A petition against the development of a condominium on green space in downtown St. John’s has garnered over twenty-five hundred signatures.
The green space behind the Anglican Parish Hall on Queen’s Road is the last naturalized forest space in the city’s downtown.
It’s home to centuries old trees songbirds and other small wildlife, and is part of the historic fabric of downtown.
The fate of this plot is up in the air as a proposal to re-zone it from open space to commercial mixed to make way for a 10-storey condominium.
Area resident, Matthew Graham started the petition. He says the proposed development could have many impacts. He says it would loom over the other houses in the neighbourhood and impact the skyline on the downtown. Graham says he doesn’t believe it would benefit the city.
Graham says the Parish Hall needs help, and it would be far more beneficial to have it converted into something like affordable housing or a place to provide social services.
He says it’s a special place used by the community.
Graham says it’s an open space that anyone can come and use. It hasn’t been turned into park lands which makes it unique. Most places don’t have a forest space in the downtown with mature trees in a natural environment, says Graham.
The City of St. John’s is holding a public meeting to discuss the development at St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church on Craigmillar Avenue on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m..
