Former city manager has taken to tweeting about some of his Burlington experiences - Ms Hersh is reminding him of some of the details.

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

June 26th, 2019

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The cheek, the nerve.

The man manages to get himself bounced out of his job – with a healthy settlement package in his wallet and all the costs of getting out of town paid for by the taxpayers – and maybe even a bit of a capital gain on the property he owned.

Then he tweets on how nice life is in his new home town.

The tweet is set out below – you might want to follow James Ridge and his experiences

Ridge tweets

James Ridge and Penny Hersh had a contemptuous relationship. It looks as if it will continue even though Ridge is no longer on the reservation.

bikes for rent

Being able to rent a bike for a short term need.

While Ridge was in Burlington there was talk of putting together a deal to include Burlington in the Hamilton social bike operation where cycles could be rented at one point and dropped off at another location.

Hasn’t happened so far.

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8 comments to Former city manager has taken to tweeting about some of his Burlington experiences – Ms Hersh is reminding him of some of the details.

  • Marie

    It’s easy to get defensive but Victoria *is* a more bike-friendly, pedestrian-friendly city than Burlington. Victoria has good city transit as well. It’s simply a lovely city to reside in. Burlington has poorly managed TRAFFIC. It’s a fact.

    Getting defensive and attacking people doesn’t change the facts.

  • Roger

    Victoria does not have the ice + snow that Burlington has – to compare the 2 cities – is a nonstarter – Mr. Ridge was not approachable – often over ruling elected officials and not being hesitant to use the legal power of the city to silence its residents

  • Penny Hersh

    Joe, I for one cannot cycle. I have balance issues that prevent me physically from doing this and I have seen where bicycle lanes disappear on city roads. Not safe. So for some what you say “where there is a will is a way” does not work.

    • Chris Ariens

      Penny, it’s ironic that you spent a good part of the conversation on Twitter criticizing the Seniors Centre for providing a rental bicycle that is designed specifically for people who have balance issues.

      The Gazette doesn’t show the whole thread, nor does the segment selected in your comment below, but it is out there for all to see. Ms. Hersh started the conversation with a reply to a post by @HRPSBikeCop that was completely dismissive and negative in tone.

      While it’s true not everyone can ride a bicycle, not everyone can walk and not everyone can drive a car either. But we all benefit when we and our neighbours all have more choices about how we travel. The best cities have transportation systems that support people of all ages and abilities.

      It is my hope that someone with as high a profile in the community as the co-chair of ECoB would listen to residents who want to be able to bike safely in their community and engage positively, instead of simply dismissing them with a comment like ‘cycling is not a mode of transportation here’.

  • Joe Gaetan

    If one does not ride a bike in Burlington, it is neither the fault of the bike or the city. Where there is a will there is a way.

  • Penny Hersh

    Judy, you luckily did not have any contact with James when he was in Burlington. Why would the former City Manager who was fired be tweeting about matters that are of no concern to him. You don’t find anything malicious in his tweet – no it is not malicious it is worse – he is living in Victoria a very quaint City with few if any high-rises and a small village feel. Interesting that this is where he and his wife have opted to live after helping to destroy the downtown core, where we had this same “village in a town in a city feel”.

    Here is his most current tweet.

    James Ridge

    @JamesRidge4
    37m37 minutes ago
    More
    Replying to @rolandjtanner @hersh_penny and 5 others
    I’m off for a bike ride
    1 reply 0 retweets 1 like
    Reply 1 Retweet Like 1 Direct message

    Penny Hersh

    @hersh_penny
    7m7 minutes ago
    More
    James enjoy your bike ride in Victoria. If I remember correctly is a city with few if any high-rises. Interesting that you would chose to live in a city with a quaint English feel and those of us in Burlington have to deal with a myriad of new high-rises. Can you explain this?

    Are you impressed, because I certainly am not?

  • Given the damage the man did while he was with the city – he deserves a close watching. Realize as well that two members of the current council were involved in hiring the man.

  • Judy

    I can’t find anything malicious in James Ridge’s tweet. He bikes in Victoria; he didn’t bike in Burlington. People, including Penny Hersh, need to stop making something out of nothing. It’s quite easy to stop following him if you don’t like what he says.