More than 150 people turned out to a public meeting at Dragon Lake school in Quesnel last (April 27) night, most of them to voice their opposition to a proposed land deal by the City.
It would see the City develop a park on a portion of green space in the South Hills area but then trade the other part for some wetlands in the area that overlooks Dragon Lake.
As local resident Ryan Campbell explains it’s not a compromise they’re willing to make.
He says “if Quesnel, the city, wants to protect the wetlands then Quesnel the city should and not put the cost on South Hills, we don’t have a park, every neighbourhood in the city does, we do not and we don’t want to give it up. we don’t want to lose the wetlands either but at the same time there has to be a better way.
Campbell says it’s sacrificing one green space for another.
He feels the wetlands are a City issue and not just a problem for South Hills.
A lot of people in the audience expressed doubt that this land would be or could be developed, although that was not the opinion of City staff and Council members in attendance.
A petition opposing the land swap was also circulating at the meeting.
It currently has around 200 names on it.
Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson says he was pleased with the turnout at last night’s meeting in South Hills.
As for the next steps, Simpson says staff will quickly put together a report for City Council to review at the next meeting on Tuesday.
He says Council will then either stand down on the proposal or proceed with it.
Simpson says the staff report will be based on what was heard at the meeting as well as the responses to the feedback papers that were handed out.