Squamish is a rapidly changing community and it strikes me as we have more than a few items pressing down on us as a community that I believe it’s prudent that our mayor and council take note along with a few breaths of pause on major discussions and decisions.
We just spent the spring as a very fractured community debating the pros and cons of the Garibaldi Springs Golf Course re-development proposal by Polygon Homes. This application has elicited a tremendous amount of community passion, specifically from those most affected by the project, the neighbours. Our current council ran a process of first and second reading along with a marathon public hearing and ultimately the application being turned down, with the deciding vote being Mayor Patricia Heintzman. As it is now surfacing Polygon is resurrecting their application to re-apply. I implore our current mayor and council not to allow this to proceed at this point. This is not a decision to be made in the dying months of your elected term. This is a decision that the incoming council, whoever they may be, should have the opportunity to review and make a final decision on.
Our infrastructure renewal has become a hot topic, including the question of expansion, renewal or new build?
The question of borrowing, private partnership, or other funding sources is now on the table, more so than in previous years. The overarching project falls into the Districts Real Estate Policy as well. While I’m happy to see staff starting the consultation process, I firmly believe that debate, discussion, or direction that could influence any form of an outcome by council should be reserved to the next session. This is a decision that will shape our Parks and Recreation policy for the next 50 years.
Oct. 20, 2018 is shaping up to be an interesting time in Squamish as we have two of our councillors confirmed they are not seeking re-election for various reasons, one councillor is challenging our current mayor, lots of names are batting around the community as potentially vying for a seat at the table.
The reality is, our current council has worked extensively with the community and staff to curate and direct our recently adopted OCP, the guiding document for Squamish for the next few years at least. I think it is prudent that our elected officials take stock of that and reserve the next round of potentially contentious and passionate decisions for the next council. Squamish as a community deserves that respect. New perspective, new blood, new passion, ultimately factors that make Squamish the amazing place we all call home from a human level.
- Edward Archibald
Squamish
