The Delta Agricultural Society will have a say in the future of Paterson Park.
Discussions are currently taking place behind closed doors at both Delta municipal hall and Kwantlen Polytechnic University about the university's portion of the park, which is now up for sale. The university is listening to offers after recently announcing it wants to divest itself of its portion of Ladner park bound by Ladner Trunk Road and Highway 17.
Those offers will be vetted through the agricultural society.
In 1993, Kwantlen purchased the eastern section from the society for a discount price of $3.5 million under the condition the university would build a post-secondary facility, but the land has sat vacant.
The 2012 assessment of Kwantlen's nine acre portion has the section valued at just over $11 million.
"At some point we wanted something do with agriculture on it. Of course, that never happened. It's now listed for sale but they're involving us because they know what our conditions were back then," said society president Peter Guichon.
Next week members of the agricultural society will meet with Kwantlen officials and real estate firm Colliers International to discuss several offers.
Guichon said he doesn't know yet what those offers are, but the society wants something that would be a community benefit.
"Kwantlen's been good. They realized we gave them a deal back in 1993 to build an educational facility here which we thought would benefit the kids graduating in Delta. That was the society's wish at the time, but now they're going in a different direction.
They know our wishes have to be met," he said.
Delta owns the other half of the site.
Coun. Sylvia Bishop recently brought forward a motion for the municipality to purchase Kwantlen's portion. Those conversations have now moved behind closed doors.
In a recent interview, Mayor Lois Jackson, noting the zoning for public use restricts what can be done, said she didn't know where they'd get the money to make such purchase.
Guichon said it would be an ideal fit, but he's not sure it's one Delta could pull off.
"Obviously they've got control over the zoning anyway. They own just over half of it. It would seem like a natural fit but I can see where the mayor is coming from. People are complaining about their taxes, so I just don't know what Delta's position is or where they'd get the money," he said.
Meanwhile, a newly formed group called Paterson Park for Deltans is advocating Delta securing public ownership of Paterson Park.
"I am pleased and excited to announce Paterson Park for Deltans has been created by a group of like minded individuals who wish to see the land purchased for Delta's future," said spokesperson Scott Broderick.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for Deltans and we would like to see the Corporation of Delta purchase this land."
The group's Andrew Conley said it's is an opportunity for Delta to continue building on these amenities while preserving the heritage of the land.
The two former council candidates say they believe there is considerable support both locally and across Delta based on the findings of the Paterson Park Task Force examination of potential site uses.
In 1999, the municipality, after lobbying by the group Friends of Paterson Park, purchased its 12 acres of the park for $5.25 million.
Delta then formed a task force which heard a wide range of community submissions on what should be built there. However, citing a lack of money and the park being ranked low on a municipal priority list, council at the time decided to shelve any plans for development.
Paterson Park had been vacant for over 40 years since harness racing left.
