The chance to help shape the future of our community is coming up.
You will soon receive a postcard in the mail inviting you to register your interest in participating in Phase 3 of the Delbrook lands community dialogue and I hope you will consider taking part.
Delbrook Lands are a large piece of publicly owned land in the western portion of the district just northeast of the Delbrook and Queens Road intersection. Currently home to the old Delbrook Community Recreation Centre, the buildings on this site are in poor condition and do not meet current health, safety or seismic standards. We’re looking forward to opening up the brand new consolidated Delbrook Community Recreation Centre on the site of the former William Griffin Centre, just a stone’s throw from the Delbrook lands.
As residents of Maplewood, Blueridge, Parkgate or Deep Cove you may find it difficult to see how the future of the Delbrook lands will impact you. But any time the future of a large piece of publicly owned land is up for consideration, the decisions will likely have far-reaching financial, environmental and social implications.
Earlier this year we partnered with SFU’s Centre for Dialogue for a public consultation process quite similar to the Deep Cove Parking and Access Dialogue we held in 2015. Nearly 300 people signed up and about 200 attended, sharing an astonishing 1,000 ideas for potential future uses of the site. Ideas ranged from putting affordable housing on the site, to turning it into a park, and everything in between.
During Phase 2 of this process staff and outside experts are completing technical research and analysis, and gathering feedback from council. The technical information, combined with the community-generated ideas, will form the foundation of the ideas presented for discussion during the deliberative dialogue session.
On Saturday, June 18, 100 residents from across the district will spend a full day discussing ideas for the future of the Delbrook lands by listening to each other, providing feedback, and working to understand the pros and cons of each idea.
The goal of this community dialogue is to determine which options are most broadly supported by the community, and send those to council for consideration.
The unique dialogue process gives us the opportunity to thoughtfully consider those benefits and drawbacks. Registration for the deliberative dialogue will include both random selection for interested residents, as well as reserved seats for community organizations directly impacted by the future of the Delbrook lands. Managing attendance in this way ensures everyone who has a stake in the future of the Delbrook lands is represented within the dialogue and has an opportunity to be heard.
This is participatory democracy in action! It is only when we hear from a broad cross-section of our community that we will land on a decision that will work for the majority. While the final decision on the future of these lands rests with us, your council, we’re looking for your guidance to help identify the path that works best for all of us.
For more details on the Delbrook lands community dialogue, please visit dnv.org/delbrooklands and look for your invitation postcard in the mail.
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
