Queen Street, 1962 (click image for larger view)

Random photos pulled from the photo sharing site Flickr.

When I was growing up in the area it was a popular pastime to shimmy around the edge of the lighthouse foundation at high tide, leaning against the exterior, trying not to fall in. I still remember when the Brighton shore around the lighthouse was lined with small summer cottages.

The lighthouse suffered extensive damage to the exterior walls from a storm in 2000. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which owns the lighthouse, was prepared to remove the lighthouse and replace it with a steel tower. After a massive public outcry DFO agreed to repair the existing structure instead.  Since that time, as a member of Heritage Board (now the chair) I have been witness to further DFO threats that the lighthouse may yet be replaced with a simple pole. The concrete foundation is badly deteriorating and the walls suffered more structural damage from ice in recent years.

Last year, DFO declared the lighthouse “surplus” yet still active, meaning it is still a required navigational aid; a polite way of saying “that’s it, the building is too much trouble but we still need the light.” As we’ve seen from a couple of related media stories this week the deadline for declaring an interest in surplus lighthouses is approaching and groups from community’s across PEI are beginning to come forward.

Last summer I sent a letter to the DFO and Coast Guard. Late in the fall, senior city staff held discussions with federal counterparts which resulted in a draft Memorandum of Agreement for the transfer of ownership of the lighthouse, and a Contribution Agreement by which the feds will pay up to $120,000 to repair and reinforce the walls, construct a new concrete base and surround the foundation with a wide radius of protective armour stone.

Last night council agreed in principle to enter into these agreements pending final negotiations. If all goes well the work should be complete by early next summer.

Photo Courtesy of John Morris - jmweb.500px.com

I was fortunate to have a great deal of assistance from two residents near the lighthouse in navigating the DFO and Coast Guard bureaucracy. Kim Griffin and Dan Jenkins made many phone calls, engaged consulting engineers, and cajoled the Heritage Committee to pursue a transfer of ownership of the lighthouse. I’ve also heard from other nearby residents who are very concerned for the future of the lighthouse. We all agree the neighbourhood wouldn’t be the same without it.

Part of the challenge in protecting the lighthouse from increasingly frequent tidal surges is that it will remain a functional navigational aid so the elevation of the light must remain the same in relation to the rear range light. At some point in the future, if the light is no longer required, it may be possible to increase the height of the foundation to raise the entire structure out of harms way, but we believe the measures being taken will largely protect the lighthouse from any significant damage in the near future.

As the chair of Heritage Board it’s my job to ensure the integrity of our designated heritage resources is maintained. This one — having as much sentimental value to me and many other residents, and considering it’s aesthetic value to our waterfront and Victoria Park — is particular satisfying to be protecting.

Listen to Sgt. Cheverie speaking to the CDRA:

CBC Charlottetown building on University Avenue

There has been a corporate-wide cost saving trend at the CBC towards leasing, rather owning the their buildings. The current CBC building is inaccessible on that lonely stretch of University Avenue,  isolated across four lanes of busy traffic from the fast food joints and auto repair shops that line the strip. It is not a pedestrian friendly destination. As gregarious and likeable as their on-air hosts are, their physical location makes it difficult to fully engage with the community.

Downtown Charlottetown offers several large vacant properties that would suit the CBC’s purposes very well and situate CBC reporters close to Province House, City Hall, provincial and federal government buildings, theaters, major events, music venues and people. Imagine Mitch and Matt doing Island Morning in a storefront location like K-ROCK and OCEAN (they’re lucky to catch a ray of daylight from their current studio bunker). Picture yourself watching Bruce broadcast Compass live from a street front studio and Boomer reporting weather from the sidewalk! Imagine being able to walk in off the street for an impromptu chat with Karen on Mainstreet.

I think CBC would be such an exciting tenant to have in our downtown and would contribute enormously to our cultural and social fabric in a way that is not possible where they currently are. Islanders are dedicated listeners and viewers; CBC PEI consistently has ratings well above the national average. A move downtown would bring the CBC closer to the public, revitalize both the organization and our city, and create a fresh new relationship with our public broadcaster.

