Community fridge co-founder calls Charlottetown council vote on removal 'definitely disappointing'
Fridge will stay in place for 30 days as non-profit group seeks alternative solutions
Charlottetown city council voted 7-1 at a monthly meeting on Tuesday night against allowing the P.E.I. Community Fridge to stay where it is.
Only Coun. John McAleer voted to keep it in place. Coun. Trevor MacKinnion did not vote due to a conflict of interest and Coun. Terry Bernard left the meeting early, but all the other councillors voted to make the fridge's organizers find another site for it.
The fridge, located in the parking lot of the Parkdale-Sherwood Lions Club on Valley Street, has been operating for three years. A local group called 4 Love 4 Care operates it. People donate food and personal items, and those struggling financially are invited to take what they need, 24 hours a day.
"It's definitely disappointing to see the decision, but it's also not surprising given the last public meeting," said Sandra Sunil, one of the group's co-founders.
After a complaint earlier this year, city staff discovered the fridge hadn't gotten proper approval and would need a site-specific exemption to keep operating. At a public meeting in July, some residents who live in the area said they have been dealing with loitering, littering, trespassing and property damage.
"There is a need in terms of accessing dignified food. So I think the gap is still there and we really have to focus on what solutions we can come together on," Sunil said.
Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown said he too is disappointed by his council's decision. While he recognized that the fridge site may have been misused at times, he said the majority of people have been using it as intended.
The fridge provided a way for people without the financial means to feed themselves — and to do so discreetly, Brown said. These people are less likely to go to a public meeting and identify themselves as being in need.
People in the situation of poverty are not screaming from the rooftops. They're hiding in the shadows.— Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown
"People in the situation of poverty are not screaming from the rooftops," he said. "They're hiding in the shadows."
Brown said he hopes the operators can propose a different location for the fridge.
"Our community is a generous community. It's a community that's giving. I think that something will come from this," he said.
Sunil plans to meet with people in the community and local volunteers to determine what the next steps will be.
Planning board advised against exemption
Council's decision followed the city's planning board recommending the fridge's removal last week.
"When it comes to site-specific exemptions, they are always difficult because you have to take the emotion out of it and look at land use," said Alanna Jankov, chair of Charlottetown's planning and heritage committee.
"This is not about not supporting the folks who have food insecurities or our vulnerable folks," she said. "This is about site-specific, and it's looking at many aspects of a decision, and yeah, it was a really difficult decision to make. And I can only hope as a city, and as a human, we are there to be a support for the folks if they want to find a new location."
McAleer said he voted to keep the fridge at its current location because he understands that both donors and users found it convenient. He said he hoped that with time and further consultation, the issues surrounding the fridge could have been worked on.
"No matter where this thing goes — say if we find another location — I think we're going to be dealing with the same challenges," he said.
"As long as there is demonstrated need, I think this sort of community fridge needs to be supported."
30 days before any change needed
The decision isn't enforceable for 30 days, meaning the fridge will stay in place for the next month. Jankov hopes to work with the group to find alternative solutions.
"Hopefully in that 30-day period, there are options through advertising, through social media, through everyone's connections to ensure our vulnerable folks are still looked after during this transition period," Jankov said.
"What I heard from the majority of folks [was that] no one was against a community fridge. What people were looking for was either a change to the business model or increased help in their community so everyone can live harmoniously."
Sunil has been asking the city to identify spaces where a community pantry could be placed but hasn't heard back yet, she said.
Regardless of what happens with the fridge, she is committed to continuing to help members of the community who are in need.
"That won't be stopping at all," she said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
