Housing protest off base

Jul 11 2007 EDITORIAL http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/

One has to wonder why Coun. Pat Cochrane was protesting an affordable housing complex being constructed next to the water reclamation facility. Cochrane is the same individual who led the charge for a new sewer plant and assured residents of South Vernon that the longstanding odour issues would be greatly minimized. And yet he is now saying that having people right next door will become a “standing joke,” and that it will become a “planning folly.” It may not be the best location for a housing complex, but with current real estate prices going through the roof, it makes sense to use city-owned land as a way of dealing with the affordable housing crunch. The former sewer plant site is a large chunk of land just sitting vacant and it’s within close proximity of schools, grocery stores, transit and parks.

With proper planning, including a buffer area, it is possible the new units can co-exist next to the facility without any difficulties. In fact, why should they be any different than the countless other South Vernon residents who have lived in the neighbourhood for years? And that appears to be the bottom line. If people shouldn’t live next to the treatment plant, it should have never been rebuilt there. Vernon can’t keep ignoring the issue of affordable housing as it has a significant impact on families and the economy. That’s why it is imperative that the city tap into its own resources and make surplus land available to non-profit agencies through a long-term lease. And as for Cochrane, he must ensure that his concerns are consistent with his past actions.