The battle for Spellman Park may just be heating up.
A proposed bylaw that would have removed park status from the almost five-acre green space at the corner of Spellman and Lindholm roads in Metchosin was defeated, after more than the required number of eligible voters signed an Electoral Response Form against the change. The District of Metchosin must now hold a referendum on the issue if it wishes to enact the change.
Anna Hall, who lives next door to the park and spearheaded the Save Spellman Park campaign, said she was pleased with the response, which saw 566 Metchosin residents sign the form.
The process requires at least 10 per cent of eligible voters to indicate their opposition, which is 377, she noted.
Metchosin Mayor John Ranns, clearly frustrated with the result, which was brought up at Sept. 14 council meeting, said there has been a good deal of misinformation about the DistrictB次元官网网址檚 intentions for the property.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 two building lots and in past years, we tried to do something with it. We tried to put a bike jump park and (the public) said they would prefer to put residences in there.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淪o we put the bike jump park in municipal areas instead,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 even intend to sell it immediately, but we heard there may be federal land of much higher park value becoming available.B次元官网网址�
This B次元官网网址渙rphanB次元官网网址� park, which was once logged and is second-growth forest, could not be sold for the sake of adding residential properties,B次元官网网址� Ranns said. Instead, plans were to use the approximately $400,000 the property would fetch and add that to park acquisition funds, or partnering with others, to acquire even more park land.
He said he has no intention of seeing any parkland lost in Metchosin. In fact, he wants to add to the park value in the district, as long as the municipality doesnB次元官网网址檛 have to take on debt to do so.
B次元官网网址淢etchosin does not borrow money B次元官网网址� that is a rock-hard policy B次元官网网址� it is a pay-as-you-go municipality,B次元官网网址� Ranns said.
B次元官网网址淚f another land of a higher value (became available) we want to be able to respond to that immediately.B次元官网网址�
Hall wasnB次元官网网址檛 phased by the argument, saying she still isnB次元官网网址檛 interested in losing Spellman Park. The property is separated from Blinkhorn Park by Lindholm Road and is surrounded on two sides by residential lots B次元官网网址� one of which Hall owns. She said those living close to the park and those further away have voiced interest in keeping it as it is now.
B次元官网网址淚 am also concerned with selling one to get something better,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚n a district like Metchosin, where there are very few areas that are left as parks, why are we risking losing one? Because losing one opens up that door, even if it is a tiny bit, to losing the other ones and what will be the argument next time?B次元官网网址�
Despite the defeat, the topic will not be going immediately to a referendum, which could cost the municipality approximately $8,000. However, the future of Spellman Park could still be raised again at a later time.
alim@goldstreamgazette.com
