a huge place with front and back dining areas. When it first opened there were line ups out the door. Especially on Friday and Saturday nights when the theaters in the area emptied out.

adam · #**176** Posted **Nov 18, 2009, 6:10 PM**

A sense of community... interesting concept.

Gurnett71 · #**177** Posted **Nov 19, 2009, 2:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

I worked at that Wendy's the day it opened. It was a huge place with front and back dining areas. When it first opened there were line ups out the door. Especially on Friday and Saturday nights when the theaters in the area emptied out.

I have a faint recollection of Wendy's downtown. Where on King was it located?

The McD's on King/John was quite the strange layout IIRC. The service counter was at the very back of the store, which is quite far from the King Street doors. I think there was a dining area on the second floor.

LikeHamilton · #**178** Posted **Nov 19, 2009, 4:39 AM**

This was the first McDonalds in Hamilton. it opened in the late 70's.

bigguy1231 · #**179** Posted **Nov 19, 2009, 6:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurnett71

I have a faint recollection of Wendy's downtown. Where on King was it located?

The McD's on King/John was quite the strange layout IIRC. The service counter was at the very back of the store, which is quite far from the King Street doors. I think there was a dining area on the second floor.

The Wendy's was in the old Spectator offices just East of where the McDonalds was at John and King. There was no second floor in the McD's. The dining room was at the front of the store.

markbarbera · #**180** Posted **Nov 19, 2009, 12:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

This was the first McDonalds in Hamilton. it opened in the late 70's.

That doesn't sound right. The McD's at Mohawk and Upper Gage has been around since at least 1972.