Continue reading below for examples of what CBC is doing in other cities, and that illustrate what is possible here.

QUEBEC

CBC/Radio-Canada - store front location in Quebec City

2004: Quebec City — CBC/Radio-Canada has completed its move to the heart of the capital! Now housed at 888 Saint-Jean, CBC/Radio-Canada’s Quebec City media lines are better positioned than ever before to serve citizens in the greater Quebec City area and across Canada.

“This is an exciting day for CBC/Radio-Canada,” said Carole Taylor, O.C., Chair, CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors. “As this country’s national public broadcaster we provide Canadians with a space where they can connect with one another. Being in the heart of the city will enable us to strengthen even more our connection to the people of Quebec, just as a public broadcaster should.”

OTTAWA

CBC Ottawa on pedestrian-only Sparks Street in downtown Ottawa.

The CBC Ottawa Broadcast Centre on Sparks Street in downtown Ottawa. Built and owned by Morguard Investments, the space is leased by the CBC. The site had been vacant for several years and had previously been home to a Woolworths department store. Several of the studios and the newsroom are located at ground level on Sparks Street, allowing the public to observe from outside through 4 metre high (more than 12 feet) windows.

HALIFAX

CBC is consolidating radio and TV under one roof in downtown Halifax

CBC will sell its landmark building on Sackville Street in downtown Halifax and house all of its radio and television operations under one roof on Bell Road (NEARBY) … “I hope that Haligonians see this as CBC is renewing its commitment to Nova Scotia and remaining an important part of the downtown fabric,” More immediately, as soon as tomorrow the CBC will initiate the paperwork for the Bell Road construction. That plan calls for a 35,000 square foot addition in the parking lot, filling in the “L” shape, and then renovating the existing 52,000 square foot building. The new space will become “a big integrated newsroom,” says Cochran. “That’s for radio, television, online, news, current affairs, English, French, all together, with studios and edit suites and everything else adjacent. So, a large, modern, integrated newsroom.”

Other CBC locations in the heart of their respective downtowns:

VANCOUVER

After almost three years of construction and renos, the makeover of the 246,000-square-foot CBC/Radio Canada Broadcast Centre in downtown Vancouver was completed in 2009.
TORONTO

Canadian Broadcasting Centre (Toronto)

There’s always something happening at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre, and you can be a part of it! Meet your favourite hosts, preview our newest programs before they go to air, attend live tapings of shows like George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, Steven & Chris and the Rick Mercer Report, watch and listen to stunning performances at Glenn Gould Studio and join us for special events throughout the year.

Tonight, Brendan Elliott from CBC, asked this question about the City’s partnership with Bullfrog Power, announced at our monthly public meeting of council:

“How difficult is it to justify paying a little extra for this energy?”

Here’s how I answered (recorded on my iPhone):

CBC News: Charlottetown spends on green power

This was a complicated file. Because it was an as-of-right application, meeting all requirements of the bylaw, National Building Code and the National Fire Protection Association codes NFPA 1 [Fire Code] and NFPA 30 [Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code] , the permit was issued by staff and council was not even aware of the development until it was underway. This is normal; Council is not involved in applications where all requirements are met. Staff were diligent in their examination of the safety issues involved and determined the risks were acceptable.

Would this apartment building be my first choice of residence, wedged as it is between the Trans-Canada and a chemical plant? Probably not. The property is zoned Highway Commercial (C2) but the developer chose, as was his right, to build a residential building.

IRAC ruled in favour of the city while seeming to go out of its way to appear even-handed, but in the process offered up contradictions and what amounts to editorial opinion on matters that were not within its mandate to review.

Mr. Dark presented the plan to City Council a few weeks ago. It is a bold plan – some would say radical – to transform the area into an inviting destination in our city. Mr. Dark is a very experienced planning consultant. His presentation of the plan and explanation of the planning principles involved is worth hearing in person. I encourage you to attend.

Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Time: In the afternoon at 2:00pm and in the evening at 7:00pm.
Place: Georgian Room at the Charlottetown Hotel

Keep in mind, it is a concept of what could be achieved over the long term. It would literally take decades and many millions of dollars to fully implement, but if adopted by council it will be a guiding plan for all future planning decisions in the area.

I wish Summerside good luck in recovering the lost money, and I don’t want to add to the storm of criticism they’re facing. But in defending their own actions, Summerside officials have drawn parallels to events that have been hosted in Charlottetown. So let me just state a few facts for clarification.

When I was first elected to Charlottetown city council I became vice-chair of a committee responsible for event attraction. In that role I spent a great deal of time dealing with the promoter who brought the Aerosmith concert to Charlottetown. Never, in any discussions with the promoter, was the city asked to put up the kind of cash Summerside did. Our sole contribution was police and fire services in-kind, which we estimated at a maximum value of $25,000. The city provides the same type of services, in the interest of public safety, for many large public events such as the Gold Cup & Saucer Parade, for example. The concert promoter took all the risks; he secured the artists and paid for the entire production, with his own money and with money from wealthy US investors he persuaded to share the risk with him.

Likewise with Tourism Charlottetown’s Cirque du Soleil shows last summer. TCI is an independent, non-profit organization. The city pays TCI about $125k/year for a range of specific services like leisure tourism marketing/advertising, and small operations like the Confederation Players troupe. Our contribution to the Cirque shows was again emergency services in-kind, and a small sponsorship fee of $10k. For TCI, the Cirque shows were not a financial success, but they were certainly great entertainment for thousands of people.

The amounts we contributed to these events was tiny compared to Summerside’s investment in their no-show event. Mega-concerts are great fun and welcome entertainment but the City of Charlottetown is not in the business of producing and promoting entertainment events and has never assumed the massive financial risks that come with them.

There will be refreshments, music, horse and sleigh rides, and walks through the woods.  At 7:00pm Reverend Matheson will give a Prayer for Peace for 2011 followed by a fireworks display.

This is a great community event for families that promotes peace and happiness for the coming new year.

Hope you can join in the celebration.

All of this was my own fault,  not only because I ignored an important warning about my domain, but also because I’d been neglecting this blog so completely that I hadn’t even noticed when it disappeared. I’m back now, but much has transpired in the meantime. For one, I’ve been re-elected by acclamation to another four-year term on Charlottetown City Council. Otherwise, there would have been little point getting this website back up and running.

I plan to set aside some time to update the website more often. I’ve probably lost most of the small number of readers I might have had at one time, but I’ll try to woo them back slowly with helpful information and insight about municipal happenings. Stay tuned.

Let me be clear: it is a problem. I’ve been a victim myself and the sense of violation can be worse than the material loss. But Charlottetown still ranks well below the national average for these types of property crimes and the numbers in Charlottetown have remained relatively flat over recent years. We are currently experiencing a slight spike so a press release was issued earlier today to shed some light on the situation.

There is usually a spike in these types of property crimes as the weather improves each summer. In fact, the police prepare for this uptick, and they can often predict the severity based on known offenders and which ones are, or are not, currently in jail (in the words of a Deputy Chief, “some of these guys are a one-man crime wave”). And they did anticipate this summer’s slight increase over last year.

Accordingly, the CPS  has concentrated their efforts recently on dealing with this problem. The Street Crime / Major Crime unit is also now equipped with new tools to gather, analyze, and act on intelligence. The unit is also staffed with experienced, competent officers and their work is paying off.

They do know that a small number of individuals are responsible for a disproportionate number of the incidents. When these people are caught — 26* total in the past eight weeks, some of them highly active perps — it makes a big difference. At that point, it’s up to the justice system to hold them to account.

Part of the problem, I’m told, is that many are released prior to trial with no conditions whatsoever and they sometimes continue their vocation, even step it up a notch, if they feel they’re going to jail anyway. Simple measures like curfews might help but this is a matter outside the control of police.

