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LETTERS: Charlottetown residents respond to former mayor's waterfront vision

Our most iconic public asset

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Re: Asleep for vision on waterfront, Feb. 21

I just want to respond to a letter to the editor written by former Charlottetown mayor, George MacDonald.  Mr. MacDonald was/is clearly a man and leader with long-term vision who put the future and the protection of our resources ahead of short-term commercial development and interests. He put words to the very reasons we moved to Charlottetown four years ago.

I agree that the waterfront is our most iconic public asset and that buildings like the Forge are a permanent scar on that asset. It seems to me that our beautiful waterfront is being gradually eroded away piece by piece.  And when it is gone, it is gone! We need leaders with vision who will protect the beauty of our waterfront, preserve the historic landscape, and not sacrifice these things for anything. The historical past is very much related to the future; we need to vigilantly preserve both.

Thousands of tourists visit our city each year from all over the world, including numerous cruise ships that dock at our waterfront.  One of the things they come to see is Charlottetown’s waterfront with the old historic landscape as an alluring backdrop. We do not want to tamper too much with a good thing, for we risk losing the opportunity to mirror the success of world-class waterfronts.

David Payne, Charlottetown

‘Nice building … wrong place’

Former Mayor George MacDonald’s recent letter in this newspaper correctly recognizes that “Charlottetown stands at a crossroads.”

I am writing to encourage the City of Charlottetown to immediately revisit the approval process for The Forge, an eight-storey building proposal on the Charlottetown waterfront. One of the city’s own planning board consultants has labelled it correctly: “Nice building … wrong place.”

As a local resident, I am often surprised and delighted by the number of cruise visitors who have enthusiastically declared that “this is the finest small harbour I have ever sailed into.”  It has long been a gathering place for residents and visitors from all over the world. In recent years, I have been impressed by the increasing numbers of young families enjoying summer and winter events at Founders’ Hall, spilling over into adjoining roads and sidewalks.  We must do everything we can protect this precious investment in our future.

The impact of an adjoining 200-unit apartment building and 500 residents beside Founders’ Hall is unimaginable. This development would be the single largest residential building ever built on P.E.I.: the waterfront skyline will change forever. Founders’ is a 150-year old heritage building: what will be the impact of two years of pile-driving and construction activity? Prince Street is dead end. Visitor parking is a serious issue today: imagine the additional parking and safety issues during and after construction? Nice building … wrong place.

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Our beautiful waterfront is a key public asset. Charlottetown city councillors are public stewards: they have a duty to protect the natural beauty and historical significance of the Birthplace of Confederation. City residents need to insist that they honour that obligation by denying a building permit to this eight-storey waterfront development.

I support former Mayor MacDonald’s recommendation: the space beside Founders’ Hall would make a perfect public park, a place for people.

Ian Carter, Charlottetown

An avalanche of poor decisions

City must protect waterfront

I concur with George MacDonald’s recent letter stating, “Those at the helm have been asleep for at least 20 years.”

Waterfronts are important Canadian historic assets.

As a former director of the iconic Lunenburg Waterfront Association, I witnessed many developers’ intent on modernizing the town’s historic wharfs. Fortunately, the province stepped in and supported historic preservation over high density dwellings.

My wife and I moved here this fall and purchased a Prince Street condominium overlooking the beautiful historic harbour. We were not made aware of the huge Forge apartment development and its socio-economic impacts.

The city has a duty to protect our most iconic public asset – the waterfront. Please protect it.

Douglas Langley, Charlottetown

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