EDMONTON – Residents in Terwillegar Towne have voted in favour of hiring a lawyer to help fight a supportive housing development proposed for their community.
Over the past few months residents have held several town hall meetings over the issue but feel many of their concerns have not been addressed.
At the meeting held at Terwillegar Community Church Monday evening, a vote was passed in favour of paying up to $35,000 for legal counsel. Those who voted for the motion feel the legal advice might help them get their questions answered.
“We’re not proposing to spend the whole amount, it’s just a budgeted amount. We hope we don’t have to spend any of it,” said Steve Simala Grant of the Terwillegar Towne Homeowners Association. “It’s not like we’re running out tomorrow trying to spend money, just that it’s there now and it’s available to the community if we have questions that we need answers (to).”
While he says the mandate has been given from the community, not everyone is happy with the outcome, and some feel that their votes didn’t really count.
“The way they did the proxy, it was easier for people against the project to send in a proxy vote. So he came in with 126 proxy votes against the project and for spending the money. So I think they counted 65 of us that voted the opposite,” said Terwillegar resident Susan Pearson..
According to Grant, even though the proposed Terwillegar Towne project as it’s been described is one that will be opposed by the majority of area residents, they’re still open to other options.
“We’re hoping that there’s alternative projects that we will be approached with that we can engage, that can really make a difference with poverty and homelessness in our city.”
A timeline has not been decided on what happens next.
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