The Gazette, as the primary print media in St. Albert, is important to the community.
Its importance demands an order of performance that reflects good journalistic practices, detailed knowledge of the community issues and objective, balanced reporting. Often the Gazette meets these obligations but every once in a while it blows an issue and its reputation.
The paper’s editorial, (Our View, May 22) about the Arlington proposal was not worthy of a sixth-grade student. This editorial had little to do with the proposal or the fact that many residents worked diligently in the charettes to turn an instant slum proposal into a development where occupants could have some pride in their units, children could play safely and opportunity and potential exists for a unit owner to make improvements.
Certainly there were a few who wanted it to remain a park. The school board and the city themselves can wear the can for creating this opposition by their lack of consultation and candour and failure to follow through with previous agreements with the residents over the past three decades. However the reality amongst the residents was an understanding that infill would occur, not a park. We wanted the project to do the least harm. Habitat for Humanity was never an issue. The almost indecent relationship with the developer’s senior management, that of Habitat for Humanity and the apparent love-in with some of the city members made it a fixed game.
The mayor’s approach to the charettes was sound. So was the process. The output deserved considerably more respect than council showed. When council was disrespectful, they got equal treatment. Suddenly the developer took place ahead of the community, much to the shame of the council.
This editorial was not a journalistic representation of either attitudes or facts. It was a direct insult to responsible Akinsdale residents and St. Albert citizens. Following your logic, St. Albert will always be a drug city because a few druggies exist. Basically, ‘Our View’ of May 22 was amateur nonsense.
Jim Hoffman, St. Albert