I’m very pleased with the popularity of the CPS website, but I think it may have created a false sense of a new epidemic, when in fact it’s probably more a case of perception based on the police being more transparent and open with this information. The important thing to know, which I’ve seen and heard with my own eyes and ears, is that the CPS is working hard 24/7 to identify and catch these people, with good results to show for their tenacity.

The one thing police want to reinforce is the importance of locking your doors; car doors and house doors. They’ve watched as thieves prowl and pull on door handles until one opens. As much as we would like to pride ourselves on unlocked doors, you don’t want to make it easy for the thieves if they happen to come around.

Would love to hear thoughts on this issue. Leave comments below (or click the Comments link above).

*Press release says 24. Two individuals were apprehended after the press release was written.

[Click for printable 11 x 17  version]

Victoria Park is a huge asset to our city, but it has a lot of unrealized potential. Great city’s have great parks and I can easily imagine Victoria Park in the same league as some of the more famous municipal parks. It’s just not quite there yet.

The park is almost 40 acres, but we all know there is a lot of pressure on the park with more and more amenities being added over the decades, one at a time, without much regard for the overall concept. The city wouldn’t approve a subdivision of that size without a detailed plan to guide the use of the land.

What’s needed is a vision; a comprehensive master plan developed with public consultation, to guide the long-term development and management of the park. The plan should include recommendations for phased, short-term design changes that will help accommodate all the diverse — and sometimes incompatible — uses of the park to ultimately make it more enjoyable for everyone.

I’ve watched over the years as other municipalities have undergone similar exercises for their greenspace and parks. I often use the Point Pleasant Park Comprehensive Plan as an example, but there are many others, several in the Atlantic region alone.

The Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island hired a consultant, o2 Design + Planning, to create a vision for the Experimental Farm. The plan was design-oriented and really quite impressive. The City would certainly need to consult professional landscape architects too,  but public consultation is paramount. I have many ideas myself. I would ask some of the following:

1. Is it really necessary to allow cars to drive into the center of the park? I say no. The old driveway, which extends from the cannons to the tennis courts should be narrowed and reserved for pedestrian and cyclists only. A small stretch of the driveway was converted to a nice pathway, but users are forced into traffic at one end, and a parking lot at the other. Parking for the tennis courts could be accommodated near the dairy bar. The parking off Brighton Road should also be moved. Separate cars and people.
2. Do we need to close a lane of the park roadway for cyclists? It’s wonderful, but there is room for a dedicated year-round bike lane. My detailed plan upon request.
3. Must there be a half kilometer of chain link fence along the west perimeter of the park? I say no. Gary Schneider’s excellent forest management plan (which is being ably implemented in many ways) suggested a hedge instead, if a barrier is necessary at all.
4. Was the restoration of Fort Edward Battery a good thing? I think not. The old battery design — run down as it had become — was one of the most popular destinations in the park; a vantage point where you could stroll atop the berm and enjoy the incredible view. Now it is fenced off, unwelcoming, and simply obstructs the view. Make this a focal point again.

I could go on… and on. But finally, I will just say this; I think the park deserves a significant monument to the park’s namesake, Queen Victoria, such as a statue with surrounding public space.  In 2014 we’ll be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference in the Birthplace of Confederation so, notwithstanding all the attention the Founding Fathers will get, it would be a perfect opportunity to honour the Queen who is known as the Mother of Confederation.

1. Amendments to the process of issuing demolition permits;
2. new sustainable green development standards;
3. new section on ground source heat exchange systems (geothermal heating/cooling);
4. new section dealing with development in areas threatened by sea level rise;
5. new section regulating the operation of  Adult Care Homes;
6. new section for Urban Forest Retention and Replacement Strategy;
7. new section for Public Participation Strategy for Major Development Projects.

Planning staff did a great job researching these items. There was some interesting discussion, debate and suggestions from resident members of planning board. As I said, these are proposed changes. They will still need to be approved by council. Get in touch, or leave a comment, if you’d like to discuss.