Pay Attention to the Refinery Site, But Celebrate the Tipping Point in the Rebirth of Our City

Do you want Irving's headquarters to stay uptown and be located on the waterfront? Yes or no? That is the only question to be brought to the public at this stage.

I will not argue against public consultation – I have participated in more than one campaign over this issue just in the past year and engagement with the public over the growth of our city is something I am strongly in support of.

As presented on OpenSJ, The Irving plan is progressive, visionary, and should provide the tipping point for development of the south end. It is also the result of the right motivations - people, and keeping them connected to the heart of our city as we rebuild the urban magnet for the creative professionals we badly need to realize our goals.

While the Irving development is a definite win for the city, the citizens of Saint John spoke loud and clear through extensive public consultation in 2001 on the use of our waterfront in the Inner Harbour Land Use Plan that the sugar refinery site should not be used for industrial purposes.

However, there are no current plans for development of the sugar refinery site which may maintain its current state for some time to come. In the meantime, the Irving Oil development will bring life to a larger and more visible location on the port.

The city needs to get behind this development while we must also not lose site of the sugar refinery location's importance to the south ends rebirth and ensure that future plans do not designate it permanently as an industrial site and prevent it from some day becoming what we all hoped it would in 2001. But Long Wharf is much more visible and essential to waterfront development and the vitality of the city at this stage in our growth.

Irving should be expected to engage the public over the details of their development to make sure the community is supportive and that their staff and employees continue to be welcomed each day into the community where they work. But this is not the stage for that level of engagement and Council should be aware of this.

Should this land deal occur so Irving can build its home on our waterfront? That is the question. This may put the sugar refinery site at risk of being used for a purpose that we do not desire but long wharf has been under that threat now for many years held by the Port. I accept that risk because I believe the benefits to putting the world headquarters of one of our most important corporations on our prime real estate is good for my community, my neighbourhood, and for revitalizing our urban core.

Rebirth is a process and this is an exciting step. This is a good thing.