Tannery Court Moncton
I was in Moncton over the weekend to take in a concert and drove by Tannery Court. Not that building aesthetics address local neighbourhood concerns about concentration of poverty in South End Saint John, but seeing the building did make me a little less concerned about the quality of Avide’s work.
I failed to snap a photo, so this is Bing Maps’ photo of the development.
6 comments:
Just to clarify... the neighbourhoods' concerns never focused on the quality of Avides' construction work.
It is a shame, that the real problems with this project, get "glossed over" by continuing references to aesthetics.
There is no such thing as an aesthetically pleasing "ghetto."
Concentrating 60% Poverty in one area should not make anyone feel "a little less concerned."
It's the 21st Century... can we only practice discriminating policies, such as only placing Low Income housing in High Poverty Neighbourhoods?
Do we not know what this will mean to the families and children who live there?
Is this "Urban Planning" or "Urban Negligence?"
We know who pays the price.
If you want to have a blog on Urban issues, then do the research and talk about the whole/sum of the issues.
Thanks,
H. LaBillois
Just to clarify, I was saying the building looks nice, not that the project is a winner or that the neighbours are concerned about the look of the building.
Lets hope we can all get to a point one day where focusing on stats and appearance is less than important than a focus on people.
Thank you for participating in this ongoing discussion.
The "stats and appearance is less than important than a focus on people."
This has always been about people.
Do you not think that the "stats" are relevant and reflective of the challenges that this neighbourhood has to deal with?
Speak to the quality of life for the "people" that already exist in this neighbourhood and what options are we really providing for them?
Very few, I'm afraid.
We are too good at ignoring what we do not want to "see" or "hear"...
Anything short of a "mixed-income" development should not be acceptable to anyone, especially a "stressed neighbourhood" such as the South End.
Those buildings, that "look nice", amount to over $5 million in cashflow for Avide/Tannery Court, over the next 10 years. Federal/Provincial funding is providing $30,000 for each of 50 units for the construction of this building.
With Avides' stated goal of "Five Tannery Courts in the Saint John Area," what do you think will happen to the "priority nieghbourhoods" where they will be likely built?
What happened to the "Rifle Range," when it was decided to build high density, low income housing all those years ago?
I can only see this project as opportunistic, and ultimately, detrimental to the people both "IN" and "OUTSIDE" this building... people who have very little or no options in their lives.
We can do better.
H. LaBillois
Mixed income is the preferred model. I concur.
Is a mix that represents the current mix of the neighbourhood acceptable? Or should the mix be one that brings the ratio of poverty down?
We need to bring it down.
We need mixed income buildings and mixed income neighbourhoods.
50%-60% is blatantly high and does not improve the outcome for the community.
We need more housing... having a descent place to live, in a decent neighbourhood should be a right, for everyone (not for just those who can afford it).
As I had stated elswhere, the Scott Ave. conflict is the otherside of the same coin... those areas of wealth and influence, strive to remove those who are struggling to get by... it's criminal and condemns the poor to only live in "poor neighbourhoods."
I categorize "Tannery Court" the same.
We need good low income housing, throughout the Greater SJ Area and we need to bring down the barriers of transportation/mobility and actively discourage the continued creation/entrenchment of ghettos.
We need housing and our neighbourhoods to be MIXED.
"In some circumstances escape may not be possible.
Especially in the urban slum, race or poverty may confine individuals to an area of intrinsically limited opportunity.
And once again the environment perpetuates its handicaps through poor schools, evil neighborhood influences, and bad preparation for life."
-- John Kenneth Galbraith, "The Affluent Society", 1958.
H. LaBillois
Let me ask a few questions...
Do you ever hesitate or are concerned with going to a certain area of the City? During any specific time of day?
Do you think that certain schools are not safe or qualified for your children to attend?
Are there areas of the City that lack the basic amenities, services, opportunities that would make it a good place for you to live in?
Why?
Why would anyone have any of these feelings/concerns?
Why do we not acknowledge the concerns and not deal with the problems?
I think that if we honestly answer "yes," to any of the above, even in a low personal whisper, then there is a huge problem that we are not dealing with... we all know the problems.. do we want to do something about it?
Thanks Again
H. LaBillois
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