A group of Cow Bay merchants is upset by the way the City of Prince Rupert has sold off two lots of land that currently serve as a public parking lot for visitors to the area.
Ted Sylvester, owner of Breaker’s Pub said they were completely taken off guard when a Public Notice of Proposed Property Disposition was published in this newspaper June 29.
He said, the merchants who rely on that parking lot, were not consulted on the proposed sale, were not given any advance notice and didn’t even know the land was for sale.
“We’re not happy with what’s going on,” Sylvester said, adding that the notice gave people only one week (until July 7) to make comments.
Mayor Herb Pond said making land sales in this manner is one of the approved methods the city has available to it.
“A person approached council with a business idea and the council of the day thought it would be something that would enhance the Cow Bay area,” he said. “And [the buyers] were interested in these particular lots, and so council does have the right to sell the land directly at market value.”
That being said, the mayor acknowledged that while they have the right to do what was done, it is perhaps not the best approach from a public relations standpoint. Even if council could not have legally given other businesses specific details about a pending transaction, they could have possibly engaged in a more general discussion about something being under consideration and the impacts it might have, he suggested.
“I think that would have been a good dialogue to have with… key concerned individuals,” he said. “Certainly, people have made significant investments and it’s important that we showed the proper respect for that, no question.”
While that is moot regarding the current deal, which is already done, Pond noted both the previous and current councils were committed to only making the sale if there was a plan to offset the lost parking spaces.
READ MORE: City plans to sell part of Cow Bay Parking lot for development
Last week, the city announced it would be converting undeveloped land on George Hills Way slated for future development including an extension of 3rd Avenue West to a temporary parking lot. In a press release, the city said the location was just one minute’s walk away from the Cow Bay shopping area.
But the merchants dispute the temporary lot is as close to them as the city says and are worried it will discourage customers.
“It’s much further than a minute,” said Sylvester.
Pond responded that he is sympathetic toward the merchants’ concerns and that the location of the temporary parking may not be set in stone.
“The question I am encouraging staff to look at is whether there is anything that would prevent us from choosing another location,” he said.
The merchants are also concerned about what is going to be developed on the site.
Pond said he is still not at liberty to disclose who the buyer is or what they are planning to do there, but said council is confident it will be a positive development.
“It’s an enterprise that council believes will enhance Cow Bay that… will cause more interest in people coming down to the Cow Bay area. They believe that it would be good for all of the merchants in that area to have this one, and more, enterprise in that area. And, so hopefully that’s the case.”
thom.barker@blackpress.ca
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