Community will benefit from school site development: mayor
Posted Jan 9, 2012 05:48:21 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Mayor Peter Kelly is defending the controversial sale of the former St. Patrick’s-Alexandra School to a private developer.
About 250 people joined in a rally Sunday to protest the sale, which they say was conducted in violation of municipal policy.
The opponents say the city betrayed north-end residents when it failed to hold the 90-day consultation that’s required before putting surplus property up for sale.
But Kelly tells News 95.7, developer Jono Developments ltd., has promised to hold public hearings before going ahead with any construction.
“Through this public process, they will be able to be part of that visioning and they will be able to work through the public information and public hearing process to make sure that it is what the community and the neighbourhood would want as part of their growth development,” he said.
Jono’s plans currently call for a mix of condos, affordable housing, commercial property and community space on the site. Kelly says those plans will help boost population density on the peninsula, and will help generate further investment in the north end.
“We have heard many times that we need to increase the population on the peninsula and help improve the economy throughout the peninsula, especially in the north end,” he said. “This project is a multi-million dollar purchase that will help us do other projects.”
Community leaders at Sunday’s rally called on participants to attend Tuesday’s regional council meeting in hopes of having the sale revisited.
