Wet Housing Hearing Goes Into Overtime

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Third Public Meeting Scheduled

With still at least a dozen people waiting for their turn at the podium at 11:00 pm it was necessary to recess the hearing one more time on this contentious issue. The meeting began promptly at 7:00 pm and the Bowen Road rezoning application was the only item on the agenda.

One by one dozens (?) of speakers took to the podium with opponents outnumbering proponents at least ten to one. The decorum was considerably improved over the last meeting with everyone staying 'on topic' with a minimum of emotional outbursts. At one point a clearly upset opponent objected when the Mayor tried to correct him on something which led to a bit of a shouting match with the opponent resenting being interrupted by the Mayor. The outburst caused a visibly shaken Councilor Holdom to vacate his seat and left the auditorium until that speaker was finished.

What followed was more akin to the kids in the sandbox when the next opponent took a shot at Councilor Holdom for leaving the room, newbie Councilor Greves took exception to the comments which he felt were directed at him also and responded with a less then professional attitude.

The evening was not without humor when one presenter repeatedly referred to the Mayor as Mayor Ruttin, even after being corrected several times. I believe she simply did not hear the corrected pronunciation for she was clearly apologetic when she finally realized she was pronouncing his name wrong.

It seems that one stumbling block around this whole issue is the either real or perceived deception on the part of city staff to try and 'slip one by' without anyone noticing. Clearly staff tried to imply that the projects elsewhere in the province were also wet housing when in fact they are not. There also does not appear to be any clear evidence of the success of these types of units with the example of the one in Kelowna starting as a wet house project but after three months they revisited their policy and are no longer wet houses.

Housing immediately adjacent the Bowen Road project on White St., Pryde and Venlaw to name a few have apparently already suffered negative impact when it comes to residents ability to sell their property. The location and purpose of the wet housing project is simply something causing potential buyers to avoid the area all together.

The opponents to the project were well prepared, well researched and well organized and their presentations were pretty much compelling and to the point. Much research was presented which would contradict the information city staff seemed to rely on when they spear headed this project, which at the very least has been poorly planned and executed.

It is likely fair to say that the residents have spent far more time doing actual research on this whole project than most on council.

Perhaps local social advocate, Gord Fuller had one of the best ideas when he suggested the city sell the Bowen Road property to a developer who would be required to provide a % of low cost housing in the project, and then use the proceeds of the sale to buy two or more properties in other areas of the city.

Another idea with merit would be to purchase many smaller existing properties throughout the city which could save considerable tax dollars as the proposed projects are costing in excess of $200,000 per unit to provide this type of housing.

No one is opposed to helping those among us who need and are willing to accept help, the problem lies with the density and proximity to schools of the Bowen Road and Dufferin projects. 

The third public hearing meeting addressing this issue is scheduled for May 5 at 7:00 pm in the Shaw Auditorium in the conference centre.

Perhaps something like this will actually shake enough people from their slumber, that come next civic election we might get a respectable turnout for a change and perhaps even some fiery new blood running for council. Among the presenters at this meeting were several candidates which sounded like they would make good candidates.