Scott Fitzgerald

Obviously all councillors want to make and keep their constituents happy as much as possible. The temptation will always be to side with them in the face of development that may be perceived as a negative to things like their property values. These concerns are real and important to homeowners and should not simply be treated as NIMBY. Unfortunately we are in a housing crisis right now and it didn’t happen overnight. Over the last 15 years, there have been many developments that did not happen in our city because of neighborhood opposition, and it has contributed to the housing deficit we have now. Council needs to have the courage to tackle the housing crisis by making meaningful change to the regulations that slow and prevent housing developments from happening, and it needs to have the courage to say to constituents that, for the good of the city as a whole, we need to support development. This doesn’t mean that all resident concerns are ignored and that every proposal, no matter what, is approved. We still need meaningful public consultation, we just need to focus on the greater good. The city has a responsibility to help ease this housing crunch and should do what it can to make meaningful contributions towards a solution.

The recent Village Mall housing proposal is, in general, a great move forward in alleviating the housing deficit we have. There are still lots of details that are unknown for this project (green space, parking, and transit access among them) but I do love the idea of bold proposals to tackle a huge societal problem we are facing right now.

Surely there are solutions to any issues that are presented. For example, in other cities, developers help pay for transit access in lieu of providing additional parking spaces for some developments. Sounds like an idea worth exploring. That being said, I think that a delay in approving this project may be appropriate to allow the new Ward 3 councillor, (whoever that is), some time to get up to speed on everything included in the proposal. I think that would be fair given that the development is in Ward 3.

Walter Harding

[To come]

Mark House

Housing is one of the most pressing issues in our city. While we’ve made strides with federal funding and regulatory changes, I believe we can go further. The proposal at the Village Mall is a great opportunity, but we need to ensure it strikes the right balance between adding new housing and maintaining quality of life for nearby residents. Parking, affordability, and building height are all crucial factors, and I would insist on clear communication and negotiation with the developer to meet our community’s needs. We must ensure that any new development includes affordable units, and I support further changes to planning regulations that incentivize the construction of more affordable housing.

I understand that developments of this scale can profoundly impact the character and functionality of our neighbourhoods, and I agree that transparency and a thorough public consultation process are critical. When decisions are made without ample information and without the public’s full input, it undermines trust and reduces the potential for a project that genuinely aligns with the needs and values of the community. In this case, the classification of the project as a “discretionary use” does appear to limit both transparency and meaningful community engagement, which are essential for informed decision-making on a project of this magnitude.

As part of my approach, I believe in setting a high standard for public involvement, especially for landmark developments. If elected, I would advocate for Council to pause, gather comprehensive information, and provide further opportunities for public scrutiny and dialogue. This step will allow everyone—from local residents to council members—to better understand the potential benefits and challenges of this project and propose practical improvements where needed.

Paul Morgan

I think the new development for the VIllage Mall is a positive initiative
● All over Canada groups and councils are looking more and more at parking lots that are not being used to their full potential as possible
housing and green spaces. These days a lot of people are working from home or using public transit and thus a lot of the parking spaces
are being underutilized. Perhaps the developer could cost share a Metrobus hub with all parties involved

● If my constituents are for or against certain housing units I would look at the merits of the situation and support them accordingly. We don’t
need to rush into potential issues as we need proper consultation with all parties involved.
● We need to remember that lack of housing is certainly a major issue that we need to deal with. I would certainly consider all factors for the
placement of housing from my constituents.

Greg Noseworthy

[To Come]

Happy City St. John’s is excited to announce that we will be holding our Annual General Meeting on September 18th at 7 PM. This will be a hybrid event, so you may join us in person at The Lantern at 35 Barnes Road or online through Zoom (link to follow). We’ll be doing a few things at this event:

REFLECTING ON THE CITY AND ON OUR WORK IN 2024
The board of Happy City will give an overview of recent issues the city has been facing this year, and of the events we’ve held and initiatives we’ve worked on in 2024.

OUR UPDATED VALUES AND BELIEFS

The city continues to face new challenges and the landscape for the media and for community organizations like ours is changing fast. To help us plan for the years to come we spent the summer thinking about what Happy City St John’s stands for. We will unveil our new statement of values and beliefs which will be the foundation for the next board’s planning. We hope it will help you and others better understand what we are trying to do and why, and we would like to hear if there’s anything we should add or change.

2025 – A BUSY AND IMPORTANT YEAR TO COME

Just a year from the AGM, the St John’s City Council will have its next election, and as we have done in past years we will be doing what we can to help the public understand what is at stake in the election, learn more about the issues, and hear the candidates explain and defend what they stand for.

ELECTING NEW DIRECTORS TO OUR BOARD

If you’re passionate about civic engagement and making your city a better place, or if you know someone who could help us steer Happy City through this crucial upcoming year, there will be a number of open positions on the board. It’s easy to apply and you can nominate yourself. All the information you need can be found here. Admission is free, the venue is fully accessible, and light refreshments will be served. We look forward to seeing you, in person or virtually. The chance to meet new civic-minded residents is one of the best parts of these events!

If you’re passionate about civic engagement and making your city a better place, or if you know someone who could help us steer Happy City through this crucial upcoming year, joining our board could be a great opportunity to develop new skills, share your experience, meet other civic-minded people, and of course help make St. John’s a better place. Consideration of new potential board members will take place at our upcoming Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 18th September, so if you are interested, please let us know before then.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Happy City St. John’s has an active volunteer board, and members should expect to spend at least 10-15 hours per month working with colleagues, volunteers and partners on our events and long term projects. We encourage all members to bring their own ideas for projects and partnerships, and we help each other to develop and deliver new initiatives.
WHO SHOULD APPLY
We are seeking board members with a variety of skill sets, including but not limited to policy, advocacy, communications, and fundraising and financial management. Happy City St. John’s believes all citizens’ experiences must be at the centre of the work we do and therefore we strongly encourage nominations from people of diverse backgrounds and different lived experiences. If you are passionate about making your community a better place, we’d love to hear from you.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Individuals can simply nominate themselves by completing this online form. Anyone can stand for election, except current elected government officials or candidates. You will be asked to provide a brief bio which will be shared on the website and via email in advance of the general meeting to inform members who are planning on attending and voting. You will also be asked to share a little bit about yourself and why you are interested in a board role during the AGM.

The election of new board members takes place at the AGM. Members will vote following the introduction of all candidates (this can also be done by those watching online), and the newly-elected board will decide which members will be on the executive at the following board meeting.

If you have any questions about the whole process, please contact Elizabeth Oliver, our Secretary, at secretary@happycity.ca