They came. They saw. Many took a deep breath, and then relaxed.
Its something Jim Wright, president of the Garden City Conservation Society took great delight in seeing Saturday as the city welcomed the public to the 136-acre Garden City Lands site for what was billed as an Ideas Fair, focusing on possible future uses for the property.
It is so typical with the Garden City Lands, Wright said, that somehow people get out there, and they are not very far from the city, but still say they have this wonderful feeling that their pulse is slowing down.
Wright said the serene surroundings can have such a calming effect, the city should seriously factor that into their approach on what should become of the property Richmond purchased in March 2010 for $59.17 million from the Canada Lands Company (CLC) Ltd. and Musqueam Indian Band.
The Garden City Lands almost have a feeling of wellness. We just have to recognize what is there and do the minimal amounts that dont mess up whats there, Wright said. Its an amazing, tranquil place. And its really unique. I cant find anything else like it in the world where you can be in an inland, city centre and have literally unbroken, natural viewscapes.
Tranquility aside, the Garden City Lands, which is classified as a peat bog, is an important environmental resource to the Lower Mainland and should ultimately be left untouched, said Eliza Olson, president of the Burns Bog Conservation Society.
Over the years, the land was used as a rifle range for military training during the First World War. And then, from 1949 until 1994, it served as the federal Ministry of Transports home for maritime radio transmitters.
Olson said the city has to look at the bigger environmental picture in an attempt to stave off losing wetlands.
I would say with all the growth around Richmond, that open space is going to be needed more and more for health and quality of life, Olson said. And when you are looking at climate change and global warming, peat bogs store up to 10 times more carbon than the tropical rain forests.
So, they have a large carbon sink there they should be protecting.
Despite its relative small size 136 acres compared to the 5,000-plus acres in the conservation area of Burns Bog Olson said the Garden City Lands is still very much a valuable environmental holding.
When you think that only three per cent of the Earths surface is covered with peat bogs, and their destruction is responsible for six to 10 per cent of green house gases, that shows you just how important they are, she said.
The Garden City Lands fall within the Agricultural Land Reserve, which limits the types of uses for the property and the city has no development plans.
The Ideas Fair was held to get a feel for the publics opinion on where to go next, using the restrictions of the ALR as guidelines.
According to City of Richmond spokesperson Ted Townsend, more than 650 people attended Saturdays event.
It was a very positive environment and lots of people really took up our challenge to be creative, Townsend said via email. We had at least half a dozen maps submitted by people with their own detailed visions for the lands. There was very strong turnout from people who live in the immediate area.
With the good response from the public and the resulting flood of ideas, it is too early to discern a trend. However, they ranged from putting a hospital on the land to leaving it exactly as it is.
I think its fair to say that most people favoured uses that would keep the lands as open space and provide public use and access, running the gamut from agricultural or environmental uses, to park and trails to playing fields, Townsend said.
As for what comes next, those not able to attend the Ideas Fair can visit the citys website to review information, register to get updates and complete a questionnaire.
They can also submit comments via email, or by snail mail or via our project Facebook page and Twitter feeds. We also have an upcoming workshop with key stakeholders groups to get further input.
In the next month the information gathered from the public will be used to form the projects planning principles and framework.
Townsend said that would continue during the summer, and in the fall development of actual options for the land will formed for the public and city councils consideration.
A preferred option is expected to be arrived at in early 2014.
