January 15, 2009
Public session scheduled on Long Wharf project Thursday
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL
SAINT JOHN - Irving Oil Ltd. is hosting a public information and consultation session on the proposed Long Wharf office development on Thursday from 2 to 6 p.m.
Representatives from Irving Oil and members of their design team will be on hand to answer questions and to seek input from the public.
The meeting will take place in Kennebecasis Rooms 1 and 2 of the Hotel Saint John.
The proposal still needs the approval of the federal government, which has final say on any sale of port property in the country.
The Saint John Port Authority, which manages the property, supports the proposal from Irving Oil that would see the company purchase the former Lantic Sugar site at the mouth of the harbour from the city and transfer it to the port to replace the dock space lost to the office development proposal.
In November, common council accepted an appraised value of $1.21 million for the former industrial site and earmarked $210,000 of the funds from the sale for a community project Irving Oil would support.
International Longshoremen's Association Local 273 continues to oppose the project. Pat Riley, business agent for the union, has said he believes the deal violates the Canada Marine Act, federal legislation that governs port business.
Irving Oil has said the proposal for the $30-million development will include plans for green spaces and a rejuvenated Fort La Tour heritage site. A welcome centre for the secondary cruise ship berth at Long Wharf would also be built on the ground floor of the Irving Oil building.
For more information on the Proposed Long Wharf Development.