Kevin French moved into his house on Harcourt Heights in Paradise nearly 40 years ago. Twenty-five years ago, most of Harcourt Heights was upgraded to hook on to the town’s water and sewer — all except for three houses, French’s included.
At the time, French said, he was told the town couldn’t afford to install a lift station because those three homes were located on a part of the street where the hill crests downward. He accepted it at the time, but now 25 years later, with most Paradise residents on the town’s system, he says he’s waited long enough.
“I’ve been down to the council meetings the last three or four years,” said French. “I’ve been fighting for this.”
French is frustrated because he said the answer from the town is always the same: “You’re on the list.”
That list is the Water and Sewer Priority List — a ranking of the 16 streets left in Paradise without water and sewer. Harcourt Heights is one of the lowest on that priority list, at Number 15.
“I ask council for a date when I can expect services. ‘We don’t have a date. You’re on the list,’ they say. I would like to have a date — at least give me a date. But there’s no date set that we’re going to get it, and they have not given me a proper reason why I’m not getting it.”
Paradise Deputy Mayor Elizabeth Laurie said when a street on the list is serviced depends on funding.
Laurie said the town applies for federal and provincial funding each year for capital work projects, and once it receives funding, it fulfils water and sewer needs according to the priority list.
This year, $3.2 million will be spent to service five streets, including the top four streets on the list: Sullivans Road, O’Brien’s Way, Pretty Place and Brandy Wind Place.
Another street, Clearview Heights, is Number 14 on the priority list, but will get water and sewer this summer because of road upgrades.
“In order to be fair and concise, we stick to doing the streets in order of what’s on that list,” Laurie said. “But …we’re upgrading Clearview Heights this year, so it would make sense for us just to finalize that street rather than go in there in a few years’ time and then completely tear it up again.”
The town is widening Clearview Heights, installing sidewalks and installing a roundabout where it meets Topsail Road, in a controversial decision that Laurie said was made final by the town on Tuesday this week.
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Former Paradise mayor Fred Brown said there are many issues with the Clearview Heights upgrading, and one of them is what he sees as a wasted opportunity.
Brown said if the town is determined to install the roundabout and make the changes to Clearview Heights, then considering Harcourt Heights and Gosse’s Road run parallel to Clearview Heights, it might make sense to install water and sewer on those roads at the same time.
Both streets are the last two on the priority list, but given the funds already spent to add water and sewer services to Clearview Heights, Brown said, it might make sense to do the nearby streets at the same time, which could also open the area to further development and, in turn, provide more money for the town.
“They should have had water and sewer long ago,” said Brown, adding that council should have more public meetings to discuss issues such as this before moving ahead with the Clearview Heights upgrade.
When asked if the town considered servicing water and sewer on the parallel streets to Clearview Heights at the same time as the upgrade, Laurie said it is something that would need to be discussed with the town’s engineering department.
Meanwhile, French said he doesn’t expect to jump the priority list queue, but he would like a more concrete timeframe of when he can expect to get the services enjoyed by almost everyone else in town.
“I’m not looking for just myself, and in all fairness, if someone is due to get it before me, that’s fine. Let them go and get it before me because maybe they have a right to have it before me. I’m not looking for something I shouldn’t have.”
French said he feels forgotten about as one of the earlier residents of the town, while new streets have water and sewer.
“Am I asking for something unreasonable?” he asked. “I would like to see the sewer come in here within a reasonable (timeframe), or (be given) a date, or be looked after within reason.”
“The centre of town should grow from the centre out, not from the outside in. Like Topsail Pond wasn’t part of Paradise years ago. So, you go farther up Topsail Road, and they’re getting services up there.”
“I could swear,” said French, and he’s not alone.
Brown said he has listened to similar concerns from residents of other streets on the priority list.
“Moonlight Drive has been trying to get water and sewer for years, and Neary’s Road, too,” he said. “The council has ignored old Paradise.”
Brown said when he left council in 2005, with the direction they were headed at that time, all streets on the list should have had water and sewer by 2010.
“But they went to work and they wasted money, ignored the old Paradise residents, and started pleasing everybody (else).”
Brown said, for example, the community centre in St. Thomas could have been built for a lower price.
“When you walk into the new centre and Neary’s Road is not done? It’s only about $350,000 to $500,000 to do that street. So, some of those streets that are only short streets should have been done long ago. And Kevin’s is one of them.”
However, Laurie said town spending is about balancing priorities based on the many needs of the town’s 21,000 residents.
“We have to look out for everybody and we do make continued investments in water and sewer upgrades and we will continue to do so once we receive funding for those,” she said.
Meanwhile, French said he will continue attending council meetings and advocating for swifter access to these services, not just for himself, but for everyone on the list.
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