Opponents of a plan to build a mixed-use development on the site of Brandson Park in Castlegar have gathered more than 800 electronic signatures in an online petition.
While it is not obvious from the site where the signatories are from, organizer Darren Fontes says he believes the vast majority are from Castlegar.
“I’m impressed with the number we’ve got from a word-of-mouth campaign, but more importantly I think you’ll find the impact in the comment section,” Fontes says. “There’s some pretty touching stuff there.
“You get a bit of everything. Many people are talking about the memories they are making with their families. You hear people reminiscing about the days of the pool and the memories they made. The swimming lessons they had out there. Overall, the community spirit that this space brings.”
Fontes was born and raised in Castlegar and has great affection for the park, as he remembers visiting it in high school with his future wife. Later they bought a house in the neighbourhood and their son learned to ride his bike in the park.
The city is collecting public feedback on the proposal to build a housing/commercial development on the site. A park would be retained under the plan, although the overall green space would be less than what currently exists.
Brandson Park is formerly the site of the Bob Brandson Memorial Pool, built in the 1960s and named after a young man who drowned in the Columbia River. The pool was converted into a playground and park when the present aquatic centre was built.
For the development to go ahead, the property would have to be rezoned and then sold to the developer. Fontes says through the petition they are asking council “to say no, our parkland is not for sale, not for rezoning.”
Councillor Bergen Price has already indicated he is against the rezoning, while the rest of council says it wants to hear the outcome of a March 14 public hearing before deciding.
Mayor Kirk Duff says while neighbours have made their objections clear, council wants to know how the wider community feels. Fontes says the petition answers that question.
“We’ve decided to put together another avenue for people to express their feelings about the park without having a view of development or no development at that location,” he says.
Fontes, like other opponents, says the development could be an asset if built elsewhere in Castlegar, but parkland should be sacred.
“Previous generations set aside and preserved special land for our children. Its sale is needless. Do we let developers dictate which of our parklands are rezoned to their benefit?”
