School on N.B. Ex site could go ahead without joint committee approval, mayor says
City will 'use all measures possible' to see development move faster, Kate Rogers says
Fredericton's mayor says the city could strike an agreement with the province to build a new school on land it leases to the New Brunswick Exhibition without the organization's green light.
To date, Kate Rogers said plans for the land have moved through the joint decision-making authority — a committee with members from the city and the N.B. Ex.
But she believes the group is not moving fast enough on development plans struck by both parties in 2021 to add housing and a school to the large plot of land on Smythe Street.
"We have been trying to work through that at a committee level, and now we're just saying we need to use all measures possible," Rogers said Thursday.
"That committee has been meeting for quite some time as well, and we haven't been moving probably as quickly as we would have liked."
It's not clear yet whether council will opt to move ahead with an agreement outside of the joint committee. Rogers was not made available to answer follow-up questions.
Council passed a motion earlier this week that called on the provincial government to co-operate with the city to "pursue all available means" to acquire ownership of the land needed for the new school.
Plan A in the city's agreed development plan is pictured on the right, next to a Google Maps image of the exhibition grounds. (Google Maps/City of Fredericton)
The motion said council "wishes to see a negotiated and mutually beneficial arrangement" with the N.B. Ex, but added that the city will "pursue all available means to expedite" the site plan.
Rogers said the move comes because members of the N.B. Ex did not vote on whether housing and school development should move forward at its annual general meeting on Sunday.
"We're just ready to move and don't know that that organization is feeling the same sense of urgency," she said.
But Rob Kitchen, N.B. Ex president, said he was surprised by the motion and disagrees with Rogers's assessment that the organization doesn't want to move quickly.
"There's been no delay tactics or anything done by the N.B. Ex," he said. "The membership wanted more information ... They did not say no to development, they just said they need more information before they move forward."
For example, he said, the members were seeking more information about how much land the school site would use.
Kitchen, who is a member of the joint committee, says the city did not provide enough information about the proposed developments ahead of the planned member vote.
"It's not fair to ask the membership to vote on something with no information," he said.
Kitchen also takes issue with making any land-use decisions outside of the joint committee, which he believes is the proper channel.
The joint decision-making authority is set up for that reason, he said, "and at no time was the JDA given information of the size of the school or the nature of how much land it's going to take."
Rogers said part of the urgency comes as the city was given more than $10 million from Ottawa for housing development.
The city hopes to use part of that for housing slated for the N.B. Ex site, but Rogers said there is a time limit for those funds to be spent.
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David Amos
I am enjoying this nonsense
Matt Steele
There is lots of space in the city to build apartments and schools . There is enough congestion in the downtown core already without adding in more traffic and housing . The Mayor seems out of touch with reality , and focuses only on Special Interest Groups , and their agendas .
Allan Marven
So the transformation is complete. Turn the exhibition grounds/racetrack into condominiums, and a school to ease everyones frustration with the "for money" developers . Now has anyone...ANYONE.. read the story about how the CRA ( your national walletkeeper) has been getting scammed by developers, and how they (the CRA)turn a blind eye to it?
MR Cain
Reply to Allan Marven
Nah, that is fake news.
Lauchlin Murray
Although as always, there's a little room for improvement, that Plan A schematic really looks like planners have given the proposal some excellent concepts. The 'apartments over commercial' space is a bit dubious — but after that, from my basic knowledge of urban planning, Fredericton's history and its current needs; it's one of the more feasible projects I've seen for a Canadian municipality in decades. It's too bad the mayor and council are coming up against so much reluctance by some feeling it's a threat to their playground. Mayor Rogers seems to always be thinking ahead for Fredericton's longer-term growth. I'd love to see that block stop being a brownfield and thermal generator and more of a daily use pedestrian/residential area with significant arboreal environment. OK I do have some doubts about the middle school beside the agri-complex (and on top of half a century of creosote soaked soil), even if each one's use with be in different seasons. Meh. After that, my compliments to the designers/planners/engineers and Mayor Rogers. It's the right way to revitalize that otherwise under used dead zone.
Allan Marven
Reply to Lauchlin Murray
Give us a break....real estate developement is the biggest scam in Canada....bar none. JT knows it.
MR Cain
Reply to Allan Marven
Nah, doesn't even make the top ten. As the Cons will say, let the markets decide; where there is need, there is an opportunity.
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