The Editor,
The fifth and final public vision process in the way of a document entitled A Vision For Renewing Riverview is nothing short of a slap in the face to all who made the effort to attend these public visioning processes and especially to all who recognize the true value of Riverview’s historical legacy.
The so-called “break-even mandate” is nothing more than a slippery slope creation by this government to force public acceptance of more urban sprawl in the way of market housing to mar this magnificent site.
Anyone with any insight has to be feeling, as I do, that the entire public input for the Riverview Lands Vision Process over the past two years has been nothing more than a smokescreen: Engage the public, keep the right hand busy when, in reality Rich Coleman’s BC Housing was given the green light long before this process began to fulfill his development dream for this site since 2007.
The public owns this land and we will not tolerate this government to slyly overshadow and attempt to silence our combined voice to fulfill yet another government instant gratification, money making scheme. The vision document is clearly all about doing exactly that.
Fragmentation of this site is not the vision the public has expressed. Market housing does not belong in this magnificent park.
Stop. Open your heart. See.
Allow your soul an awakening to the beauty of the entire 244-acre landscape creation of John Davidson that has evolved as he had envisioned a hundred years ago, into this spectacular, world-class park.
Our world is in trouble. We need to ensure places like this are kept intact and all of the open space that is currently intact on this site remains completely as it is today. This is the government promise to the public and to that promise we hold strong.
Kenneth E. Baker, Surrey
