If you had the sense to not listen to radio call in shows or read the comments sections of blogs and news websites in Newfoundland and Labrador in recent weeks you might have missed the torrent of abuse heaped upon the province's news media by the Disciples of Danny Williams. This anonymous digital lynch mob that swarms those who dare ask questions about the premiers mysterious heart surgery were calling for media censorship and publicly being encouraged by cabinet minister Tom Hedderson to abuse journalists and media outlets. So much for the defenders of democracy bullshit. What is it about Newfoundlanders that they don't like democracy?

You might even have missed the part where Deputy Premier Kathy Dunderdale and vengeful cabinet ministers repeat that the Premiers  health is a private matter and is sacrosanct. That is unless it is them or Mr. Williams' communication staff that is talking about it. Yes, you can use the word hypocrisy if you like.

The fact is the premier has a history of talking about his health problems and once government officials speak its name publicly it is in the public domain and fair topic for the news media. It is news. If fact, I doubt there is a culture or society in the world where the health of their leader is not of the highest public interest and concern. This applies from any third world dictatorship to the mighty USA  and its presidents.

Speaking of which, the guy in the photo is US President Lyndon B. Johnson. He is lifting his shirt to show reporters and the famous AP news photographer Charles Tasnadi, his cholecystectomy scar after surgery in 1965. Charles Tasnadi is a great story himself and you can find out about him and his career at Visual Editors.

Tune in to the NTV news on Monday night when Fred Hutton gets an exclusive post-operative interview with Premier Danny Williams at his Sarasota, Florida home.

I'm guessing Mr. Williams won't show off his scar on the NTV news (although, stranger things have happened) but I hope we get to find out what this mysterious medical procedure is that the rest of us can't afford. 

Let's hope that this leads to MCP putting medical tourism in their schedule of services as a line item and we can all enjoy that awesome resort hospital on the beach in Goa, India. I'm booking my knee replacement now.

February 15 was Heritage Day in Newfoundland and Labrador and the Newfoundland Historic Trust has released its Buildings at Risk report (pdf). Researched and produced by NHT director Deborah O'Reilly the document lists and gives the history of a number of historic buildings in the province that are at risk of being lost due to neglect or from development pressures.

Timely in that one of those listed is 151 to 167 Water Street in St. John's. This block of commercial buildings in the city's heritage area are currently owned by Fortis Properties who have submitted a development proposal that would see these buildings demolished and replaced by a 15 story glass office tower. (artists drawing at right) in complete contravention of the St. John's heritage area and development regulations.They also plan to re-clad their existing 12 story building in matching glass panels. As the existing building was built before the current development plan they can do pretty well anything they want with it except add more height.

These buildings were once a part of an unbroken block of architecturally significant commercial properties that ran from Prescott Street to Baird's Cove and marked the beginning of the St. John's retail district. The Royal Stores dominated the corner of Prescott and Water from the turn of the century to 1968 when it was demolished by Lundrigan's Ltd to build the 12 story building (known then as the Royal Trust Building) that now exists on the site (seen in top photo) and currently owned by Fortis.

Ms. O'Reilly's document is well worth the read offering a great insight to the history of Water Street, the architecture and the businesses that operated along Water Street and the harbour front.

At St. John's City Hall, a number of elected councillors, including the mayor and senior city staff  do not value this history and heritage that makes St. John's the unique place that it is nor respect the established development regulations that were designed to protect the city historic properties and still allow for proper commercial development and growth. They are planning on voting for the Fortis project that would destroy this block of historic buildings and replace it with a Class A office tower and enclosed shopping mall. ..."Class A" means REALLY expensive rent.

For more information on the St. John's heritage area, historic St. John's and architecture and the current battle between Fortis, their cohorts at City Hall and the citizens of St. John's over the preservation and development in the downtown here are a few links.

Newfoundland Historic Trust
Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's City Councillors and Mayor
HAPPY CITY - Smart Growth in Downtown St. John's
Fortis Properties
City of St. John's Planning and Development

City views indicating location of proposed Fortis project. ...here here and here

I could do this for weeks, there are hundreds of public spaces, private residence and offices that will have their views, blocked and shadows cast across their property from sunrise to mid-day. Look at the Victoria street photo ...you can't see the top of the existing Fortis Building. That means its current elevation rises to the level of Queens road where I was standing for this photo. The proposed new building with another 4 stories or 15 metres which would make it roughly the same elevation (above sea level) as Military Road.

People dismiss "The View" as a valid argument in the development debate but a house, apartment or office with a great view of the harbour, the narrows or Signal Hill certainly carries a bigger price tag than one that doesn't. Ask any real estate agent. They certainly use it as a feature in their sales features.

If a persons property is devalued by the actions of a "neighbour" can the property owner seek damages?

While standing at the beginning of The Battery a man stopped while I was taking pictures and asked what I was doing. I told him. He said, "I live over there. The only good thing about that new building is that it will block my view of Atlantic Place." Reminds me of a joke I heard in Warsaw, Poland. Locals say the best view of Warsaw is from the Stalin Building ...because you can't see the Stalin Building from there.