If you are (or were) a regular reader of this blog - especially when I posted on a consistent basis - you’d know that I’m not a big fan of the overdevelopment of Paradise. I’m not against development per se, just the rush to develop at a pace where basic infrastructure needs are suffering – or lacking altogether. Take traffic. It’s ridiculous, getting worse and is extremely frustrating, especially in the evenings. But it’s just another example of the town council’s mantra of building first and planning later. They always seem to be reactive as opposed to proactive.
And despite what some think, I don’t hate the council – in fact I actually like one or two and will support them in the next election. (Speaking of which, I’m seriously considering of putting my money where my mouth is and running. I have a lot of friends and co-workers who live here in Paradise and they’re not happy. They have pledged to work on my campaign if I chose to run. In fact, the campaign ball has started to roll.)
But council really has to get it's act together. Do we really need 2800 new homes around Octagon Pond, effectively eliminating a pristine green space and adding to an already bad traffic problem? And just who will move there if Dannyville gets the go ahead? Fortunately, Wiseman will be gone in two years – the damage to the image of Paradise (among other things) is irreparable. The old guard’s days are numbered. If the last election campaign had run another two weeks, I think two, maybe three, of them would have been gone. One thing is for certain - a change is needed. Residents are fed up.
Let’s hope for some new blood and common sense come election time.
Like your blog. Please run!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'm giving it serious consideration.
ReplyDeleteI was concerned with the Octagon Pond development so spent a lot of time reading the material presented and took the time to go to a couple of public sessions on it. After studying the matter I'm ok with building around Octagon Pond but maybe not as many as 2800 homes. I've seen the master plan and the idea is to create smaller communities within a larger road system that will link with Kenmount Road. Walkability, mixed uses, neighbourhoods that interconnect, and actually having open space that is incorporated with wet lands and is more than a playground is how they presented the development at the sessions I attended. If they stick to what was planned, which is the job of the next Council given that the Octagon Pond development is just starting, it'll be the best development in Paradise. Re traffic they said Topsail Road is supposed to be widened to 5 lanes past Octagon Pond. If I'm not mistaken this is starting over the summer. That means the traffic from the development should, at least in theory and according to what traffic engineers are saying, be neural when it comes to making the existing situation worse than it already is as Topsail will be able to take more cars and most of it will be dumped to Kenmount Road.
ReplyDeleteThe area to look at for over development causing big problems throughout town including Topsail Road is not Octagon Pond but the St. Thomas Line area. The line and Paradise Road cannot take any more traffic and until that infrastructure PLUS Topsail Road is improved no new developments should be approved away from the Topsail Road corridor. Period.
The new council needs to make sure Topsail Road is widened and that the road is connected around Octagon Pond asap. Then they need to stop new development most anywhere else away from the major transportation network (a widened Topsail Road) until our roads can handle it (planning 101). And while they're at it start developing green space that is visible from the road instead of useless land behind houses and make it big enough that it can be used by more than just kids to get on a set of swings.
Good luck on your run for council. Keep an open mind and listen to the taxpayers. It's their town and you'll be working for them.
Thanks for stopping by and making some great points. One of the biggest problems is, and will continue to be, traffic. The widening of Topsail Road will not solve this particularly if roads are at or near 100% capacity – that’s according to the traffic report. An extension from any development in Octagon Pond to Kenmouth Road has to be done first, but apparently some councillors are against this. It’s an expensive endeavour.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the traffic report, Karwood Drive is scheduled to be widened by this year at a cost of $5 million. That’s not even started and may not be done for a couple of years. Of course, that means higher costs – somewhere around $7 million - in 2010 dollars. And I can’t understand why it wasn’t initially four lanes in the first place. Throw in the other road needs and the costs add up exponentially. And still no fire hall.
The provincial budget essentially put the brakes on the fire hall. A report is going to be released soon and that may dictate which way the town can go. Essentially there are three options, stay as is (at a cost of $700,000/year and rising), share with CBS and Holyrood or go it alone.
If you live in Elizabeth Park or Trails End, the Mt. Pearl station can respond quickly. But if you live further in Topsail Road, say around Adam’s Pond or near St. Thomas Line, the response times are not acceptable – this according to the St. John’s Regional Fire Department. Widening the road will not help as much as one may think given the increase in traffic volume. And speaking of widening Topsail Road, the present work is overdue and over budget so I wouldn’t expect any new widening for a while. A by-pass from Elizabeth Park to the Outer Ring Road seems like a good idea to me, but again, it's cost prohibitive.
As for the Octagon Pond development, I agree, 2800 houses is too much. But what is the rush? Maybe you’re right; it will be planned well – unlike the Neil’s Pond and Adam’s Pond developments where homes border the ponds directly on 50 by 100 foot lots. For me, it comes down to who is actually planning this and why. Bigger is not always better. It seems that the developers rule here – so much so that one is called the real mayor of Paradise. Not my words, but I've heard it quite often. These postage stamp lots have got to stop. Develop yes, but slow down.
You’re right about the St. Thomas Line area. I’m spoken to this on numerous occasions. I have friends who live on or just off the line. And they are fed up with the increase in traffic and noise. Their commute to town has gone up a lot.
Again, thanks for the comments and suggestions. Rest assured, if I do run and get elected, I will keep an open mind – may be just put more thought into what the town’s needs are and not immediately say yes (or no) to new proposals. Cheers.
Please run...we need some new blood...I have a few interesting emails from the Town if you would like to read them but I would ask you to not publish them just use them for information purposes.
ReplyDeleteUnhappy Paradise Resident
I'm giving it serious consideration. You can certainly forward the emails. I won’t publish them and will keep the source confidential. I have a few of those emails as well. In the meantime, feel free to help spread the word!
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Chris
Please run! I'm a life long resident of over 40 years, and what's happened to Paradise is a shame.
ReplyDeleteI agree, build Danny, build, it will be beautiful out there. Take pressure off here in st.john's. Over kill in here. We dont want no more to build here. I would build out three, and alot of people would
ReplyDelete