Thursday night Town Forum on Prince Rupert's Big Dig plans, morphed into the Big Vent by evening's end

Thursday night brought a small, but very interested and at times vocal collection of residents to the Lester Centre of the Arts, most there to hear how the City of Prince Rupert plans to launch its largest and most expensive infrastructure replacement  project in history, a few of the congregation for the night also there to raise a range of issues with the Mayor and Senior staff members assembled for the night. 

Following a welcome from Chief Alex Campbell, the timeline of what's coming for the infrastructure rebuild got underway.

The presentation for the night was for the most part divided into three elements, the opening a historical review of many of the themes residents have heard over the last ten years, from the state of the city's waterlines and the emergencies the community has faced in the past.

The opening moments also provided for a few formal introductions for some of the Senior Staff, with City Manager Rob Buchan providing a snapshot of his career path, previous retirement and then return to the top levels of Civic Administration when he took on the top staff post in Prince Rupert in 2022.

Residents also received the first formal introduction of the new Recreation Director for the City, Nicole Beauregard.

The opening remarks also included much praise for the current and previous council members as well as the Staff team that has been assembled to get things done for the community.

However, the main focus was basically a review of where the city is at in the period since a previous  State of the City address from former Mayor Lee Brain a few years back.

"In that town hall,  former Mayor Brain spoke to the challenges, the infrastructure challenges that are faced by this community and put a price tag of about 10 million dollars a year more that we would need to address those challenges. 

In the intervening years we've been very busy refining and defining the extent of our infrastructure challenge. We've hired consultants, we've had estimates provided and I can tell you that that 10 million dollars is only about a third of what we actually need on an annual basis to address what we have to do.

Our challenges are bigger than we had known, but we have a plan that we're going to share with you"   -- City Manager Rob Buchan at the opening to Thursday's Town Hall Forum

From that scene setter, Mayor Herb Pond provided for his overview both of the city's history and how he views that path of development one that ended in the late 1980's, has shaped the state of the current challenges for the community today.  The Mayor then observing on what the City's plan to move forward will be. 

"The challenge that the City faces, that we all face together is that we've got that infrastructure that's left over from those days. And we're now not in a growth phase, were in a holding pattern with 12,000 people trying to rebuild,.It's a massive challenge. but I think it's one we're up to it" -- Mayor Herb Pond

Mr. Pond then outlined the financial challenges to run Civic operations from the Airport Ferry, to the Landfill and the focus for the night that of the water system. A review of all of the recent financial successes through provincial and federal funding, along with the city's own borrowing program added to the overview of the city's approach for the path ahead. 

Included in that overview was another explanation as to the importance of the controversial Roundabout for McBride and Second, something which would bring provincial money to the water replacement program while also shaping a change in focus for how Second Avenue will look in the future.

From that synopsis, the civic staff members assembled on the stage provided for their own specific reviews of the areas of their work on behalf of residents. Much of their talking points on the night a reprise of previous Town hall Forums and Council presentations of the past.

The middle segment of the evening, was a mix of background  from the various civic staffers on the stage for the night.  Operations Director Richard Pucci spoke on the history of the water line issues as well as to review how the infrastructure program will move forward. 

CFO Bomben spoke on the financial themes and how the city hopes to add to the civic treasury beyond the funding received, the loans taken out and the taxation of residents. Some familiar topics made for her narrative, themes of funding such as addressing Port Tax Cap issues,  PILT valuation  issues and  potential future industrial growth.

Housing, commercial development, how the city views the success of their Watson Island program  and renewal of the downtown core also gained a review. As well  the future for recreation services  made for much of the presentation of the first hour of the two hours and a bit for the Town Hall Forum.

Prior to taking questions from the Audience Mayor Pond paid tribute to the work of Port officials, MLA Rice and MP Bachrach on the city's behalf, as well s the team assembled at City Hall.

"I want to acknowledge the work of all of the previous Mayor and Council that have gone before, it wouldn't have happened with out them and I want to acknowledge my colleagues on Council, I can't begin to describe to you what a dream team it is to be able to work together the way we do. It's what enables us to get this work done.

I know that if I need to get down to Victoria for a critical meeting, I know that the team back here has got everything covered, and we look out for each other and we make things happen and I'm very grateful for the council that you the community have put together.

But finally I want to acknowledge this team, they punch so far above their weight, I know there are head hunter calls to each of them asking them to come to other municipalities other places.

Four members of this team were born here, raised here, coming through the public school system. That's rare and they're really good at what they do and other municipalities want them, but they're passionate, as is the rest of the team. 

People are here because they're passionate about changing that. They see an opportunity  it's a high risk move I've got to tell you. Those are big challenges in front of us, everybody I've ever talked to in the community is up for it, they're saying hey let's go do this. Let's be a part of turning that around.  

It's going to require a lot of you, it's going to require a lot of sacrifice on your part but I think it can be done. I think that thirty or forty years from now, when there's a town hall happening like this they'll be pointing back to us, they'll be pointing to the turn around that happened there."    -- Mayor Herb Pond

The members of the audience were then offered their opportunity to comment and while infrastructure did loom large on their minds, other themes such as stagnant business and commercial development and the current health care concerns also dominated much of the final hour of community feedback.

Many of their items made for a pulse taking for the City Council members in attendance,  as to where the frustrations are and how they need to direct more attention towards them.

The Question and Answer session that focused the water projects added some important background for residents when it comes to the impact that the work will bring to their neighbourhoods and personal property.

