Dear Editor:
An open letter to New Westminster city council:
I am writing to express my concerns regarding the Whitecaps proposal to transform Queen's Park Stadium into a dedicated soccer venue that would become the home pitch for a USL Division 1 soccer team. I am a 13-year resident of the Queen's Park neighborhood, live across the street from the park and have two school-aged children who have played both soccer and baseball here.
I am particularly concerned about the rushed process in trying to provide a decision by the deadline of Sept. 15. There are too many unanswered questions about this proposal in order for it to move forward by that deadline. There are rumours swirling and not a lot of facts, so I will apologize for any inaccuracies I may impart in my rush to get up to speed on this issue. From the comments at a recent neighborhood rally I attended, many were taken by surprise by this proposal, as people have been on vacation in the summer and/or wrapped up in their child-care issues brought on by the teachers' strike.
Perhaps the most important question is whether this is the most suitable venue for the Whitecaps' purposes.
Apparently the Whitecaps want to increase the capacity of the stadium from 2,000 to 3,500 and reconfigure the field. If they need additional space, they will encroach on the surrounding areas. What impact will there be on the current Queen's Park Master Plan, which was arrived at through a lengthy consultative process?
Parking is a definite problem. It is at over-capacity now when there are multiple events on at the same time, spilling over onto neighboring streets. Children attending their many activities in the park are already dodging traffic in the existing parking areas. Do I want to "pave paradise and put up a parking lot" - no.
Along with the increased capacity will be increased traffic. Let's not get started on our intolerance for increased traffic in New Westminster and, specifically, in a residential area. There has been the suggestion that people will take transit. The closest SkyTrain station is on Columbia, which would be followed by a very long, steep climb up the hill to Third Avenue or an intermittent bus up Second Street. I'm sure there are other bus routes, but transit options are not particularly user-friendly to Queen's Park.
I missed responding to an Aug. 26 email request from the Queen's Park Residents' Association. In it they requested a yes or no and 24 hours to respond to the question of whether to accept the Whitecaps proposal. The 58 per cent in favour email response may not be an accurate representation of all Queen's Park Residents. I would like to know the number of responses in relation to the number of actual residents. Many homeowners in the neighborhood are not members of residents' association, and some are not even aware of it.
New Westminster has a rich history, and many of its current residents have an interest in its sense of community, traditions and heritage preservation. That is why many of us enjoy living here. Even though the current stadium is underutilized and in need of repair, it suits the park. If it is to be refurbished, let's ensure its esthetics are in keeping with the surrounding area. Can it really be refurbished to meet the Whitecaps requirements or, upon inspection, will it need to be replaced?
There may be consensus that a refurbished stadium would provide for community events such as May Day and movies in the park. However, I haven't seen or heard any concrete suggestions as to where the displaced New West baseball players would go? I have heard some mutterings that "they'd have to cut down 40 trees!" No one wants to pit soccer against baseball. My own kids play multiple sports, and we avail ourselves of a wide variety of community facilities.
Which brings us to the very important question of who is going to pay for any or all of this? Personally, I'd rather my tax dollars go towards replacement of the high school, Canada Games Pool, existing structures like the Queen's Park Arena and Arenex, solving the parking/traffic issues and all of the other initiatives that are already in the works.
Others will have their own set of priorities as to where they would like their tax dollars spent. Allocating tax dollars is part of a process, and that is what is lacking here. Let's be clear as to who is willing to pay for what. Is the city expected to pay to refurbish the stadium to the Whitecaps required standards, and pay to build a new diamond for baseball, and deal with parking, in return for a lease of the stadium for part of the year and prospective business brought into the city?
To be honest, I would welcome the Whitecaps proposal if all of my questions and concerns were addressed, but none of them have been. If this sounds a little like not in my back yard, well, it's actually my front yard.
Barbara Good, New Westminster
