Council Agenda Monday, May 28, 2012 - City of St. John's

Ms. Maria Halfyard
39 Quidi Vidi Village Road
St. John's, NL
AlA 1E9
May 17, 2012
Councillor Frank Galgay
Ward2
City of St. John's
Newfoundland and labrador
Re: Proposal for the Quidi Vidi Lake Condominiums
Mr. Galgay,
I am writing to you in response to the proposal by Powderhouse Hill Investments Ltd to develop a 24-
unit condominium complex between #39 and #41 Quidi Vidi Village Road.
I would like to first state that I fully support infrastructure development in this City, both commercial
and residential and I recognize the benefits that population growth has on the economic sustainability of
an area. With the proper planning and community support new developments can have a very positive
impact on a city.
The proposal by Powderhouse Hill Investments, however, does not garner my support. I reside in 39
Quidi Vidi Village Road and am directly impacted by the new residential plan. The proposed building will
not only obstruct my view of the Quidi Vidi Village hills but also impact my privacy and heavily
contribute to an increase in noise, light and traffic pollution in the area.
Quidi Vidi Village is a small picturesque community settled in the 1500's with an abundance of history.
The area was a crucial military checkpoint and fortress during the battles over Newfoundland between
the French and English, battles whose remnants are still visible today. Quidi Vidi Village continues to be
a quaint mixture of family dwellings and small businesses nestled against the rocks and an area visited
by many tourists and local Newfoundland and Labradorians on a daily basis.
The original character of Quidi Vidi Village has been kept relatively intact minus some modern homes in
recent years. According to the Quidi Vidi Village Development Plan published by the City of St. John's in
2006, it is the plan of the City to maintain this feature for future generations. The report states that the
City must maintain the area's key assets, which include the "fishing village character" and the
"landscape character".
The proposed three building unit, 5-storeys high, clearly contradicts these objectives. It is a monolithic
structure that is unlike any dwelling in the area and will greatly reduce the "character" that the City is
trying to preserve.
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