There was no support shown for a proposed rezoning and Official Community Plan amendment that would allow the sale of a portion of the Sunshine Coast Community Services Society (SCCSS) property that the food bank and community gardens now sit on.
None of the 10 people who spoke at a May 11 District of Sechelt public hearing on the plan gave their approval and many speakers were applauded after giving passionate pleas to deny the proposal.
Several speakers said the community garden was their only space to grow food as they lived in apartments and they saw the garden as an important way to supplement their food budgets.
Some also said the garden acted as a community gathering place that broke down barriers of isolation.
Several speakers noted that the current location of the food bank is ideal because it’s central but not particularly public and easily accessible by bus, as well as accessible to those with various mobility issues.
The majority of those who spoke urged council to deny the rezoning and official community plan amendment applied for by SCCSS.
“Deputy mayor and councillors, shake your heads three times please. This is a dumb move,” said Bill Conway, who is a user of the food bank and also the chair of the accessibility advisory committee and provincial director of the Canadian Council of the Blind BC/Yukon division.
“Leave the food bank where it is because all you are doing is putting money in somebody’s big pocket that will not benefit the people who use the food bank.”
Previously, during a Feb. 24 planning and community development committee meeting, SCCSS board president Helen Carkner said SCCSS planned to sell the property (Lot 36) to Belmar Self Storage and that the gardens and food bank would move to the back of the SCCSS building on the right of way. In April, Carkner told Coast Reporter the food bank could not be moved to the right of way but that Belmar Self Storage would allow it to stay where it is until another location could be found.
Two speakers at the public hearing on May 11 questioned the conflicting information given by SCCSS, with one woman asking how she could make an informed decision if the information about the future of the food bank keeps changing.
Elise Rudland said she had been a volunteer with the food bank for 20 years and she questioned if the food bank building (which was donated by Howe Sound Pulp and Paper after being used for 30 years) could withstand another move.
“So my concern is if you allow the zoning and they relocate the food bank and the food bank does not take the relocation, there will be no food bank in Sechelt,” Rudland said. “There is no place that’s open now or the funds to build a new building. Nothing is in place. So I’m a little concerned and I hope you, at this point in time, refuse the zoning.”
Council will now consider the written and verbal responses from the public hearing before deciding next steps.
