The Town of Gibsons has more than $300,000 in the parks acquisition reserve fund but little need to acquire more parkland.
Council voted on Tuesday to request a transfer of the full amount to the capital projects reserve fund so the money can be put to use.
Director of finance Ian Poole presented his report on the parks acquisition fund with his recommendation that staff be directed to seek approval from the minister of community, sport and cultural development to make the transfer.
“There are two schools of thought – one is you might want to be conservative and leave a few dollars behind,” Poole said. “If we want to maybe add to an existing park … or if something came up and we needed some cash to expand a portion of a lot, then it would be nice to have some funds.
“On the other hand, we haven’t used these particular funds and there are likely other subdivisions that will be coming along at a future point in time,” Poole said.
There is currently $338,000 in the parks acquisition fund, which was created in 1989. When a developer in the Town builds a subdivision without accompanying park space, they are required to pay into the fund so the Town can maintain the desired ratio of park space to population density.
The ratio is at 3.5 hectares per 1,000 people as it was last measured in 2009, according to Poole’s report. This is well above the average in B.C., which is 2.89 hectares per 1,000 people.
“Right now we’ve got enough parks for the density within the community that exists, but in the future we are still planning for more parks within future subdivisions,” chief administrative officer Emanuel Machado said.
Coun. Charlene SanJenko suggested that a request be made to the minister for the full amount to be transferred to the capital projects reserve fund, which has a balance of $9,284.
Poole’s report specified three possible uses for the funds once they are transferred: Armours Beach site improvements, the Gibsons Public Market or improvements to the sea walk.
The public market was the most popular choice, but Mayor Wayne Rowe asked that a report be brought back to next week’s committee of the whole with detailed funding requirements from the $3-million dollar project to upgrade the public market’s facilities.
“I’m cognizant of the need for the market to be able to move forward with its funding requirements,” Rowe said. “I don’t want to leave them hanging out there. What we would be asking to do is talk to a representative for that project and see if we can get some detailed financials for the line items of where things are at right now.”
SanJenko’s suggestion to make a request to the minister to transfer all of the funds was moved as a motion by Coun. Silas White and seconded by SanJenko. It was carried by all council members excluding Coun. Jeremy Valeriote, who was not in attendance.
The Town of Gibsons committee of the whole and council meets again next Tuesday, Nov. 3.
