‘We all need to be more accepting of our neighbours’ 

Whoever said “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey” was probably not thinking about the joys and pleasure of institutional process, but the quote fits anyway. Procedure is almost always part of city council proceedings, but this week it was especially so. 

All members of council were present, and right out of the gate they approved the amendments to council’s rules of procedure, including processes around e-polling and remote attendance, as well absences for parental leave. Such things weren’t even glimmers in anyone’s eye back in 1992, when the rules were last updated. 

Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary pointed out that the land acknowledgement wasn’t listed under the Order of Business, and wondered if it should be. City Solicitor Cheryl Mullett explained it wasn’t part of the recommendations, given that it comes at the beginning of the meeting, before the agenda is adopted. 

It is an important question, though: what is the status of the land acknowledgement as it relates to the larger processes of council? Since it was first adopted back in 2018, it has been automatically recited at the start of every council meeting. But like clockwork, it runs the risk of sounding rote and a little tokenistic, something to get out of the way before the meeting begins in earnest. 

The spirit of O’Leary’s question is a good one, stemming from a desire to ensure the city’s ongoing relationships with local Indigenous communities are “embodied in the city’s practices going forward.” To that point, she referenced the city’s work with First Voice Urban Indigenous Coalition. Supporting First Light’s efforts as they expand their headquarters in St. John’s also comes to mind.

Acknowledgement, it is worth noting, is not just admitting your own knowledge or awareness of where you are, but of showing it too. It’s about stating your position in relation to people and place, making your understanding explicit, stating your intentions and commitments, and putting them into action. In this way, land acknowledgment is also a process, and it requires more integration.

Housing developments on the horizon  

In their efforts to expedite the availability of housing stock, council approved rezoning and parking relief for six dwelling units at 323 Hamilton Ave. on the second floor of an existing building; there’s a home medical supplies store on the first floor. 

Council approved a text amendment to add Lodging House to the Commercial Office Zone in light of an application to convert the residential office space at 21 Merrymeeting Rd., the site of The HUB–otherwise known as the Physically Disabled Service Centre–into bed sitting rooms. 

O’Leary and Coun. Maggie Burton received some initial concerns from nearby residents about the application and confirmed there will be other opportunities to voice concerns.

Council also approved the rezoning of 50 Bennett Ave.–previously I. J. Samson school–from institutional to residential. The surrounding area has already been developed, but the current interior lot remains vacant and undeveloped. An application is in process for a four-plex and an apartment building.

Coun. Ophelia Ravencroft, sporting her new purple hair, was impressed with the plan, deeming it a good use of space since many residents have expressed a desire to get rid of the large vacant lot in that area. 

Though the plan still has to go through the application and consultation process, Ravencroft said she was disappointed with some of the initial feedback received from certain residents in response to the possibility that these units might become affordable housing. 

“Affordable housing is a good thing. It belongs in all of our communities and we need to be developing far more of it. We need–desperately–to break down the stigma around having affordable housing in our areas and get past NIMBYism and so on,” she said.

“This city is not in the business of dictating that people of a certain socio-economic background or social class can live in particular neighborhoods or others exclusively,” she added. “We all belong everywhere and we all need to be more accepting of our neighbours.”

Don’t quarry, be happy (with a children’s art factory and a nail spa)

Council rejected a request for a quarry permit at 959 Robert E. Howlett Memorial Dr. in the Goulds. The department of Industry, Energy, and Technology wanted the area for drilling, blasting, ripping and crushing to make gravel and rock and stockpile material. As nice as that sounds, council voted against it because the area is an Agriculture Zone, has no public access, and is also visible from the highway.

Council approved the rezoning of 71 O’Leary Ave. for an arts-based children’s center for painting, crafts, and music, while also granting parking relief for 12 spaces given there would likely only be two or three families at any given time during weekdays. 

They also approved the rezoning of 97A Logy Bay Rd. to accommodate the application for a spa that will offer manicures, pedicures, and nail extensions. Given the small size of the site, and the fact it’s located in the basement of a primary dwelling, council didn’t think it would affect the residential character of the neighborhood. 

