It was a learning experience for the students and the district staff.
For just over three weeks this spring, first- and second-year students in professor Clare McGovern’s politics and economics foundations course worked with district staff on municipal issues, including specifically with the municipality’s real estate department, which is in charge of the district’s building and land holdings.
District real estate staff is currently formulating a real estate and facilities strategy to be completed this year, according to municipal real estate manager Neil Plumb, who worked with the students.
The students paired off in groups of two tackling a theme to do with Squamish, according to McGovern. The areas included parks and recreation, trails, protection of the environment, community services, downtown, fire service, affordable housing, future employers and transportation.
They reviewed Squamish’s Official Community Plan as well as other official planning documents to assess what property and buildings the district will need over the next 25 years, McGovern said.
For the students, the benefit is obvious, according to McGovern.
“We really wanted to increase the students’ awareness of Squamish as their community because a lot of our students come from elsewhere,” she explained, adding a few students said after finishing the course they want to get involved with the district’s Squamish 2040 Official Community Plan review.
Political engagement was another goal of the project.
“I wanted them to think about how can you engage with the political system and tell people what you think,” McGovern said. The students also learned practical skills for the workplace such as writing professional documents.
The students formulated a gap analysis that looked at the difference between what lands and buildings the district currently owns and what it will need in the future.
They concluded that a large amount of vacant or undeveloped land exists in Squamish’s Business Park, and there’s insufficient industrial land available, according to the students’ final report presented to council on April 26.
Ultimately the students identified affordable housing, neighbourhood parks and a transportation hub as the most-needed projects in Squamish.
The students’ report said the population growth rate of 14 per cent “is not being met with enough housing options.”
In order to meet the district’s goal of a park within walking distance of every home, some parks and playgrounds need to be added in the North Yards, Garibaldi Estates, Garibaldi Highlands, Valleycliffe and downtown, the report states.
The students also helped with benchmarking by comparing Squamish with similar communities such as Laramie, Wyoming; Cedar City, Utah; and Cranbrook, B.C.
“Together we’ve created a survey,” Plumb told council when the students presented. “And that survey has now been emailed out to all these communities… and we’re waiting now for that to come back.”
According to the students’ findings, a transportation hub where buses could come and go from a central location would be best suited for land downtown.
The course wrapped up with the students presenting to district senior staff and council. Speaking to the mayor and council at municipal hall was “awesome,” according to student-presenter Chris McAlpine.
“I am from Richmond, B.C. and I’ve been to city hall maybe once and never really saw what happens at a meeting,” McAlpine acknowledged. “I was really surprised how precise it was and they knew exactly where they want to be and all their goals,” he said.
Mayor Patricia Heintzman said the district also gains from the interaction with the university students.
“Quest using Squamish as a living lab is just such a great scenario,” she said. “I know staff are really keen and certainly council is really keen and it is great to see that energy and those ideas coming in.”
