Saint John pushes ahead with Rockwood Park development, but Tucker Park safe
Little appetite among councillors for sale of Tucker Park land for housing

CBC.ca
Sept. 19, 2017
Connell Smith

Saint John councillors have removed Tucker Park from the list of city-owned properties under threat of sale to private developers, but are pushing ahead with a plan to sell a portion of Rockwood Park.

It's part of a controversial strategy to spur development and find new property tax revenue for the municipality.

"It's unprecedented, it's never been seen before," said Denise Ainsworth of the group Friends of Rockwood Park.

"If this goes ahead it means apartment buildings, townhouses, subdivisions in a park."

Ainsworth worries the city will now grab and sell other portions of the park each time it struggles with its finances.

New developement, more tax dollars

Planning staff said a 60-unit residential project on the 4.8-hectare Sandy Point Road site would reap between $168,000 and $248,000 in annual property tax revenue.

They are proposing a medium-density development with a mix of as many as 60 semi-detached homes and apartment units.

Revenue from the sale of the land is to be directed back into the park.

Councillors agreed Monday night by a 6-4 vote to push forward with the plan.

Those in favour of parkland development were: Blake Armstrong, Gerry Lowe, John MacKenzie, David Merrithew, Donna Reardon and Ray Strowbridge.

Voting against were: Shirley McAlary, Gary Sullivan, Sean Casey and Greg Norton.

'No will' to sell Tucker

It was also becoming clear councillors were far less likely to support the sale of all or parts of Tucker Park.

A newly formed community group, the Tucker Park Recreation Association, has offered to take on management of the park, which has an untapped trusteeship of $255,000 to be used for "maintenance and improvement."

Ward 2 Coun. John MacKenzie came up with a motion to remove the park completely from the remaining list of properties under review.

"My sense is that there's no will," said MacKenzie.

"I don't think we should waste staff's time developing a report."

The motion was approved by a vote of 8-2.

David Merrithew and Ray Strowbridge voted against.

Millidgeville resident Kathy Brown left the meeting relieved.

She and many of her neighbours were upset to learn the park on the Kennebecasis River had been placed on the list for potential sale.

"I feel like we've been heard," said Brown.

"It's not a small sector of the residents that live in that area, it's actually a very large sector of the residents. We have almost a thousand signatures on a petition."