Debate over a proposed botanical garden project in Gibsons continued this week, this time in front of Gibsons council. Two delegations presented their cases in front of a packed gallery at Tuesday's council meeting.
The garden is proposed for 25 to 30 acres of Town of Gibsons property bordering Charman Creek, between Stewart Road and Shaw Road.
The Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden Society (SCBGS) has been working for the past few months preparing an extensive business plan, two detailed grant applications and a preliminary design for the garden and support buildings.The society has also applied for a $600,000 grant from the Softwood Industry Community Economic Adjustment Initiative (SI-CEAI). The society was hoping to get an answer this week from SI-CEAI, but recently, neighbours objected to the project and have asked SI-CEAI to delay the application.
The status of that application was not known as of press time Friday.
Don Sanderson, who lives on Inglis Road nearby, and Eaglecrest Drive resident Gordon Collins represented the concerned neighbours at Tuesday's meeting, while Paulean MacHale spoke on behalf of the SCBGS.
Sanderson reiterated points made in a Feb. 7 story in Coast Reporter that residents have no objections to a botanical garden, but they object to the area chosen for the project.
"There has been a lot of miscommunication and residents feel they have been uninformed," Sanderson said. "There are still too many unanswered questions and we feel council should be made aware of our feelings."
Sanderson made reference to a petition, which contained 160 signatures of those against the proposed site of the garden. He also raised issues with the design, parking congestion and noise in the area and the process the society is undertaking. "This fantasyland that is being proposed is not what the residents want," added Collins. "Most if not all the members of the garden society live in Roberts Creek and not in Gibsons. We posed a question at an open house last month why this project wasn't proposed for Roberts Creek. We didn't get an answer. I ask council, if this project isn't good for Roberts Creek, why should it be good for the Town of Gibsons?"
MacHale said she was somewhat confused by some of the statements made by the delegation.
She said the society has gone to great lengths to communicate to area neighbours and will continue to do so.
"We went door-to-door delivering an information brochure to all the neighbours," MacHale said. "We held the open house. We recognize there are some concerns, and we want to address all concerns. The status of the grant was always subject to subdivision approval by the town. Even if we receive our grant, there is still a long process to go through."
MacHale added that besides the grant application before SI-CEAI, the society is also looking for other grants of up to $350,000 from other sources.
Councillor Kenan MacKenzie suggested the SCBGS set up a workshop with area residents so they could have a hand in the design process.
The idea seemed to be received favourably by both delegations.
"I have received several calls from residents. Most have said they are not opposed to the garden but to the design and location," MacKenzie said. "A workshop with residents might be a useful tool that could eliminate a lot of concerns. When people can be active in the process, a lot of issues can be addressed."
The Town of Gibsons has supported the project in principle, but many more steps must take place before the garden is a go.
Those steps include: the success of the application for a grant to assist with funding for this project, public process under the Community Charter, a public hearing for rezoning of the property, a public hearing for an amendment to the Official Community Plan and a development permit application, which requires more public notice and consultation.
At the end of the delegations, Mayor Barry Janyk tried to assure residents that the project was just starting and there would be ample opportunity for discussion.
"We are in an extremely preliminary phase," Janyk said. "There will be a full and complete public process, but I would hope that at least you could have some trust in the process that is before you and trust in this council to make the right decision when we get to that point."
