Last Wednesday night’s city-run St. Pat’s-Alexandra consultation yielded more than just ideas for the future of the former school property. Residents gave HRM an earful about development in the rapidly-changing Gottingen Street area, and asked whether they could trust staff and council to listen.
“Is the process going to be transparent?” a female speaker asked. “People think they can step on us because we don’t have money.”
“Do what the people are asking,” neighbourhood resident Wanda Lewis said, adding she wanted to make sure staff would actually take the words of the residents to council. “I hope you are truly listening to the children.”
About 150 people attended the consultation, including young people from the Mic Mac Friendship Centre’s Kitpu Youth Program and the North End Community Health Centre’s Hope Blooms program.
The Kitpu kids came prepared with signs. “Youth are our future,” one read. Another: “How do condos help youth to grow?”
Young people from Hope Blooms brought ideas from previous community consultations: The school building could be used as a place for seniors to hang out, a shelter for homeless people, space for rap battles, talent shows and cultural programs. And they want a hot tub.
Once staff calls for proposals from in mid-July, non-profit groups will be given 90 days to apply. Staff will then evaluate proposals based on the following criteria: content compliance, viability, compensation and benefit to municipality.
The groups that plan to apply weren’t thrilled with staff’s criteria. Jane Moloney of the North End Community Health Centre said the “benefit to municipality” was the “most contentious and least clear” item. Reverend Rhonda Britton of the Cornwallis Street Baptist Church called aspects of the staff evaluation “very subjective.”
Two-thirds of council need to vote in favour of a proposal for it to pass.
This article appears in Jul 4-10, 2013.
I like how they snuck in “And they want a hot tub.” Don’t we all, but I’d have to pay for mine.