FACE TO FACE: Develop or protect - what to do with the Riverview Hospital lands?
In 2007, the BC Liberals caused a political firestorm when they proposed to turn Coquitlam's Riverview Hospital lands into a massive housing development. Their plan was to mix thousands of market condos with social housing for the disabled, poor and mentally ill.
Now that Riverview Hospital is closing, once and for all, I think we need to revisit the BC Liberal plan.
The proposal would have meant the development of 7,000 condos or apartments on the 98-hectare site. The plan would generate billions of dollars in real estate deals and mean a windfall of millions for the city. Developers would be required to turn back some of their profits to the government, which would in turn build social housing.
The project would create thousands of direct, indirect and induced jobs, and would be a boon to local businesses.
It was a great plan but, unfortunately, the government gave in to public pressure to maintain the site as is. So, for the past five years, we've have had nothing but committees, open houses and meetings about how to save the lands.
Those opposed to development at Riverview talk about its green space while others have touted the lands' foreign plants and trees as a reason not to build. Frankly, saving a Ginko tree from China or a sweet chestnut from Turkey aren't good enough reasons to hamper development.
Last week, Heritage Canada Foundation put the Riverview lands on its top-10 list of endangered historic sites in the country.
A historic site? Really?
It was a hospital, people.
Opposition to development at the Riverview Lands is nothing more than NIMBY-ism at its worst.
Everybody is always against the D-word - development - forgetting that we all have homes because our communities were, you know, developed.
The bottom line is that, with a growing population, Metro Vancouver needs more homes. We also need more affordable housing for the disabled, poor and mentally ill.
The BC Liberal plan from 2007 can get that done.
I realize I'm a lone voice in the wilderness here but I say, "Build, baby, build."
Andy Radia is a Coquitlam resident and political columnist who writes for Yahoo! Canada News and Vancouver View Magazine. He has been politically active in the Tri-Cities, having been involved with election campaigns at all three levels of government, including running for Coquitlam city council in 2005.
