LETTERS: The Bog neighbourhood in Charlottetown deserves proper recognition and other letters

It’s great to hear the interest in memorializing the historic Black area of Charlottetown known as “the Bog” — but let’s all start with some facts.

The Bog’s name does not carry a capital ”T” unless it starts a sentence. The community’s name came from living on the “West Bog” by Government Pond. Its boundaries were what became known as Black Sam’s Bridge at the north end, down Rochford Street to Richmond Street in the south, and between Government Pond and Rochford Street.

The Bog did not include the east side of Rochford Street — Rochford Square was across the street, as were St. Peter’s Church and the Queen’s County Jail on Pownal (“Jail”) Square. The suggestion I have heard to rename Rochford Square as “Bog Square” is a very bad, no-good idea. It messes around with history a la Donald Trump: Lake Ontario, meet Rochford Square.

We don’t honour or even respect our history by putting forth a notion that needed some thought and consultation — before being dropped. The Bog has been completely gone for about 125 years, so let’s take the time to recognize it carefully and well.

Jim Hornby,
Mount Herbert, P.E.I.

As we, 11 years and $138 million later, celebrate the opening of Province House, the City of Charlottetown, ironically, at the behest of the federal government, is on the cusp of possibly approving an official city plan that offers every possibility to ruin and diminish the great opportunity to enhance and preserve historic buildings, street and skyscapes, and established neighbourhoods.

The federal government has demanded that they not only disregard the proven basic public planning practices of allowing for healthy human space, and appropriate green areas, but by “as of right,” dismantle stable family neighbourhoods that were created on those premises.

Instead, let’s for a moment imagine that the federal government, indeed our four MPs, after the above-mentioned enormous public investment in Province House, had the vision and national historic sense to, instead, propose that Charlottetown’s official plan be aimed at identifying, restoring, preserving and enhancing the historic assets of this city and celebrating the small town peaceful neighbourhoods.

A plan, that, along with preserving the built heritage inventory, restored the city’s tree canopy and waterfront, elevating Charlottetown to a prosperous, prideful place to live in and to a significant visitors’ destination, second only to Ottawa.

Let’s imagine for a moment, that the city took it upon themselves to find the courage and imagination to reverse course and do just that.

This not an either-or situation, it is a matter of inclusive, innovative and constructive thinking. This plan can be modified, as other municipalities have done e.g. Toronto.

Charlottetown can be left with its heritage integrity intact and density goals applied to new development on the outskirts of town. The importance of “this moment” is beyond money.

Kirsten Connor,
Charlottetown

I think much to everybody’s relief, Alberta has voted to remain in Canada.

Now is the time for Carney to get out of the way  and let Alberta run. Come on Canada, let’s do something radical, make a pile of money. Cut the red tape, the green tape and get it done.

Canada needs it. Badly.

Peter Noakes,
Charlottetown