A betrayal in the capital
Charlottetown’s Water Front Master Plan will be nothing more than exercise in futility
Some years ago the City of Charlottetown developed, with the help of consultations with citizens, a Water Front Master Plan which was to be the way forward in opening up park land and access to the Hillsborough River. It was to highlight our heritage as Birthplace of Confederation.
The land targeted for re-development was the old railway yards and dock area from Weymouth to Queen Street. The idea was to enhance Charlottetown with pleasing park-like settings following the urban development plans adopted globally by so many cities on major waterways. The citizens of Charlottetown spoke clearly; they wanted a vast park and easy access to the river, with promenade and activities. This is all in the records.
Founder’s Hall was re-habilitated and turned into a museum at a multimillion-dollar cost. The City of Quebec was involved in the Confederation Landing Park project to mark its participation in the Conferences of 1864. The old potato warehouse was transformed into a modern cruise ship terminal.
There was great hope; yes things were moving in the right direction, that was the adopted plan in 2012.
Then, in the winter of 201516, suddenly the museum at Founder’s Hall closed without much fanfare. The building and surrounding parkland were put up for sale.
The Round House Park and adjacent Founder’s Hall were sold at a discount price. The developer announced great plans in the spring of 2017; however that was not to be.
Suddenly in June, “lots for sale” signs appeared on Round House Park. The possibility of building a seven-floor building is now very real.
The current (July 2017) Water Front Master Plan clearly identifies Round House Park as a park now and for the future, not a building site.
This is all too ominous. Parkland
giving us access to the river for our enjoyment, being turned into yet another condo and creating other urban problems.
No city on a major waterway in the world would consider doing this.
Does Charlottetown still wish to promote its history and lifestyle? Why is this taking place in secrecy, ignoring the established Master Plan, without consultations?
We need to hear what the Mayor and City Council really thinks and what action they intend to take to protect our parks and riverfront. Otherwise the Water Front Master Plan will be nothing more than an exercise in futility, and an expensive betrayal of the wishes of taxpayers. Charlottetown will have lost a major opportunity.
Laurent Beaulieu of Charlottetown is Docent at Government House, and at the Art Gallery of the Confederation Centre and a former diplomat of the Canadian Foreign Service.