Comments on: There Is Power In Numbers

By: PFA

PFA — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:19:40 +0000

Oh yes, I forget to mention, the Amateur Urban Planners Group is something that I would absolutely be up for. Having helped author the traffic calming policy in Windsor, building a group to have input on urban planning (or lack thereof, as the case /may/ be in Charlottetown) would be something I might even come out of “hiding” to be a part of!

Are there any Urban Planning resources in the area that might be able to give a group like that a kickstart?

By: PFA

PFA — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:14:30 +0000

Rob, I’m glad you not only took the opportunity to read Scaledown.ca, but also found some information there that can help Charlottetown build on its’ many strengths. Mark Boscariol and Chris Holt are outstanding in their assessment of status of Windsor, Ontario. I don’t always agree with their point of view, but I do appreciate their activism on the behalf of their community.

Resident associations are very powerful lobby groups at the local and, in the case of PEI, provincial level. I would strongly encourage the formation of neighbourhood groups to build and strengthen neighbourhoods across the city, not just in the downtown core. Diversity of input will make it easier for councilors to do their jobs — representing the people who elected them in the first place.

Perhaps I’ll have to advocate for a resident association in my own neighbourhood — Lewis Point. (Hmm, maybe that is too much information about the identity of the mysterious PFA!)

By: Ann

Ann — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:00:04 +0000

That’s a good idea, Shawn. Part of the problem with the “downtown livers” group (as Catherine called it) was that anyone north of Euston was exempt.

By: Councillor Rob Lantz

Councillor Rob Lantz — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:21:31 +0000

Spotted this interesting idea:

...van Nostrand said he’d like to set up something called Plan Toronto, which would bring experts and creative citizens together with city officials to draft a blueprint for the future.

By: Shawn

Shawn — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:12:22 +0000

It should be bigger than just the downtown, Peter. Many issues are facing the residential neighbourhoods as well as downtown planning. Witness the ‘group homes” at the beginning of North River road, or the dispute the Gower Street residents had with the city (over development behind Nick’s).

Check out the new three story box now on Linden Avenue … how does that thing ever fit in a residential neighbourhood?

By: Peter Rukavina

Peter Rukavina — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:48:05 +0000

There is, in fact, a Downtown Residents Association in Charlottetown, although it’s been in stasis for a few years. It was instigated by Catherine Hennessey and we held several very well-attended meetings on various topics about 5 years ago. We should start things back up…

By: Shawn

Shawn — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:26:06 +0000

Sounds good to me, Rob. Count me in … in fact we should talk about this.