Nobody participated in a referendum concerning a proposed land swap between the city and the Delta School District.
That’s according to an update from city staff to council regarding a process known as an alternative approval process for a proposed land exchange that will allow for the addition of a second synthetic turf playing field at Mackie Park in North Delta.
Requiring a referendum or alternative approval process, the land exchange will see the city receive 2,029-square-metres of land along the south edge of Mackie Park from the school district. The addition creates a parcel big enough to construct a second synthetic turf field at the park.
In exchange, the district would receive two parcels totalling 2,029-square-metres.
The first consists of 1,956-square metres of passive green space along the west edge of Hellings Park, which is to be incorporated into the grounds of Hellings Elementary School. The second parcel consists of 73-square-metres of land along the west edge of the park, which would align the new property line with existing tennis court facilities.
Delta residents had a chance to say yes or no to the deal. The number of electors of the City of Delta is estimated to be 74,032, while the elector response forms required to prevent the exchange of park land without receiving the assent of the electors by referendum was 10 per cent of the estimated number of electors, which is 7,403.
A report to council notes the total number of elector response forms submitted and verified as valid for the proposed land exchange equalled zero.
Council now has a clear path to grant final approval of the deal.
Construction is scheduled to begin this summer and the new playing field is to be ready for play by March 2025.
The project received a funding boost last year from the province.
The city established a new reserve fund, called the Growing Communities Reserve Fund, where the one-time grant of just over $16 million to Delta was directed for the project, as well as a Delta Secondary track upgrade.
