Charlottetown planning board tells council it shouldn't let community fridge stay where it is

The City of Charlottetown's planning board has weighed in on the future of the P.E.I. Community Fridge.

At a meeting Tuesday night, the board unanimously decided to recommend that city councillors not grant thesite-specific exemption that would be needed to keep the fridge running at its current location.

"If the council decides to deny the site-specific exemption, we will have to remove the structure from the space," organizer Sandra Sunilsaid in an email to CBC News Wednesday afternoon.

"My heart goes out to the fridge patrons and the community who both uses and contributes to the space," she wrote. "If we are required to remove it, then that is one less resource that is not available to the community especially the most vulnerable populations where they can get dignified access to food."

When Sunil's group 4 Love 4 Care first proposed starting a community fridgein the parking lot of the Parkdale Sherwood Lions Club onValley Street,city officials said itdidn't need a site-specific exemption even though the site is zoned for parking.

It began operating in August of 2021, with people and companies donating food and personal care items, and those struggling financially invited to take what they need on an honour basis.

But by the time someone filed a complaint in early 2024 about garbage building up around the fridge, there had been a turnover in staff at theplanning office. They looked into the zoning and told councilan exemption is indeed needed.

In May, city councillorsvoted to send the matter to public consultations.

That led to a public meeting in July during which some people living near the fridge said the 24-hour-a-day is causing issues in their neighbourhood. Some spoke about property damage,discarded needles, threats and increased litter in the area.

Other people spoke up to insistthe fridge is a valuable and needed resource for vulnerable Islanders.

While no one at the meeting was calling for the fridge to shut down completely, many suggested its operators limit its hours and havesomeone on site at all times.Others wanted it moved to a different location.

City won't stop Charlottetown community fridge from operating during consultations

4 months ago

Duration 1:27

Deputy Mayor Alanna Jankov says the city won't prevent the community fridge from operating while it looks for public input on its future. It has been run out of the Parkdale Sherwood Lions Club parking lot for three years, but never had the proper approval due to misinformation given to the people running it.

"If the city moves to deny the [exemption] application, our hope is that the city will take a lead on suggesting and securing alternative locations to host this fridge, sowe would not have to go through this process again and we do what is best for the community collectively,"Sunil said in her email Wednesday.

"The community fridge is meant to be a temporary resource to fill a gap and exist so long as the need is there," she added. "From what we hear and see from the community, the need to access dignified food is still there."

Charlottetown city council is expected to voteon whether to grant the fridge operators theexemption on Aug. 13.