Land-Base In Exhibition Park Plan Shrinks
Two-hectare undeveloped parcel of crown land along 22nd Ave map courtesy CPG
Prince George, BC – Plans for a multi-family residential development on two parcels of crown land at 4278 22nd Avenue are one step closer to reality…
Despite concerns raised by a delegation who questioned pulling the land from Exhibition Park, Councillors unanimously endorsed giving third reading to an Official Community Plan amendment, changing the designation on the two-hectare plot from Parks & Recreation to Neighbourhood Residential.
The property was included in the Exhibition Park Master Plan approved by Council in 2005 – it was identified as being planned for ‘bike trails in forest’ at that time.
However, it is Provincial Crown land and, in December, City Council gave first two readings to an application by the Ministry of Forests for the OCP amendment. The applicant plans to sell the land to a developer to build multi-family housing, similar to the townhouse development at the corner of 5th Avenue and Tabor.
Members of the Prince George Horse Society spoke out against the move at last night’s public hearing. “To us, it sets a precedent, a dangerous precedent, that slowly we will lose Exhibition Park,” said Joan Chess-Woollacoott, a director with the society that operates out of the Agriplex.
“We know there were two parcels along 18th Avenue that were sold by the Crown around 2007 or 2008 that are now privately held and we hear rumours about other proposals that might be coming along the 18th Avenue side of the park.”
She also made mention of the failed proposal for a hotel development at the front of the park along Ospika Boulevard. “And we’re just worried we’re going to lose Exhibiton Park, bit by bit, with these various applications being endorsed or being considered by council.”
“It is really, truly a jewel of recreation facilities and open space,” said Chess-Woollacott, who urged Council to maintain and ‘get on with’ the vision for Exhibition Park.
In response to questions from Council, the City’s General Manager of Planning and Development, Ian Wells, said the area was originally slated to be an off-road bike park, but with recent gains in biking trails throughout the community, it’s no longer felt to be necessary for the long-term vision of the park.
“In fact, we need to review the whole Exhibition Park and that will be occurring as part of the Parks and Open Space process that we’re going through. (Originally) there were major roads to be built in that area…the ice oval is in a complete different location that was anticipated, so that whole plan needs to be re-done.”
With public consultation about neighbourhood parks and greenspaces set to begin this summer, Wall anticipated holding discussions with Exhibition Park stakeholders sometime in the fall. He acknowledged the Horse Society’s concerns with regards to two private developments now progressing along 18th Avenue and said they will be part of the discussions.
While voting in favour of the OCP amendment with his colleagues, Councillor Brian Skakun said, “Going forward, I think we have to make sure the integrity of that area is kept intact and we don’t develop, sort of, ourselves out of a nice Exhibition Park.”
Comments
Odd that the proposed development is on the only part of the grounds that appears to be treed.
I would have much preferred the hotel that wanted to be built on the dirt lot.
Wells might want to explain how the ice oval got into a completely different area than what was contemplated. Seems to me the City is in charge as to where things would be located.
Some of us remember how the ice oval wound up where it is.
In any event, once again we are picking off park space, and selling the property to developers without any regard to the long term plan for the City. Once again the OCP has been changed to help the developers.
So, the question is. Who are the developers, did they approach the BC Government to sell this property? Did the City have any say in the matter, and if so what. If the city did not change the OCP would that have killed the project.??
We know that the BC Government does not need the money, so the sale is more for the interest of the developer than for the interests of the citizens of Prince George.
Is the City in favour of the sale because it will get the development cost charges, and additional taxes. Hopefully not, because that means, we are still acting like backwoods hamlets.
Last but not least, how much will the land sell for, and how does that sale figure stack up against other property values in the City. Also were other developers given an opportunity to bid on this property, or was it a closed sale between the BC Government and the developer.
aren’t the rodeo grounds right beside there? I don’t know that I’d want to be living beside that. I remember growing up on Shearer Cres. and sitting on my roof to watch the rodeo, it certain was loud enough to hear. Do we even have rodeos still?
now if this was land the Cougars fans parked on you can bet it would not be given first reading let alone third…
This is atrocious for the the implications to the potential for the adjacent recreational lands.
With the street separating Exhibition Park lands from the residential lands it acts as a sort of barrier. Having residential locating within the Exhibition Park lands will bring with it all sort of proximity issues precluding the use of that land for many of the recreation activities it was originally envisions for.
How can this be acceptable, but a hotel that caters to the recreation events is not acceptable?
This is about motives that may benefit the developer in question, but do nothing for advancing the development of recreation opportunities on this land.
Lets hope the provincial government does the right thing and dismisses this application as erroneous for the intended purpose this property was deeded to the city for. The provincial government could further reinforce the requirement for recreational sports activities for this land.
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