The long, (long) awaited replacement of the Harry Jerome rec centre was in a familiar place recently: a standstill.
City of North Vancouver council had just voted on the rec centre they wanted when they voted to stop planning it.
The concern was that council might break out the municipal chequebook for a gleaming new centre and then contract a case of buyer’s remorse when faced with the development needed to pay for it.
So, they elected to halt planning until the development was approved.
That would have meant delay, as well as a lowball offer from a developer uncertain about just what their neighbour will look like.
We thank Coun. Don Bell for the persistence of his reason, as well as the rest of council for reversing course and realizing that hesitation could jeopardize the entire replacement.
Nudged forward by logic, the planning process is now back on track.
There are already disagreements about what the rec centre should include and there will doubtless be conflict about what the key development will look like. However, with 15 months before the next election, it’s crucial that this oft-divided council unites to replace the antiquated centre.
There are deep fissures running through this council but we believe there is enough political will and shared vision among our seven representatives to succeed where previous councils failed.
The rec centre is the heart of our city. It’s a place to exercise, play, and to get to know your neighbours.
Let’s move forward.
And in the spirit of the sprinting legend for whom the centre is named, let’s move quickly.
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