Residents object to parcel of community park being designated as surplus, developed for housing

Residents in a west Edmonton neighbourhood are outraged as they say city officials have failed to properly consult with the community about the designation of a school surplus site.

Wedgewood Heights residents said the designation will lead to the loss of a well-used park and green space, which the city is aiming to use for affordable housing. 

But city administration and some councillors said it was important to move quickly as capital grants funded by the province or federal government would affect how many units could be built and the affordability of housing for future residents.

Administration is seeking approval for grants to cover up to 25 per cent of the capital costs for the affordable housing units.

In 2009, the city received 20 surplus school sites from school boards, who determined at the time that the land was not needed.

City council approved the use of 14 sites for affordable housing in 2015. 

During Wednesday's meeting, city administration sought approval for below market sale or lease of 11 city-owned sites located in established Edmonton neighbourhoods to expedite the development of affordable housing units in the city. 

"The decision to sell Wedgewood [Heights] Park at below market value jeopardizes Edmonton's commitment to preserving municipal reserve land a cornerstone of community well-being," Wedgewood Heights resident Leah Widynowski told the committee. 

"Wedgewood Heights is not surplus. It is essential to our residents' quality of life, as well as our surrounding communities."

The 11 surplus school sites listed for sale or lease on the city's website as of November are in the neighbourhoods of Belmont, Blue Quill, Caernarvon, Dunluce, Kiniski Gardens, La Perle, Lymburn, Miller, Overlanders, Summerlea and Wedgewood Heights.

Widynowski said the opposition has "nothing to do with housing" or more housing choices in Wedgewood Heights.

"What it has to do is the fact that where you're choosing to put that housing is municipal reserve land that currently acts as a park," Widynowski said, referencing the Municipal Government Act and how residents say the city is not abiding by processes which guide how to dispose of municipal reserve land.  

Dire need for affordable housing 

Last year, city council declared a housing emergency.

Currently, more than 46,000 Edmonton households, including one-in-four renter households, are living in housing they cannot afford, is crowded or is unsafe, administration told the meeting.

From these households more than one-third include children. 

"The more red tape that we can reduce is better," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said during Wednesday's meeting. 

"Sometimes we governments get in the way. I think this is one of those classic examples where we are being gatekeepers, and our federal government and other parties do accuse … cities of being gatekeepers to affordable housing," Sohi said.

"And as far as these sites are concerned, we have been talking about these sites since 2015, there's nothing new about these sites turning into housing," Sohi noted, adding that there has been "a lengthy public hearing" on the matter. 

Residents who opposed the designation of the land, containing Wedgewood Heights Park along with a soccer field and skating trails, contest the land was inaccurately designated as surplus and that the public hearing held in November was misleading and contained erroneous information from administration. 

"I would caution everyone not to make an unsubstantiated allegations against administration, so I would give you the leeway, but I want to respect our administrations. They give us professional advice, and we take that advice very seriously," Sohi said to public speakers. 

Some Wedgewood Heights residents are now seeking the sale of the site at full market value. 

"You've forced us into a situation where this is the only decision left," Widynowski said to councillors. 

"We say it should be sold at full market value on the open market, so that the funds and the proceeds from that sale can actually be used to compensate the loss of the benefit of this park space."

Coun. Sarah Hamilton, whose Ward sipiwiyiniwak includes Wedgewood Heights, cautioned against moving too swiftly and disregarding the concerns heard from residents. 

Hamilton was unable to vote on the matter as she is not on the executive committee.

Coun. Tim Cartmell, for Ward pihêsiwin, was also sympathetic to the concerns of residents and he attempted to put forward a motion to have administration revisit the details relating to the sale or lease of the sites. 

Administration said the work could take up to four months and potentially jeopardize joint funding with multiple levels of government due to a delay in timeline. 

"Everything is fine for us to sit in these chairs and say four-month delay. It's not going to do much," Sohi said. 

"For those families. It is a big deal for them. It is a life and death situation. That's how critical the housing crisis is in our city." 

The matter has been requisitioned meaning it will come before all councillors, not just those on the executive committee, to be voted on next month.