I stumbled across a timely post at Potter Gold, the blog of MacLean’s magazine columnist Andrew Potter. Apparently, Charlottetown city council is at the cutting edge of a new trend where tap water is the new bottled water at fancy-schmancy restaurants in places like San Francisco.
Archive for the 'Issues' Category
Judging by the comments on the Guardian’s website, there appears to be some confusion over this decision. Council has not banned the sale of bottled water in Charlottetown as some apparently believe. We couldn’t possibly do that. We have simply decided the city corporation will stop purchasing bottled water, for a number of very good reasons. The city is in the business of providing clean, safe drinking water. To have city council and staff drinking from bottles of commercially purchased water is analogous to Coke executives sitting around the boardroom table drinking Pepsi. We are simply endorsing our product, not to mention saving money, and doing our part to discourage the commodification of a resource that is a fundamental human right.
A group of Charlottetown residents are working very hard to have Canada Lands Corp. change course on its plans for the Upton Farms property, plans that were given all the necessary approvals from Charlottetown City Council last year. I attended a public meeting at the Benevolent Irish Society last week. Provincial MLAs Wayne Collins and Wes MacAleer were in attendance along with approximately 75 residents from around the city who want the federal land to be transitioned to, and preserved as a park area rather than a 300+ unit subdivision that could be underway within a matter of weeks. I was the only city representative at the meeting which was unfortunate because I was only able to convey very limited knowledge of the history of this issue as I was not a member of council when this all took place.
The rest of council had the benefit of hearing from the group at a Commitee of the Whole Council meeting last Wednesday night. Although it’s very late in the game to be attempting a turnaround on this issue, there seems to be a genuine will on the part of council to speak to Canada Lands and ask them to reconsider in light of the (apparent) public concensus on the future of this property. Part of the process that brought us to this point involved public consultations but many people felt they were never given the option of having the property remain green.
Personally, I support keeping Upton Farms as a green space. If you do too, the group could use your support. Check out their website at http://uptonfarm.wordpress.com/, or call 892-3839.
Traffic safety was a huge issue when I was campaigning and several people warned that it was only a matter of time before a student in the area was struck by a car. Unfortunately, it has happened.
CBC PEI: High school student hit by car seriously injured
It’s too early to tell exactly what took place but Ward 3 has a huge student population and we need to employ every possible safety precaution to keep them safe on the streets. I’m currently working to improve a potentially dangerous situation in front Queen Charlotte Intermediate School. Students using the crosswalk on North River Rd. are crossing the busy street directly into the entryway of the Simmons Arena parking lot. Anyone familiar with this area in the morning knows that the traffic on North River Road is heavy. Commuters are rushing to work in both directions and parents are pulling over to drop off students on both sides of the road. School buses are entering and exiting the parking lot as large groups of kids congregate outside the north doors of the school, directly in the path of traffic. It’s a real maelstrom and it’s a recipe for disaster. I met with the principal in December, at his invitation, and he has suggested a remedy for this problem. I’m working on it.
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