Fredericton neighbours speak out about proposed housing development

Just past Shawn Coughlan’s backyard is a forested patch of land, with a strip of mowed grass, and trees behind it.

The park, Irvine Street Park, is at the centre of a heated development debate.

Building Prosperity Incorporated has applied to buy 501 Gibson St., which opens onto Gibson Street, and also buy the park next to it, if the city agrees to rezone the properties to allow for multiple residential units. It has committed to build 88 units, with 26 affordable housing units.

But Coughlan said the proposed multi-storey units don’t fit in a neighbourhood filled with bungalows.

“It’s the wrong development for this particular piece of land,” she said.

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She wants the community to remain close-knit, and said she’s so committed to preserving its atmosphere, she’s willing to buy the park.

“I’ll have to dig into my retirement savings, quite frankly, to do it, but I am that committed to maintaining this as a resource for our community,” she said.

In a statement, Ali Farahani, with Building Prosperity Inc, said they have incorporated everything that city planning staff required.

On Nov. 15, Fredericton’s Planning Advisory Committee recommended council deny the proposal. Farahani said the business has continued to co-operate with the city, and pointed out that considering unused park land for housing is one of the recommendations in Fredericton’s Affordable Housing Strategy.

Erin Fellows lives next to 501 Gibson St. She says if it is built, there will be a parking lot metres from her house.

“I won’t have much of a quality of life in terms of my privacy. We will have no buffer between myself and the neighbouring properties,” she said.

In his statement, Farahani also said he was looking for ways to provide alternative forms of transit, like car-sharing, in the development.

Affordable housing needed

Erin Dyker is the executive director of Inclusion Fredericton, an advocacy group for people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

“We’ve really been worried about affordable and inclusive housing for some time,” she said.

Inclusion Fredericton was one signatory to a letter in support of the development.

“What we liked about the proposal for Gibson was that the units there are dispersed among the rental units,” she said. Dyker said that can reduce stigma around affordable housing.

Coughlan agreed that Fredericton needs affordable housing, but questioned how affordable the proposed housing actually will be.

In a presentation to City Council on Nov. 27, Farahani said they were aiming to make the one-bedroom affordable housing units between $1,300 and $1,500 per month. That rent is only affordable if occupants make $52,000 or more annually.

“I guess if you make less than $50,000, you’re still going to be living in Mom and Dad’s basement,” Coughlan said.

The second and third readings of the proposed rezoning will be before Fredericton’s City Council on Dec. 11.