Sunday, November 30, 2008

Maybe A "Welcome Centre"....

Gee... it must have been some show at the.. "Welcome To Charlottetown Meeting"... the poor guy probably doesn't know what hit him... Freddie waxing elegant about our Port being a possible "military" need... can't you just imagine a few of those Councillors with a U-boat protecting all the brownstones... I couldn't make the meeting but it appears the usual suspects were in full force against anything... maybe someone might have given the developer some constructive criticism and suggested maybe one building and some tweaking or changes in the design but it seems they just wanted to run him out of Town.... the sad thing is that I was out to dinner last night at the Merchantman Pub and a number of the naysayers were celebrating their victory... it kind of makes me want to develop something BIG down there like a Welcome Training Centre ...
Developer presents details of waterfront condominium plan
NIGEL ARMSTRONG
The Guardian
A developer told Charlottetown residents to get with the times during a public meeting Wednesday. “Things do change, things do not stay the way they are,” said Paul Madden of Newfoundland, owner of Patrick Street Holdings, which created Spa at the Monastery and Suites in St. John’s, Nfld. He wants to build a four-storey, 85,000-square-foot, double building development at the foot of Prince Street in the now vacant lot between Founders Hall and the Charlottetown waterfront. Architect Bill Chandler presented the details, saying the building would sit on 30- to 40-foot-deep concrete pilings embedded in the bedrock below the reclaimed land that makes up that part of the waterfront. The site is already pre-approved for development. Any developer can proceed without a public meeting to construct a three-storey, 36,000- square-foot, three-floor condominium development there. Because Madden’s proposal exceeds those pre-approved specifications, Charlottetown City Council must grant approval. It held a public meeting Wednesday to gather citizen opinion. Fred Hyndman was the first of the public to speak, saying he opposes the development because Charlottetown is the only official deep-water port on the Northumberland Strait. Hyndman said the land needs to keep its designation as industrial because it might be needed in the future for natural gas exploration, a roll-on roll-off shipping development or a military need. “That is the only site in the province, the only place in the Northumberland Strait that qualifies as a deep-water site,” he said. Condominiums can be built on Dorchester Street but a container ship cannot dock on Dorchester Street, said Hyndman. Randy Campbell said the land should remain public. He said any potential tenants would likely settle in other parts of Charlottetown so denying the project would not turn them away. “Please don’t sell our waterfront,” Campbell said to the council arrayed in a line of tables at the front of the room. John MacIntyre said he lives on Hillsborough Street and he doesn’t see much public use of the land at this moment. “To me, there is a lot that commends this project,” said MacIntyre. Malcolm Lodge is opposed to the project, saying it will overwhelm Founders Hall, which carries millions of dollars of taxpayer investment. Lodge had alternative suggestions for the site, like a potential home for a provincial museum, or a recreation park with climbing walls and diving training, delis and pubs. Lodge said there is plenty of vacant or derelict property inland. “These should be in-filled before considering such development on the waterfront,” he said. Alan Holman said the design looked like a warehouse for people. “What is the imperative to develop this land now, and if there is a good reason, get something better than warehouses,” said Holman. Madden spoke at the end of the meeting, saying the city is not deciding between his plan versus a public park or an industrial pipe-yard, which he later called a pipe-dream. “There is already a plan in place for development on this site,” said Madden. “Size is the topic here.” He said he has been through the issues and problems of developing the waterfront during his time as a city councillor in Newfoundland, and as a developer there. “The times they are a-changing,” he said. “Time will pass you by. “You should be glad there are people willing to come here and spend this kind of money. There has to be some development just like there has to be some parks.” He said that Charlottetown needs more residents in the downtown if it wants to revitalize the area.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seems to be the Island way lately....In favour of progress as long as things don't change.

Anonymous said...

Remember Noel Doucete?

He was screwed over by the CADC...

Anonymous said...

Being against something doesn't make you against "change."

That is a ridiculous assumption.