Boulder Park in Charlottetown’s downtown has rocks representing Canada’s 10 provinces strewn across the square. The space is the subject of a purchase agreement by the City of Charlottetown from the Confederation Centre of the Arts, but its use is controlled by P.E.I. executive council and the speaker’s office. Photo by Jocelyne Lloyd /The GuardianArticle contentThe controversial land purchase of Boulder Park is going back to a Charlottetown committee.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThis spring, the city bought a small part of Queen Square known as Boulder Park for $4.8 million from the Confederation Centre via the Fathers of Confederation Buildings Trust. The money goes to support the $71.5-million capital campaign for a renovation project at the centre and gives the city a new park.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentBut the land also comes with conditions that give the province and the Speaker of the legislative assembly a say in what happens at the park.Article contentNow, Coun. Mitchell Tweel is challenging the legality of that purchase on the grounds that councillors didn’t have all the information needed to make an informed decision.Article content Charlottetown Coun. Mitchell Tweel is challenging the legality of a recent purchase the city made of Boulder Park, since conditions on the land were not part of the resolution or staff report. Photo by Logan MacLean /The GuardianArticle contentLegal reviewArticle contentTweel brought up the purchase at the Sept. 9 regular meeting, calling for a legal review of the earlier resolution and asking about the original appraisal.Article content“From a legal perspective, I don’t believe this resolution is valid. I don’t believe the sale is valid. I don’t. And to my mind, from a responsible government perspective, that should have been clearly illustrated in the resolution.”Article contentThe resolution from March 25 and the staff report that supports it say nothing about the provincial conditions or the planned grounds use policy the province is working on.Article contentArticle contentThat information came to light publicly at a later committee meeting — after the vote. However, CAO Brad MacConnell said at that committee the conditions were part of the document package councillors received.Article contentArticle contentLand appraisalArticle contentTweel also questioned whether the appraisal took the conditions on the property into account.Article contentCoun. Justin Muttart, who chairs the committee that oversaw the purchase, said there was an appraisal but he wasn’t sure of the numbers at that time. He disagreed that it would take into account conditions on the land use, though.Article contentBut he did agree to taking the issue back to the committee for further discussion.Article contentCoun. Bob Doiron said the council knew the money at stake when they voted, which was why he voted against the purchase.Article contentContributionArticle contentOthers on the council defended the purchase, emphasizing the contribution to the Confederation Centre’s campaign.
I dont believe the sale is valid: Charlottetown councillor challenges legality of Boulder Park purchase
