The four mayoral candidates at the Empire Theatre debate Wednesday: from left, Egerton Boyce, Mitch Panciuk, Taso Christopher and Jodie Jenkins. Photo by Sarah Law, QNet News
By Sarah Law
BELLEVILLE – The topic of building new developments in Belleville, particularly along the city’s waterfront, came up at Wednesday night’s mayoral candidates debate at the Empire Theatre.
The Belleville Chamber of Commerce hosted the event, where Egerton Boyce, Jodie Jenkins, Mitch Panciuk and the incumbent, Mayor Taso Christopher, answered questions submitted by chamber members and city residents.
The questions covered a variety of subjects, including infrastructure, affordable housing, the shortage of doctors, regional transit, communications within City Hall and street safety.
The debate was mostly a polite one; none of the candidates interrupted each other, and they all obeyed the time limits enforced by the moderator.
However, Jenkins called out Christopher and Panciuk at times, saying the city has had enough “of the Mitch and Taso show.”
Jodie Jenkins, who served as a council member from 2010 to 2014, says public consultation about waterfront development is essential. Photo by Sarah Law, QNet News
After the debate, QNet News was able to interview three of the candidates – Boyce, Panciuk and Jenkins – about how they feel a balance can be achieved between preserving green space and the waterfront and pursuing more development.
“I’m not going to speculate on what I want the waterfront to look like or what I think it should look like, because there are many people that want it to stay the way it is,” said Jenkins.
Work such as cleaning up the waterfront and improving the washrooms and food facilities there obviously needs to be done, he said.
But larger-scale projects in the area need more consideration, he added: “Some people would not be comfortable with the idea of just slapping in residential (zones), slapping in commercial (zones).”
Public consultation is key “because it is public space,” said Jenkins.
Boyce and Panciuk proposed more specific plans for the waterfront.
Egerton Boyce, who’s been on council since 2003, says the city must focus on sustainability and the environment while encouraging development. Photo by Sarah Law, QNet News
Boyce said there needs to be a combination of commercial and residential development while still maintaining the natural environment.
He is the chair of Belleville’s Green Task Force, which looks at how to pursue sustainable development in the city and reduce its carbon footprint. To ensure this is achieved, Boyce said, the council needs a specific approach.
“I think a waterfront master plan will identify areas (where) we will allow residential use to continue,” as well as identifying areas for commercial or tourism use, he said.
It is important to look at ways the city can modify unused spaces, Boyce said.
“We’ve got a lot of areas in Belleville that can be infilled that aren’t green space currently but that are just vacant buildings, etc. So those areas can definitely be infilled before we go expanding and using our valuable farmlands and our green spaces.”
Mitch Panciuk, first elected to council in 2014, says he has a comprehensive plan for green space and playgrounds. Photo by Sarah Law, QNet News
Panciuk told QNet News that he is “the only candidate with a real comprehensive plan” for ensuring there is enough open space left to the public, and that this plan includes a policy for green space and playgrounds.
“I think everybody, every resident, should be no more than one kilometre away from a park or a public space that’s green that they can enjoy. Those are essential parts of urban development,” he said.
During the debate, Panciuk described concerns he hears from residents that waterfront development would cost taxpayers too much money. But “we do need to do some work down there,” he said.
He agreed with a point Jenkins made during the debate that construction of public washrooms at Zwick’s Park is long overdue.
As well, the parking lots beside the Moira River need to be greened up, Panciuk said: “That area should be for people and not for cars.” A parking facility should be built nearby so the lots by the river can be transformed into green space, he added.
Taso Christopher, a council member since 2006 and mayor since 2014, spoke in favour of economic development on the city’s waterfront. Photo by Sarah Law, QNet News
On stage during the debate, Christopher suggested a new potential vision for the waterfront.
“We cut the grass every single summer, every week, and we can continue doing that if that’s what the council and the people want to do,” he said. “Or we can turn that into economic growth. We can turn that into tourism. We can turn that into residential growth. We can turn that into the most beautiful ambience – a combination of retail, boutique, residential intensification that you would see on the Bay of Quinte.”
Christopher praised the investments in infrastructure that have been made during his time as mayor.
“Look where we are now. Look at the amenities we have now. Look at the growth we have now. We have record unemployment; we have record growth. Housing and sales have gone up 15 per cent.”
The municipal election is Oct. 22. Voters can get more information about the election and the candidates here.
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