A rally is being held tomorrow in King’s Square to support the Irving Oil Headquarters project in the wake of an appeal filed against it by the city’s former heritage planner Jim Bezanson.
The event is being co-organized by Saint John realtor Bob McVicar and realtor Janice Purdy. McVicar also started a petition which now has over 1500 signatures asking the chair of the planning appeal board that the appeal be dealt with immediately. McVicar speaks highly of the project.
“It would enliven a neighbourhood that’s already seen significant re-investment and improvements, people fixing buildings, the amount of new retail on city streets in the uptown is very exciting,” he says.
It’s expected that over 600 people will attend the rally including elected officials and members of local business and community groups.
The event is being held rain or shine at 11:45pm and runs until 1pm.
Bezanson, for his part, has made public a letter he has written. In it, Bezanson writes he is neither anti-development nor anti-Irving but feels everyone should have to abide by the same rules and that’s why he filed the appeal.
