A long-time resident of downtown St. John’s who advocates for improved services and supports is disappointed that the provincial government has sold off a property on Livingstone Street instead of considering it for a community centre.

The 4-unit house, which was owned by Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, went up in flames a little over a year ago. Government recently sold it for $120,000.

Mark Wilson sees the whole exercise as backwards as government gave the help group THRIVE $70,000 to collect information on the concept and location of a community centre in the area. The burned-out house on Livingstone was seen as the preferred site for such a facility.

Wilson says the sale doesn’t make sense.

“Such a facility could be a site where we could expand food options for people in the area to improve the health of folks in the neighbourhood including, and provide a better living standard.”

He says it would cost government less for health costs in the long run.