The Editor,
Re. “PoMo will vote on plans for two sites” (The Tri-City News, April 13).
Many breathed a sigh of relief when Port Moody council did not approve rezoning of the works yard and former fire hall sites to pave the way to selling the two sites to developers, instead sending the decision to referendum in the fall. The issue has been contentious. Even though I disagreed with Mayor Mike Clay, I would like to thank him for his respect for the public throughout the process.
Now, the work begins. It will take considerable community effort to ensure these sites are not developed for highrises. Below is my presentation to the public hearing:
First, I want to ask the citizens of Port Moody to have a civil discourse on this issue. If we don’t share the same vision for our city, there is no cause to be rude to speakers or to the members of council. I think we all want what is best for Port Moody.
The future of Port Moody will be decided on how this issue of density, preservation of green space, and protection of the park we so dearly love, is decided. I am here to argue in favour of the existing official community plan, which supported maintaining the small-town character of the city and not sell the fire hall and works yard land for high-density development.
True, the OCP needs updating, but until a full and comprehensive review, we must stick to the plan. To piecemeal the revisions is wrong. The OCP is supposed to guide the city for the long term. You cannot make changes every month — that strikes at the heart of the OCP.
Now, I’ll speak to the issue of modest density vs. highrises.
You cannot prove that more highrises, which are often investments for the super rich, create affordable housing. Look at the rise in condo prices — it is insane. None of the new condos are affordable; the average price in Metro Vancouver is $900,000. Then there is the argument that if you sell the public lands to a developer, you can negotiate amenities such as a seniors’ facility or a library. You can negotiate for amenities without selling precious public land, land that is needed for future public use, land you will be sorry you sold off for short-term gain. Your priorities should be to look to the future, maybe 100 years ahead, like Lord Stanley did when he set aside 400 hectares for a park in Vancouver.
Keep Port Moody at a human scale with six-storey condos, carriage and lane houses, townhouses and secondary suites.
Lighten up on restrictions and the length of the approval process, and make those types of housing affordable. Moderate density, not Hong Kong, not Singapore, not the West End. Paris, Venice, and Florence are charming cities. They have resisted the push to change their skylines.
Port Moody could be the gem among the other cities, a livable city that does not opt for a sea of towers.
Yvonne Harris, Port Moody
