Cathryn Atkinson
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The provincial government is considering allowing residential development on 40 acres of Crown land long used as the site for Brackendale Farmers' annual Fall Fair, and residents are fuming. But a provincial representative insists they're "not out to screw anybody."
The Squamish Nation has expressed an interest in building on the land with MacDonald Development Corporation, but the District of Squamish is supporting the members of the Brackendale Farmer's Institute in their quest to create a permanent park at the 13-hectare site, which is currently Crown Land.
At Tuesday's council meeting (March 6), Bill Berg made a petition to council on behalf of the BFI objecting to the proposed sale of the land by the province to the Squamish Nation.
Berg spoke of the long history of the park, despite its legal status never being defined. He said pioneering Squamish families in 1957 developed the area as green space for all citizens to enjoy and chastised previous councils who failed to settle the status of the park. Its designation has been shuffled between a proposed low-income housing plan in the 1980s, to forestry, to park and back to the Crown, depending on the provincial government of the day.
The popular Brackendale fall fair has been held on the site for eight years out of its 12-year history.
Berg, speaking with the support of around 25 local residents at the council meeting, stressed that the BFI was "not against houses being built", but was more concerned about the future of the BFI lands and the rest of the Cheekye Fan, which is also part of province-Squamish Nation discussions. He expressed concern over development on this land, which has been considered a flood risk in the past and handed council a petition requesting action with 700 signatures.
Randy Wenger, of the province's Integrated Land Management Bureau, also spoke before council. He confirmed that the province was in negotiations to sell the site to the Squamish Nation, calling the land a "provincial asset".
"We're not out to screw anybody," he said.
Wenger said that the province was not endorsing development on the land at this time, and said rigorous engineering tests would need to take place that would prove the safety and viability of development on the Cheekye Fan. This, he estimated, would cost upwards of $20 million."We hope that at the appropriate time to [] engage with district staff to indicate to them the direction we are going, and how we are trying to satisfy the interests of Squamish district," said Wenger.
In response to the petition by Berg and the presentation by Wenger, Mayor Ian Sutherland told the latter "to take the message back to Victoria that this issue means a lot."
Councillor Corinne Lonsdale said that council had only been aware of this issue formally for the last two weeks, and was concerned that they were not part of the process in the sale. She added "there is nothing that this community would want more than to sort out these parcels of land" with regards to treaty claims. If the Cheekye Fan was part of a treaty process, she said, the district would be at the negotiating table. But as it was a sale, they were not.
"You [Wenger] comment that there has not been any planning process in the past. We have documents, there's been golf courses proposed all kinds of things over the years."
Afterwards, the council unanimously passed a motion supporting the BFI in their quest to create a permanent park.Thor Froslev, president of the BFI, said in an interview following the meeting: "It really irks me that someone can just come in and do whatever they want."
Froslev said that as Squamish and Brackendale, in particular, continue with its huge growth spurt of recent years, such a park will become a valuable asset to the community.
"This place is going to be a huge commuter place and people need somewhere to let off steam," he added.
Froslev said the BFI vision for the space includes renewed and improved trails, an amphitheatre and a raptor hospital to rival OWL, a major rehabilitation facility near Surrey. He also said they would have a garden called The Garden of Eagles.
Squamish Nation Chief Gibby Jacob, in a letter to the district, said the Squamish Nation was seeking a "win-win" situation with local residents and stakeholders.
"One of the stakeholders that we reached out to is the Brackendale Farmers Institute," said Chief Jacob in the letter, dated March 3. "Unfortunately they declined to meet with us at this time. It is therefore comes as some surprise that they would launch a petition and make a protest to [the council] while declining dialogue with us."
Chief Gibby went on to state that Premier Gordon Campbell "has committed the people of B.C. to a new relationship with First Nations.""In the case of the Cheekye Fan we are buying our own land back," he continued. "With the co-operation of all concerned, we intend to develop portions of this property. This will include a generous allowance for parks."
