Editor,
Incredible. The 12-to-25-storey highrise “community hub” proposal is the wrong project envisioned for the tiny lot at the corner of Johnston Road and Russell Avenue.
This extremely small, congested city suffers steadily increasing population growth from South Surrey, but wisely our then city council expropriated the tiny site in 2018 in order to create a "town square" park for us to enjoy. Our current city council has rejected a park, and instead this site will undergo a zoning amendment to make their highrise community hub project "viable."
Financing this project will require selling off very valuable city-owned assets: the library, the current city hall and annex, and the waterworks properties. These assets belong to the citizens of our city and cannot be sold off without approval and due process through referendum. This council does not have authority to sell publicly owned lands and assets by a simple majority vote. They do have an obligation to preserve remaining lands through careful stewardship but do not have a mandate to exploit every square inch for development.
City councillor Elaine Cheung characterizes certain residents of our city as “the loud naysayers" without the courage to move forward for our children or grandkids.* (see editor's note below)
How insulting and infuriating. Perhaps Cheung is a fairly recent arrival to this fair city and presumably speaks for herself, not for the thousands of residents who’ve lived, worked and raised families in White Rock over many decades. We who’ve seen the city change from a dignified, quiet community to an often raucous tourist party town.
We need every available open natural space for future generations; that’s the real benefit for a healthy population, not more highrises. There is no green space anywhere in the upper town centre as people search for cooling shade in the heat island created by the nests of towers. The small urban park the city promised us at this noisy, polluted corner would have be so welcomed by all who struggle with the stress of endless urbanization in our city.
The value of this little oasis could improve our physical and mental well-being, create social connections and bring more business customers. The farmers market is right across the street, a real jewel for us locals.
Redevelop the existing city hall land and buildings on Buena Vista Avenue for a centralized hub if necessary. Cut costs, make it simpler. Don’t screw this up.
Certain councillors will not be rewarded with another term at the next election due to a flawed decision to rezone an invaluable parcel of land in uptown White Rock.
You work for us, it’s time to listen.
J. Leslie Longworth, White Rock
* Editor's note: This is what Coun. Elaine Cheung said at the meeting where it was discussed: "Every one of us voted for a community hub as (council's) top strategic priority. How did they think this was going to happen? How is it going to materialize if we're not going to do anything or sell anything? We're supposed to govern for now and into the future. Not just for the loud naysayers – we have to have the courage to move forward for the children, for our grandkids."
