Plans to open an innovative new alternate school near Cow Bay in Prince Rupert have had a major wrench thrown in the works, as Councillors voted against the necessary zoning amendment after hearing from a handful of very vocal business owners in the area at a public hearing on December 8.
“I’ve personally worked 18 years to promote Cow Bay as an area and Prince Rupert as a destination,” said Glenn Saunders, a Cow Bay business owner who came wielding a petition against the school signed by several of his neighbouring property owners.
“Cow Bay is one of the few ares of town that continues to experience growth and putting a school of any kind there is just not a good fit.”
Not in my backyard!
It’s not officially in the Cow Bay area. Unlike the Hecate Strait school which is the first thing that tourists see when they get off the boat (well, after seeing the industrial area first). No problem having those white students in Cow Bay, just not them non-white students.
Except for the Hecate Strait school, which is just fine. Interesting that the head of that school didn’t even show up for the council meeting, lest someone ask why her school is ok in Cow Bay. I wonder how she would have voted?
I loved that all those industrial guys were saying that they were so worried about the safety of students in Cow Bay. I mean, it’s ok for thousands of tourists to walk by the industrial areas (how exciting!) but not students.
This is classic NIMBY, with real racist overtones. I’m ashamed to be a rupertite watching those guys and their straw men arguments, many which contradicted each other. “We don’t want students in Cow Bay, it’s too dangerous! We don’t want students in Cow Bay, they’ll scare the tourists!”
“We have a petition, that I’ve asked all my employees to sign, against having Indians in Cow Bay.”
“We don’t want the school to go there, because it will be empty in the summer time, and tourists won’t like it!” Yeah, like being vacant for 10 years, that’s much better.
Give me a fucking break.
I’m glad Eccentric’s mother had the sense to vote against the school too. Really shows her stripes. Not that Eccentric and his mother share a brain or opinions, though. I’m sure Eccentric has his own thoughts.
Where was Bedard anyway?
Glad to see that Thorkelson and Kinney had some sense.
The Mayor seems almost embarrassed to vote against it.