The accord signed by the Squamish Nation and the District of Squamish last week could signal a new beginning for a parcel of land in Brackendale that was once slated to become a mobile home park.
The Cheekye Fan Development Area identified in the accord includes the area that was on track to become a trailer park in the 1980s. The trailer park plan was halted after the road network was installed. The project was abandoned when the area was deemed too risky for development because of the threat of debris flow originating from the Cheekye River drainage area.
The threat led to the construction of structures at Don Ross Secondary and Brackendale Elementary to protect the schools.
A 20-hectare (50-acre) park is ensured for Brackendale through the accord. The current location of the Brackendale Farmers' Institute Park is the proposed location and Brackendale resident Thor Froslev said the accord means Brackendale finally has its own Stanley Park.
"To have a park like that in the middle of Downtown Brackendale is really needed," said the art gallery owner.
Froslev said the park is a place where people go, without using a car, to blow off steam in their own backyard.
The Squamish Nation is working with the provincial government to complete a land transfer that will see a total of approximately 81 hectares (200 acres) in Brackendale converted from the Crown to Squamish Nation control.
The accord's wording indicates a portion of the land will be developed with single-family homes and commercial buildings.
The 81 hectares is made up of three plots of Crown land. The smallest plot is 8.2 hectares (20.3 acres) south of the Squamish Airport. The largest piece of land is a 42-hectare (103.7 acre) plot on the north and east sides of Ross Road between Government Road to Arrowhead. The third plot is the forested area that includes the Farmers' Institute Park between Government Road and Ross Road.
When the lands are developed, the District of Squamish is to receive 25 per cent of the profit from the development.
According to the Cameron Chalmers, district general manager of community services, the future development lands are in an area identified as having some risk of impact from a debris flow.
"What that means is there would have to be, kind of like what there is at the schools, some sort of berming," Chalmers said.
The most recent studies of the Cheekye Fan suggest the risk to development in the Ross Road area isn't as high as some experts thought in the early 1990s.
Chalmers said the land north of the existing houses on Ross Road is identified in the Official Community Plan as an area ready for residential development.
The accord also covered the future of Site B at the tip of Howe Sound, the Squamish Oceanfront Development Lands and property in Squamish currently owned by BCR Properties.
The Squamish Nation indicated through the accord that it will develop the Site B area in a way that will generate employment. The accord also stated Squamish Nation support for District of Squamish development plans on the former chemical plant lands. And, the accord has clearly indicated the Squamish Nation supports the transfer of land owned by BCR Properties to the District of Squamish to generate economic development opportunities for a partnership involving the local government and the local First Nation.
Approval of the accord is contingent on the provincial government agreeing to sell the lands to the Squamish Nation under the Squamish Nation Umbrella Agreement on or before June 30.
