Posted May 12, 2009, 2:40 PM
|
 |
Registered User
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Grand Bay-Westfield :: NB
Posts: 3,088
|
|
Peel Plaza gets support
Development Backing for motion doesn't mean council will approve projects in final decision
Published Tuesday May 12th, 2009
C1
Reid Southwick
Telegraph-Journal
Quote:
SAINT JOHN - A new police station proposed for the city's centre received some support from common council Monday night.
Council unanimously supported a motion that stated its confidence in city staff's ability to deliver the entire Peel Plaza project, including a new parking garage and police headquarters, in a "timely and prudent" manner.
Although the motion doesn't necessarily mean council will approve the projects in a final decision, several politicians expressed support for the development leading up to the vote.
Councillor Carl Killen, who presented the motion, said he wanted council to move ahead with the project and turn its attention to other matters.
"This is a plaza; this is not simply an isolated development. It is in fact part of a larger design that seeks to transform a particular part of the city," Killen said.
"It seems to me that we are at a stage with this particular project that it's time to move on, get past it and move on to the next item, whatever that might prove to be so that we will have the energy for it."
Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase, who has expressed major concerns with the costs of the police station, supported the motion but he stressed his vote didn't prejudge the fate of the project.
Chase said current designs would make the police station too big and too expensive. He said he has privately told city staff they must urge private companies currently preparing bids for the Peel Plaza project to offer new designs that reduce the station's size.
"I've pressed staff that when we continue on with the process of this request for proposals, that there must be an opportunity for the project respondents to bring back ideas, innovative design ideas, possibilities to bring down the cost of the project and reduce its size," Chase said.
"I have confidence based on discussions that staff will do that, but I don't want to prejudge the final outcome."
Mayor Ivan Court, a staunch supporter of the Peel Plaza development, said city staff has already told council they will make sure project costs are as low as possible. Court said the city will save considerable money by building the police station in the proposed location, because the province is sharing costs for holding cells, parking spaces and green space.
"Everybody around the table wants to make sure we get good bang for our buck and we get a building that meets the needs of our police force and at the same time at the lowest possible cost for our taxpayers," Court said.
"If we don't build the police facility at Peel Plaza, that facility is going to cost us a lot more than it's going to cost right now. We have an opportunity to save money by working with the justice facility and the province of New Brunswick."
The Peel Plaza development is expected to cost $45 million, $28 million for a new police station and $17 million for a parking garage that would be located north of Union Street in the city's centre.
Chase has said he is willing to put the brakes on the police station, should the project prove to be too expensive for taxpayers.
And he is not alone in his position.
Coun. Joe Mott, who was absent from Monday night's vote, and Coun. Bill Farren, who did not speak on the matter, have also said they are willing to put the project on hold.
Council is waiting for a report from finance commissioner Greg Yeomans on the cost of this and other capital projects and the potential impact on the tax rate.
Already, Yeomans has warned city politicians the number of projects on the city's books could push the tax rate higher, something most council members don't want.
Regardless, some council members, including Mayor Court and Coun. Peter McGuire, have said it's too late to have second thoughts when so much money, time and effort have already been spent on the development.
Coun. Chris Titus said Monday night the council water committee, including Court, Chase and Titus, received firm assurances from provincial cabinet ministers during a recent meeting that the new justice building is moving ahead as planned.
Titus was adamant the city should continue with the current process of awaiting bids from private companies to build the new parking garage and police station.
"(The provincial ministers) say unanimously: make no mistake about it, the courthouse is going up on the YMCA-YWCA (site)," Titus. "I repeat, the courthouse is going up on the Y site. Therefore, it precludes us to continue down this (public-private partnership) process in conjunction with the police and the parking garage."
|
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Princess Street undergoes a major makeover
Published Tuesday May 12th, 2009
C2
Cindy Wilson/Telegraph-Journal
Work on upgrading the water main and sanitary and storm sewers on Princess Street continues. Above, a worker connects a water valve to water pipes in front of O'Leary's. The west end of the street is getting new sidewalks, smoother paving and underground wiring. Princess, between Germain and Prince William, will be closed to through traffic until July 6.
|
Prev
Linear Mode
