Councillors in Gibsons are supporting a new master plan for Winegarden Park, and the next step is getting detailed costing and figuring out how to pay for making the vision a reality.
The master plan, which was created with input from a select committee of Gibsons residents, was presented to council at its March 7 committee of the whole meeting.
Director of planning Andre Boel told councillors the plan recommended by the advisory committee has several elements focused on keeping Winegarden Park’s role as a performance space, with a relocated and improved stage area with storage, washrooms, and changing areas. The plan also includes an elevated stage, even though it also calls for preserving the views from the park.
“The performance stage would be approximately three metres higher than the seawalk. This height would allow for the mechanics of the stage, plus washrooms/changing rooms underneath,” said the staff report.
Other elements include a play area for children with a water feature, “eddies” (small seating or activity hubs), and a waterfront walkway with a Green Shores approach. According to the report, “the seawalk is envisioned to be surfaced with crusher dust, and is to be pulled away from the shore. This will allow for a Green Shores approach to the shoreline, softening the grade, and allowing the elimination of a portion of the existing hard wall.”
Boel said reaction to the draft plan through a public survey was mainly positive. “We had a good response of around 50 submissions … It was fairly consistent – two-thirds liked the elements, one-third didn’t like them or had concerns. But for all the elements, which was good in the sense that there is support for most of the [individual] elements.”
The comments that came in through the survey, however, show that the George Hotel and Residences loom large in the public’s thinking about the future of the park. Around one-third of the 33 survey respondents who chose to add a comment made reference to the project.
“I do not wish my tax dollars to go toward creating amenities for the George Hotel,” wrote one. “The developer of the George should be contributing more significantly … since the George is the main commercial recipient of the benefits,” said another respondent. Yet another commented, “I am concerned that the park may be changed for the benefit of the George Hotel and not necessarily to improve the park.”
Coun. Silas White said he’s confident the advisory committee and Town staff have created a plan that will get public support. “I want to compliment the committee on their work, and think it was a great example of council appointing people who have some professional expertise, who represent the community. All the discussion is here, it’s in the minutes, all the work’s been done … I don’t feel like I’m in a position to second guess them at all.”
Mayor Wayne Rowe agreed.
“I remember the initial wish list that we saw when it went to the public,” he said. “And I thought ‘there’s not going to be room for people if we do all of this.’ The committee’s done a very good job of focusing and come up with a proposal that will satisfy most users and most interests.”
Town staff will now work with the landscape architects to create a detailed plan, with cost estimates. “This will also enable more information as to which portions of the park design elements may be constructed by the George Hotel and Residences,” said the report presented March 7. “The George project is contributing $100,000 for community amenities but council has not allocated these funds for any specific project.”
