'Last-minute proposal' for old Moncton high school divides council
A deep divide continued on Moncton city council this week, with five councillors voting to support a new — and, so far, private — proposal for the old Moncton High School and five voting against.
In the end, Mayor Dawn Arnold broke the tie with her vote to send a letter of support to the provincial government, which owns the downtown heritage building,
The letter will indicate city council agrees the proposed plan for the old high school is in keeping with Moncton's vision for redeveloping the site.
Although councillors appeared to have strong feelings about the issue, they did not make public any details of what was called a last-minute proposal.
They said it was up to the authors of the proposal, Terra Trust and Bird Construction, to decide when to let the public what they have in mind.
The council vote this week doesn't mean the proposal will go ahead. The vote does declare that the proposal is worthy of a more detailed plan from the developers, which a committee of provincial and city officials would then examine.
Another group, MH Renaissance Inc., is still waiting for a final response from the City of Moncton and the provincial government after submitting a plan for a performing arts centre and office space that could include the public library, known as MH35.
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Developer awaits answer on proposal for old Moncton high school
Dennis Cochrane, the group's president, said in December that he was hopeful he would have an answer soon.
The city has said the provincial and city committee would continue to analyze the proposal.
A December news release said an independent analysis of the implications of moving the library was underway and a staff report on the findings would be provided by the end of February.
New proposal 'a slap in the face'
On Monday night, little information was released about the new proposal for the heritage building, but deputy mayor Blair Lawrence said he was "encouraged" 2017 will be the year council comes up with a resolution for the old MHS building.
Coun. Paulette Thériault voted against supporting the new proposal and said she was embarrassed by council's final decision.
"We do not have much information and I think it's very premature to send a letter to the province, which could really jeopardize the entire preservation," she said.
Thériault also noted there was no indication whether the auditorium would remain in tact under the proposal, something that is not a question under the MH Renaissance Inc. plan.
After working on the other proposal for two years, she felt that supporting a competing idea would be "a slap in the face" to the citizens behind MH Renaissance Inc.
'We owe it to the citizens to see it'
In December, after Moncton council approved controversial salary raises for the mayor and council, Coun. Shawn Crossman said a deep division had emerged among council members since he, Coun. Paul Pellerin and Coun. Bryan Butler opposed the salary increases.
On Monday night, the same three councillors, along with Thériault and Coun. Pierre Boudreau, voted against supporting the new MHS proposal.
"This is something that has come to us at the very last minute," Thériault told the mayor. "It almost looks like we're trying to find something or somebody to come up with any kind of an idea as long as we get it off the table and I find that very disturbing."
Crossman said he had a long list of reasons he didn't want to support the new proposal but couldn't bring them up at the meeting because council had agreed it would be up to Bird Construction and Terra Trust to share the details.
"My concern is ... the future of the auditorium as well as the gym — keeping it intact — but not only keeping that part of the building intact but the entire school intact," Crossman said.
CBC News has not been able to reach anyone at Terra Trust and Bird Construction for information about their proposal.
Lawrence stood by council's decision to send a letter of support for the new proposal, arguing city council isn't making a commitment but rather keeping its options open.
"If we have now another proposal before us by a reputable business group ... we owe it to the citizens to see it," Lawrence said of the new proposal.
"It may not fly for us at all, MH35 may not fly for us ... but we have an obligation to our taxpayers to look at an option that may suit the city better."
