Donations to Habitat For Humanity are pouring in while the writer of a controversial letter is apologizing for offending readers.
St. Albert resident Chris Perry, 35, is continuing to field calls from media and fellow citizens after sparking outrage with a letter he wrote that was published Saturday in the Gazette.
Meanwhile, Habitat For Humanity — Edmonton is getting a lot of calls and emails of support.
“We've received donations from all over Alberta and in fact, all over Canada,” said CEO Alfred Nikolai. “It's not huge dollars but a lot of people have been giving us $20 and $50.”
Perry's letter suggested that a controversial affordable housing project in Akinsdale would attract crime and “unruly families.”
“What we want is for St. Albert to remain as it is with very few low-income households, a place for families that work hard to live here,” the letter stated.
In an interview Monday, Perry said the wording of his letter did a poor job of conveying what he was really trying to say.
“There's so many things in that letter, that in my head I was thinking one thing and I wrote something that only showed pieces of what I felt,” he said. “I apologize to anybody that I offended. I didn't mean to say what people are taking it as at all.”
Nikolai said he initially thought Perry's letter was a joke. Now he's taking Perry's apology at face value and doesn't believe that St. Albert is home to a widespread desire to keep out low-income people.
“The citizens of St. Albert are very kind, helpful, generous people,” Nikolai said. “We built four homes there this summer and we had over 1,000 people from St. Albert give eight hours of work.”
The letter won't have any effect on the city's pursuit of a solution for 70 Arlington Dr., said Mayor Nolan Crouse.
“It's one letter. It's inflamed peoples' opinions but I don't feel any additional pressure because of it,” he said.
The city is close to hiring a third-party facilitator to oversee a series of round table sessions aimed at finding an acceptable compromise for 70 Arlington Dr., Crouse said. Habitat wanted to build a 58-unit townhouse complex but neighbourhood resistance prompted council to seek more consultation. The round tables are due to make recommendations to council by May 15.
Crouse refused to comment on the letter itself, saying he was treating it the same as the 500 others received during a public hearing that is still open.
“People have the right to their opinion. We'll listen to all input,” Crouse said.
Perry's letter sparked a wave of online anger that eventually drew the attention of mainstream media.
Perry lives in the upscale neighbourhood of Kingswood and said he's happy to explain his position to anyone who'll listen because the media aren't reporting his real message.
Perry said the development proposed for Akinsdale is too dense and brings with it a number of factors that council has to consider, such as St. Albert's high cost of living and amenities like public transit, which aren't as extensive as those in Edmonton.
“It's going to affect everybody, including the people that are moving in. That's what I was trying to get across,” he said.
Perry moved to St. Albert from Edmonton a year and a half ago, he said. His teenage son initially had trouble fitting in because he was stressed about money and the type of car he drove.
Perry originally emailed his letter last Tuesday to all members of St. Albert's city council and a Gazette reporter who has been following the Arlington Drive proceedings. When asked if he wanted the message printed as a letter to the editor, Perry responded that he did.
