Downtown business owners, residents and stakeholders will undoubtedly be very pleased to hear that the District of Squamish has once again turned its sights to the planning of the town's central neighbourhood.
Since 2008, a draft plan for the area has been sitting on a shelf awaiting the conclusion of the Official Community Plan (OCP). Now, with that monumental file complete, comes time to figure out how to lure travellers and locals to Squamish's core.
Thankfully local business owners and community organizers have taken up much of the slack left over from years of neglect - at times with the help of the district and, at others, despite it.
The downtown Business Improvement Association (BIA) has expressed frustration time and again over long delays.
And on Tuesday (Oct. 26), the wait seemed to be over as Squamish planners Jim Charlebois and Chris Bishop approached council members with the list of tasks that need to be accomplished in the lead-up to embarking on a final course of action to bring vibrancy to the stagnating area.
A new era of co-operation is upon us as the municipality begins talks around issues such as building heights (Coun. Patrician Heintzman requested various levels for various parcels to avoid a "sausage effect"), parking (Coun. Corinne Lonsdale says it's needed since "until we have a proper bus service, people are still going to drive"), and Cleveland Avenue usage (Coun. Doug Race, seemingly wearing his Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation board member hat, said it will be the main artery servicing the Oceanfront so parades and closures should be banned - several councillors disagreed).
One thing is certain, the downtown plan has to adhere to the newly-implemented OCP.
The good news is Squamish doesn't have to start from scratch since there's a draft downtown neighbourhood plan already in place.
The bad news is that plan, which took untold amounts of district resources and community consulting, is nearing three years of age and needs updating.
The silver lining is that updating process provides locals - who haven't already done so - the opportunity to get their brilliant ideas into the public realm. And for those who have, it allows them to revise the ideas they voiced years ago.
With the amount of time and 'spinning of wheels' this topic has endured over the past decade, no one would blame the folks who want nothing to do with rehabilitating the downtown.
But perhaps you may want to think of it as participating in a democratic election.
It will be a painful process with no chance whatsoever of complete agreement, but every additional opinion will add to the chorus of Squamish's culture.
This is your chance to say your piece.
In mid-December, the public will have access to some of the strategies and ideas on renewing the downtown. In mid-January, a formal public consultation event will take place.
It would be wonderful to see you there.
-Sylvie Paillard
