Someone tries to use churches in building-restriction battle
Halifax Herald
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
By DAVENE JEFFREY / Staff Reporter
Heaven may hold the answer to Halifax Regional Municipality's development moratorium, but developers say they haven't called for divine intervention.
A notice taped to the side of a Tantallon church on Sunday implored parishioners to pray for the sake of families, livelihoods and the planet - all of which will apparently be harmed unless developers are given free rein to build where they want.
"I'm very annoyed that they are trying to scaremonger us," faithful churchgoer Daisy Dauphinee said.
Ms. Dauphinee was leaving church after the Sunday service when she spotted the literature taped to the building.
The notice reads "Urgent prayer needed!"
It then goes on to discuss the development moratorium.
Councillors this month moved first reading of amendments for 18-month interim growth-management plans to stem development sprawl until a long-term regional plan has been created.
Those amendments go to the public hearing process before municipal council today at 3 p.m.
Many people will lose their jobs and businesses will go bust if the municipality's plan goes ahead, the notice says.
It reminds readers to "love our neighbours as ourselves" and states that "family is continuing to be attacked."
"Yes, a regional plan needs to be put into place, however, one which takes into consideration the effects on all resources that God has placed in our stewardship including environmental, ecological, human dignity, air and water," it says. "We need to pray for God's will to be done in our city."
"It's in very poor taste as far as I'm concerned," Ms. Dauphinee said.
"If they wanted to pray that hard, they can come into the church and join our service."
On Monday morning, Ms. Dauphinee did a little reconnaissance work in her neighbourhood and discovered the same notice taped to a church down the road.
She was further annoyed that the literature is not signed and bears no names of individuals or organizations.
"They should have face enough to say who they are."
The mystery writer implores parishioners to attend today's meeting at Halifax city hall.
"I'll pray they (developers) don't get (what they want)," Ms. Dauphinee said.
The letter also includes material published by the Urban Development Institute, an umbrella group representing developers and other members of the construction industry.
Institute president Darrell Dixon denied any knowledge of the prayer notice but had an idea who may have posted it.
His organization has been holding public meetings around the municipality to discuss the moratorium issue.
At one of those meetings, a woman stood up and suggested they all pray that council makes a proper decision.
Mr. Dixon said he does not know who the woman was, but he remembers she was a landowner who hoped to someday subdivide her property.
Ms. Dauphinee also has strong opinions on land development.
Some large housing developments have gone up in neighbouring communities and she doesn't want to see that in Tantallon.
"Those developers come in and put up whatever number of houses they can on a piece of property," she said.
"And taxpayers are left to pay for the water, sewers and schools (needed)."