On lifespan of the infrastructure projects to be taken on by the city

"The current lifespan of products today is estimated on paper for 100 years ... so there's actually no known value of how long PVC project will last, so at this point on paper it lasts one hundred years but it may have to be replaced before or after  that"

City Manager Rob Buchan further outlined that the City has an asset management program in place to stay on top of the maintenance of the system on a regular basis over the years.

On concerns raised in the forum on the lack of information so far on the Impact on residents of the work to be done, Director Pucci observed on the struggles for the city in having to sit on the provincial money from last yer,  while having to wait to make better use of it towards the additional funding they were able to secure. 

Mayor Pond highlighted how it will be noticeable in the community and how some of the burden will fall on property owners.

"I suspect that at the end of three years you're going to be really, really eager to get rid of me. It's going to be incredibly disruptive, I mean just imagine what's going to happen, imagine your street if your street is one of them, where we close the whole street. 

You can't bring your groceries to your front door anymore because you can't get down your street and then we lay a temporary pipe above the ground delivering water to your house probably with a Boil Water advisory, because it's temporary pipes.

And then we start digging and making a mess and then that retaining wall that you've loved for the last twenty years,  that happens to be sitting on city property, you knew it was city property but you built it there.  We're not going to be to use that money to put that retaining wall back, or we won't  get 26 and a half kilometres of pipe done, right?

So this is going to be incredibly disruptive, it is going to require a lot of the community'

The Audience also had a number of other concerns to share with the local politicians and staff members, from accessibility issues, to downtown rejuvenation along with the progress of the 2030 vision plan. 

That a topic which Mayor Pond offered up some additional thoughts towards.

"The plan, let me give you a little bit of a hint of I think where were at ... I think where we're at right now is we rounded a bend, we're using the very first chutes of the 2030 plan the very first chutes, they're small ... 

And the new RCMP building is part of that it's a first chute, the ILWU hall is a chute that's coming out of the ground, something new,  first really nice new construction. 

I'm  hoping that the credit union and I certainly don't want to put them on the spot, but they've got plans for the hole there that they created and I'm hoping the Credit Union we see something emerging there.

I honestly believe that when the Roundabout is done and we see what we can create there I think there will be a focal piece of art  in the centre of it. 

And you're going to come down McBride and going to come down Second avenue you're going to see on elf the most substantial architectural features in our community which is the Court House, you'll actually see the Court House ....

That blue print that was created, one of the reasons I talk about 2030 and beyond. I think Lee, I've had these conversations with him, and he wishes he had named it the 2050 plan you know, it takes longer than you hope, so I think that 2030 is the launching plan, but the meat and bones of that plan are solid."

Another of the key topics for the night was the perception that Prince Rupert is not open for business. 

That brought a few more residents taking to the microphone to share their stories and ask questions of the city towards solutions.

Mike Slubowski,  the owner of Stuck on Designs shared one are of concern on the city/s approach to the business community and the history of frustrations from his discussions with City Hall when they moved into their current location on Third Avenue West.

"It's just a little bit disappointing as to how it's so hard to business in this town, it's almost to a point where its ridiculous ... so we spent a lot of money fixing up the inside and we wanted to do the outside and I can't believe we had to basically compromise. 

We did everything properly, we go in for a proper permit to paint our building ... we didn't like the colours we were kind of given by the city so basically we had to sign off on leaving our building the way it was to have it open. 

If you do things by permit, they tie you up with red tape it's crazy, if you just do it it's OK.

I think that business people know what to do with their building ...  Unless it's a government building or something like that, businesses just get the red tape and I just feel that it's just stupid.  

Herb we've talked about it before get a committee of business people together and lets discuss this"

Another contributor to the forum noted of how the city's focus is on the downtown, while neglecting those business owners not in the central area.

"So, You've got this great infrastructure to help downtown, but you've got all these other businesses outside of downtown that you need to be reminded are part of Prince Rupert and should not be neglected, should have some type of incentives as well because you said how much development has been done.

Over the years I've had my challenges, but I've also had a lot of successes with the city, but I'll tell you something that I've told my staff for years when I was still working and that is  there comes a point when perception becomes reality.

Perception is now reality, dealing with the City of Prince Rupert for any type of development whether it be renovation or new, it's not good. And that perception is the city of Prince Rupert is the last place you want to do it ...

That perception is now reality, the City is not open for businesses, whether it is or not , like I say the perception is now reality and we need to change that perception and we need to change it locally first, because there are people in town who will develop even knowing all the obstacles"

The current health care situation in the community also generated a range of comments and emotions. Many in the audience expressing frustration at both the province and Northern Health towards their handling of local issues.

On the topic of health care concerns in the community the Mayor offered some notes towards the work that the city has taken on towards the Current concerns.

"Your council has taken some real active steps towards that, we've been on top of it and working with the MLA and working with Northern Health, meeting with Minister Dix. 

And I'm sure it's a concern to you, but it's really not the focus of this evening. 

We're actually going to be having a meeting on Monday where we're bringing together terminal operators and the port, First Nations and others to see how people who don't have a direct involvement in health care can influence the outcome"

The Full presentation is available through the City's Social Media stream which is also serving as a post forum conversation board. 

There are also plans to also place it on their YouTube channel.

More notes on the city's infrastructure program can be explored through our archive page.

Some past background on some of the other themes of the night can be reviewed through our past Council Discussion themes.