The generally positive feedback at Tuesday's (Nov. 30) public hearing made the "exhausted public process" surrounding the Squamish oceanfront development worthwhile, according to council members.
"We've been planning this on and off for six or seven years so it's been an evolutionary process," said Coun. Patricia Heintzman. "It's sort of a process of public consultation we needed to go through to get to where we are today."
The public consultation may have been warranted, but the seemingly never-ending process has the community demanding the project take tangible steps forward as soon as possible.
Coun. Rob Kirkham said he "was surprised that everybody didn't get up and cheer and clap and yahoo at the end."
"There were some good points and concerns - things worth considering and keeping in mind," Kirkham said. "But on the whole I think people were almost unanimously in support of it from the perspective of 'Let's get on with it and let's get going.'"
Local resident Chuck Prenevost and his wife moved to Squamish two years ago because they saw the Oceanfront potential.
"I urge council to put the shovels in the ground and begin making the Oceanfront not only the heart and soul of Squamish, but also the Sea to Sky Corridor," Prevenost said.
Representatives of several Squamish businesses, societies and organizations came out of the woodwork to commend the Oceanfront sub-area plan. Some had raised significant objections about the project in recent years.
Long-time critic and Squamish Terminals president Ron Anderson said he always thought the Oceanfront should be industrial, but over the years the changes in the plan have grown to reflect what he considers a tangible and intelligent project.
"There's been a lot of changes and they're good changes," he said. "Early concerns about the property only being residential have been heard and I'm supportive of the plan now.
"I think you've come up with something good now that you've listened to everybody."
Squamish Arts Council (SAC) president Krisztina Egyed has criticized the sub-area plan since the first draft of the plan in 2005. Her main concerns were the placement of the proposed hotel and arts centre, the size of the Oceanfront park and the potential to lose stunning viewscapes.
Since the Oceanfront park gained four acres of land during a special meeting on Nov. 23, Egyed's opinion has changed dramatically and she spoke positively of the plan during the public hearing.
"I sincerely thank Mayor Gardner and each of the councillors for listening to their community and for your efforts which significantly improve the critical Oceanfront south beach park," said Egyed.
"You have raised the bar for Squamish and I believe that with these improvements this will become a unique Oceanfront legacy park that we will all be proud to share with the world and pass on to future generations."
Not everyone was happy with the plan - a handful of residents voiced enduring concerns about mercury effects, economic drivers, protecting the estuary and the conflict between industrial and residential.
Environmental watchdog John Buchanan had major concerns about the environmental hazards associated with remaining mercury on the Oceanfront site.
"We keep talking about how the Oceanfront has been remediated to a build-ready state," he said. "But I hear very little about the hazards that remain and even less about safeguarding the marine environment that encompasses the area.
"It is true that much of the contaminated soils of the Oceanfront were hauled off but this was only to deal with soils above the high tide mark. Nothing has been done to the material below this, and an unknown amount of mercury still remains."
He also claimed Squamish safe standards set for mercury content in soil were not in line federal standards.
Eric Andersen still had several issues with the architectural standard being set for the Oceanfront lands but more importantly was frustrated that Oceanfront lands obsession was making the District of Squamish neglect other parts of Squamish.
"The Oceanfront has been too much of a distraction and left neglected issues around the community," Andersen said.
For more on this story please see the Dec. 3 edition of The Chief.
