Mobile park residents question sewer vote
CBC News
Posted: Aug 15, 2011 11:24 AM AT
Last Updated: Aug 15, 2011 11:59 AM AT
Related
Residents of Meadowvale Park will vote Monday on whether council should go ahead with sewer developments. CBC Residents of Meadowvale Park vote Monday night to decide if its community council should spend money on sewer upgrades, but some say there are mixed messages surrounding a plan to connect them to Charlottetown's sewer system.
They are questioning the vote after Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee said Thursday he wouldn't allow the 112 homes in the Miltonvale Park community mobile home subdivision to hook into the city's sewer system unless a $24 million upgrade to the city's sewage treatment plant comes first.
Hal Parker, chair of Miltonvale's planning board, said Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee's comments are baffling. CBC Meadowvale Park's current sewer system has been declared an environmental hazard by the province. Three levels of government have offered to pitch in to help hook the area up to Charlottetown's sewer system. But Minister of National Revenue Gail Shea said there is no money available for the Charlottetown treatment plant expansion.
"Currently all the infrastructure funds are expended for the province of Prince Edward Island because of all the priorities that have been put forward by the province and all the projects that have been funded," said Shea. "That's not to say that in the future there won't be other infrastructure programs."
However, Miltonvale council has said it has a bargaining chip. It won't let Charlottetown put in an agreed-upon well field in the area that would provide a new water source to the city, which is struggling to keep up with demand.
"We're going to provide them with a well field in our community. And I don't know if anybody else in Prince Edward Island has noticed, but there's been an awful lot of buildings being built in Charlottetown," said Hal Parker, chair of Miltonvale's planning board.
Meadowvale Park resident Andrew Want wants the vote postponed. CBC "So when they run out of water? Who knows? I would suspect very shortly."
A city hall resolution dated March 14 that shows Charlottetown council unanimously approved Miltonvale Park's application to extend its sewer to the community. Parker said it makes Lee's comments all the more baffling.
"We have a document here from his staff that says all is good and we can proceed in this year to hook up to water and sewer. We have council resolution attached to that and we've done everything in good faith as far as I know," said Parker.
The park owners have asked residents to pay an extra $70 a month to bring the sewer system up to regulation.
But Miltonvale council said Monday's vote is not to approve that spending, but to approve investment in new sewer and water developments in the area.
Subdivision resident Andrew Want said the vote should be postponed until the facts are clear.
"Within 16 days we're asked to make a decision and vote and we really don't have all the information we need to make an informed choice," said Want.
The vote takes place at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Winsloe Lion's Club.
Share Tools
Latest Prince Edward Island News Headlines
- 35 laid off at UPEI
- Layoff notices were delivered Wednesday to 35 employees at the University of Prince Edward Island as part of the school's efforts to eliminate a $9 million deficit. more »
- Principal pleads guilty to luring a minor
- The former principal of P.E.I.'s Kensington Intermediate Senior High School pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge of luring a minor. more »
- Car dealer faces $15K vandal bill
- A Morell business owner will be paying out of his own pocket after vandals struck his car dealership. more »
- Colonel Gray High scraps exam exemptions
- Charlottetown's Colonel Gray High School is bringing an end to its policy of providing exam exemptions to students who meet a certain standard. more »
Must Watch
Top News Headlines
- Harper 'not consulted' about Duffy Senate expense repayment

- Prime Minister Stephen Harper says that not only did he not know about his chief of staff's "gift" to repay Senator Mike Duffy's expenses before the story broke in the media, he was not consulted and did not sign off on Nigel Wright's decision to write a personal cheque. more »
- Mayor Ford stays silent while his brother defends him
- Toronto Mayor Rob Ford continues to stonewall the media over allegations that he was recorded on video smoking what appears to be crack cocaine, but his brother Coun. Doug Ford told reporters Wednesday that the story is untrue. more »
- 'You will see him again in heaven,' Sharlene Bosma tells daughter
- Sharlene Bosma told more than 1,000 people at the public memorial service for her slain husband, Tim Bosma, about the love they shared. more »
- Rob Ford fired as Don Bosco Eagles head coach
- The Toronto Catholic District School board announced Wednesday that it was turfing Mayor Rob Ford from his position as head coach of the Don Bosco Eagles senior football team. more »
- 35 laid off at UPEI
- Peewee hockey bodychecking faces national ban
- Car dealer faces $15K vandal bill
- Colonel Gray High scraps exam exemptions
- Lobster glut leads to quotas amid low prices
- Summerside cracks down on ATV riders
- RCMP identify victims of fatal crashes
- Principal pleads guilty to luring a minor
- Stuff the Duff T-shirt lampoons senator

