Hugo Ray Park: Green Space Competition
I have recently become involved in a green space competition, revolving around Hugo Ray Park.

While I normally steer clear of municipal zoning and planning matters, in this instance the provincial government was asked to consider the application of the Hugo Ray Park Society for $2 million of funding under the federal-provincial infrastructure program. Proponents have announced their goal of creating an international field hockey centre of excellence in West Vancouver.

Three sets of interests have come into play: the field hockey players, a group of Lower British Property neighbours, and the cricket players .

The field hockey players assert the interests of 2,000 North Shore field hockey players, many of them young women. With the government strongly encouraging a greater emphasis on physical activity, enhancing our playing field capacity is consistent with provincial government’s “Act Now” program priorities.

The cricket players assert the interest of a lesser number of cricketers from all over the Lower Mainland. They also claim prior playing rights on the field. I strolled over to the Park one Sunday and received a short course in the rudiments of cricket (see accompanying photographs).


A subset of concerned neighbours has engaged counsel, and expresses concerns over traffic, parking, noise and night-lighting.

The decision process in Victoria has proven to be protracted . Fortunately, I suspect grant applicants may be informed of a decision in January.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transportation continues to consider proposals for new access to Highway 1, the Trans Canada Highway. Controlled access highways are subject to strict provincial regulation, in terms of access to them, and in terms of developments within a wide radius from them. Safety is always a serious consideration.

Stay tuned.

What is needed now is a win-win-win-win solution so that neighbourhood, cricketeers, field hockey players, and highway safety, are all favourably impacted. A four-way win should be achievable, given goodwill and cooperation all around.
 

[top]
to Ralph's Newsletter

>> back to top <<
To receive Ralph's newsletter, please .
To remove yourself from Ralph's newsletter, please .

If there are any problems or comments that you would like to pass along about this site, please send an
email to . This site is administered by Patrick Nepomuceno
and maintained by the West Vancouver-Capilano Association of the B.C. Liberal Party