New design manual protects city assets and taxpayers

Council unanimously approved the adoption of the new Development Design Manual–though not without some hemming and hawing. 

“I really enjoyed reading it,” Coun. Ron Ellsworth said of the 200-page document which was two years in the making. It offers guidelines for development engineers, replacing the previous Subdivision Design Manual from 2013. 

Coun. Hickman, Coun. Hanlon, and Coun. Ridgeley initially wanted to defer voting on the manual, at least until the next meeting, concerned about whether developers had been consulted during the process of writing the guide. 

In the end, however, the majority voted against deferral given there were no plans to engage with developers in the next two weeks. Furthermore, “developers” do not constitute a monolithic entity. It was noted that there is no association at present in the province that represents the interests of all developers, but if such a group existed, Mayor Breen noted, it would be a helpful thing.    

While certain the guidelines might be problematic for some developers, Ellsworth remarked, “they are put in place to protect our assets and our taxpayers.” It was noted that in the past any issues arising from developments are often mitigated after the fact, and by taxpayers, which is both inefficient and unfair. This new guide is meant to address these issues.

“We are simply asking our developers to build the infrastructure to the same standards we build ourselves,” Ellsworth added. Burton noted that city staff are available to answer any questions developers might have, and policy can be changed if issues arise in the future.

Flowers in winter and other tender moments

Coun. Jamie Korab provided an update on recently awarded tenders. 

The contract to replace two cab and chassis trucks, was awarded to Cabot Ford Lincoln Sales Ltd., the lower of two bidders. Korab slipped, and said “beaters” by accident, as in a dilapidated but serviceable car. “Hopefully [they] are not beaters!” he joked. 

Supply and delivery of annuals was awarded to Hickey’s Greenhouses and Nursery Ltd. for $86,973. “I’m assuming this means flowers, correct?” Korab asked, getting clarification from the group. Yes, flowers–a lot of flowers. “Flowers,” Breen said, wistfully. “That’s a very nice thought for the day.” 

The Riverhead SCADA Servers and Workstation Equipment replacement–integral to the operations of the city’s wastewater treatment facility–was awarded to Triware Technologies Inc. for $137,696. 

Meanwhile, $215,635 went to Harris Govern for the city’s Annual Software maintenance renewal, and Executive Bus Ltd.–the sole bidder–was awarded a $127,890 contract for transport services for the city’s various recreation programs. 

There were some new appointments. Three new review court commissioners were added to the current roster to offset scheduling challenges. Meanwhile, professional planner Tolulope Victoria Akerele was added to the Sustainable and Active Mobility Advisory Committee. Megan Webb, a folklorist and archeologist, was added to the Built Heritage Experts Panel.  

Making winter great again

Breen reflected on the passing of Fogo Island-Cape Freels MHA Derrick Bragg, whom he described as a friend, colleague, and a “great Newfoundlander and Labradorian.” Bragg was a member of the Association of Municipal Administrators for many years, Breen said, and a minister of many portfolios (most recently, Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture). “He was one of these people that you knew he was in the room; he had a very big smile and a tremendous sense of humour.”  

O’Leary noted that World Wetlands Day is coming up on February 2. There will be a proclamation in the works given the city’s ongoing efforts to conserve and protect them. 

She also reflected on the state of mental health in our province, no doubt prompted by the failing grade Newfoundland and Labrador received in the latest report from the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health. To be fair, none of the provinces did particularly well.   

Council members often end up dealing with mental health challenges in their interactions with the public, whether they’re equipped to or not. She recommended that council have access to mental health first aid courses, with training, so members can be better positioned to help people navigate systems and get the resources they need.

Coun. Bruce announced that Chill Fest will be happening from Feb. 9-14, featuring 20 different events for all ages, with outdoor and indoor options. “We’ve got to all get on board to celebrate winter!” she said, with aspirational optimism. Nice try, Coun. Bruce. We all know she’s counting down the days until April, when council will send her to Miami Beach for the Annual Seatrade Cruise Global Conference.

Ridgeley insists he’s been making a valiant effort by skating with his kids on their home ice rink. “There are benefits to the winter, okay?”