Neighbours should share knowledge

The neighbours of the proposed Leinster Court Development in south-central Saint John have experienced a lot in dealing with the city regarding Saint John Non-Profit Housing’s (SJNPH) works toward developing a mixed-income apartment building on a neighbouring parking lot.

Many residents and owners on King Street East have worked with city staff and politicians to have their voices heard. One might expect that their more of the neighbours desires might have aligned closer to the plans of the developer if those voices were heard earlier on.

The neighbours should suggest to SJNPH – with this experience under their belt –that earlier consultation on future projects could create better community buy-in. SJNPH likely also learned this lesson during the process of receiving zoning approval for their 52-unit four storey building. Still, the neighbours should remain engaged and make sure the community can benefit from their new firsthand knowledge.

Many neighbours have publicly stated their support of low income and mixed housing developments.

By helping groups that develop such projects learn the best way to deal with the neighbouring community members, these neighbours will be helping these projects succeed in a positive way in the future.