The city of St. John’s has decided to pause plans to put an illuminated sign up in Bannerman Park thanks to considerable public response.
Questions began immediately once council announced its decision to place the $85,000 sign in the park.
Opinion ranged from cost, to concerns about spoiling the natural beauty of the park, and even questions about potential vandalism.
Others questioned whether the sign might not be better in a higher-traffic, tourist-friendly locale.
Shannie Duff and others protesting Bannerman Park sign (VOCM News)
A small group of citizens, including former mayor Shannie Duff, gathered outside St. John’s city hall over the lunch hour to voice their concerns.
“Every time I walk through the park and hear children playing and see people sitting on a bench or making hammocks and having a beautiful, wonderful time…it’s not an amusement park,” says Duff. “I just feel it’s a step backwards.”
Mayor Danny Breen admitted that the response took him by surprise.
“To be perfectly honest with you, I didn’t anticipate this type of reaction,” says Breen.
“I was away last week and I saw this unfolding, so we wanted to be able to let people know that we appreciate your opinion and we’ll certainly have another look at it.”
Breen says there was no public consultation because he didn’t think that it would create the stir it did.
He says Bannerman Park was the only city-owned piece of land in the downtown area. Other locales, like Signal Hill for instance, would require permission from Parks Canada.
The decision on where the sign will end up will take place after public input can be reviewed and further community consultation.
