By Dominic Abassi

Events centre opposition denied formal access to city open houses

Feb 7, 2017 | 4:25 PM

NANAIMO — A group opposed to the proposed events centre in Nanaimo will not be allowed to setup a table and share their information during open house meetings organized by the city.

On Monday night, Coun. Diane Brennan brought forward a motion to allow NoVote2017 to setup a table and distribute information at a series of five city-led open houses on the $80 million project.

That motion was defeated by a 4-3 vote. Coun. Ian Thorpe and mayor Bill McKay were in support, while Councillors Fuller and Pratt were not at the meeting.

“I can’t support this because I haven’t heard from the other side,” Coun. Jerry Hong said. “How do you favour one group over another group that is for it? It’s not fair. This is an information session that’s offered by the city. They (NoVote) can host their own events.”

Brennan argued that it would not be unusual for a “progressive government” to ensure the community is able to hear an alternate point of view on major initiatives of government.

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“Citizens sometimes have a deep suspicion of what might be occurring under a government initiative. Certainly we’ve seen there are questions on this particular project,” Brennan said. “I think it’s a fair way to go.”

“The purpose of the open house is to provide information and answers to questions, it’s not a place for debate,” Coun. Bill Yoachim said. “Staff aren’t out there misleading. Staff are just reading the facts, stating the facts.”

Coun. Bill Bestwick said he doesn’t want a yes or no table at the open houses.

“I want the information that we’ve invested to have available and people can make their mind up from there,” Bestwick said.

The city’s chief sustainability officer Kim Fowler said in her extensive experience, the number one reason people don’t attend public meetings is they don’t want to be intimidated.

“They don’t want to be approached, they don’t want to be lobbied. They want to safely go into a place, look at some information, ask a few questions and leave,” she said.

Following the meeting, the NoVote group issued a release stating the decision by council “is a clear violation of the rights of Nanaimo residents to be provided the facts surrounding what is potentially the most expensive project in the history of this city.”

The first in the series of open houses goes Feb. 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Dodd Narrows Room at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre.

dominic.abassi@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @domabassi