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Remember the classic Joni Mithcell song, Paved Paradise, specifically: “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”?

Well, because the City of Brampton resembles a municipality situated in the Bizarro World from Superman comics (you know, where everything is the opposite) Brampton is planning to raze a multi-story parking lot in order to build a so-called “innovation centre” that apparently only exists as a fanciful idea.

So it is that Nelson Square Parking Garage is slated for demolition next month. And one ponders: where will all the cars park in downtown Brampton? (The day we visited the garage, it was near full capacity.)

Then again, is this all part of Mayor “Sneaky” Patrick Brown transforming Brampton into a 15-minute city devoid of cars? (Keen eyed observers will note that the City of Brampton flies the flag of the United Nations at City Hall. We’re not making this up...)

It doesn’t add up. The ostensible policy reason for demolishing the parking garage is that this site will be the future of “The Centre for Innovation” (whatever that is.) But this centre would appear only to exist in the imagination of Mayor Brown, He’s waxed poetic about this structure for six years now! But it would appear to be all sizzle and no steak.

Recently, the independent media outlet The Pointer ran an expose on this matter.

One question was: when did Brampton City Council formally approve the demolition of the Nelson Parking Garage? And was there any public consultation or council discussion before passing any motion?

And the response from the city? Radio silence.

The Pointer also asked about the design details, construction timeline, current cost, and procurement process. As well, the media outlet asked why hasn’t the city disclosed the names of any companies or developers involved in the negotiations? And what is the projected budget and operating costs for the Centre for Innovation?

These are all very valid questions… that the city and the mayor refuse to answer. Because that’s how they roll in Brampton.

Rebel News also reached out to the city’s media relations department and the Sneaky One himself. Predictably, our emails weren’t even acknowledged.

But then again, this is indeed par for the course in Brampton under the “leadership” of Brown. Be it secret deals or sole-source procurement contracts or the mayor using city staffers to help him or his mother-in-law get elected, Brampton is the place where transparency goes to die.

And given Brown is so adamant regarding this “Centre for Innovation”, we must ponder — as we always do with all things Brown — what is the unspoken agenda at play here? In other words, what’s in it for Mayor “Sneaky” Patrick Brown?

Stay tuned for further updates…