The City of Delta is moving a Ladner Village pop-up back to what is expected to be a more ideal location.
Council has endorsed a staff recommendation to set up a summer pop-up park at it's original location on Bridge Street.
Staff had recommended it be moved to the the city-owned parking lot on Delta Street, but instead council agreed with a request by the Ladner Business (LBA) Association for the original spot which had been a popular place for residents to hang out.
The city had originally set up a pop-up park on Bridge Street in 2021, one of several launched as part of a new Street FUN-iture Program featuring several pop-up parks in business districts as well as outdoor reading rooms outside city libraries.
The pop-up parks were equipped with urban play infrastructure and furnished with a variety of seating options.
The city will be expanding the program in 2024 including a new disc golf pop-up park and a new public piano in Diefenbaker Park.
For the first two years, the Bridge Street pop-up park proved popular, however, it was relocated last year after an adjacent business expressed opposition.
At the request of the LBA and in response to feedback received from the community, staff proposed to re-establish a pop-up park in Ladner Village this year.
The city also held consultations with businesses and residents immediately adjacent to the original Bridge Street pop-up park location.
A staff report notes setting up a pop-up park at the parking lot, located at 4910 and 4914 Delta St., would have minimized the impact to adjacent businesses and limit traffic impacts in Ladner Village, though it would have also resulted in the loss of 14 parking spots.
Some of the concerns expressed from the community included noise at night and security.
It was suggested that the items be locked away nightly, closing the park by 10 p.m., and having bylaw officers or police regularly patrol the area to prevent vandalism and theft.
It was also requested that the artificial turf not be re-installed as local dogs used it as a washroom.
In addition to Diefenbaker Park, the other pop-up parks will be located at Gunderson Park, Tsawwassen Town Centre, the Sungod Recreation Centre, and the Elliott Street Wharf, while there will be outdoor reading rooms at the Tsawwassen and George Mackie libraries.
Due to the timing of planned upgrades for the Chisholm Street Wharf, that space will not be re-activated with a pop-up park this year.
