This CRUZ just got more interesting

   Here's a useful little bit of information out of Tuesday night's light-speed city council meeting: Mayor David Henderson plans to attend Wednesday night's public meeting held by the Coalition for Responsible Urban Zoning (CRUZ).

   That's welcome news, as it increases the odds the meeting will be more than an echo chamber filled with opponents of R.W. Tomlinson's proposal to build a concrete plant, an asphalt plant, and a cement storage terminal, waste transfer station and recycling facility, all on Central Avenue West.

   (It was still unclear, as of this writing, whether company president Ron Tomlinson, or one of his representatives, had confirmed their attendance at the meeting. CRUZ chairman Wayne Blackwell spent part of Tuesday in Ottawa talking to Tomlinson,)

   Don't expect the mayor to be a staunch defender of the project, though. For the time being, all Henderson remains is a defender of the city process.

   He told city council Tuesday night he will not have enough information about the project to say much about it, other than what is currently before the city planning department.

   Still, the presence of Henderson, and likely a few other city councillors, shows a welcome willingness to engage with a citizens' group that could otherwise end up talking with itself all night, and agreeing with itself, to the detriment of a healthy democratic debate.

   It's a nice gesture, too, because, as Blackwell told me last week, the group is not getting the arts centre gratis. Members will be seeking donations at the meeting to help defray the cost of renting the facility.

   If those donations come up short, this will definitely not be a free CRUZ for everyone.

   Regardless of where one stands on the concrete plant debate, it's nice to see this group puts its money where its mouth is; and it's nice to see the mayor and councillors making it worth their while.

   If you can't attend, do join me for live-tweeting from the meeting, via ScribbleLive, on the R&T website, starting at 7 p.m.

UPDATE: Wayne Blackwell informs me Ron Tomlinson is not expected to attend the meeting, and it's unclear whether he will send a representative or even a written statement.
"The invitation is still open," says Blackwell.