Canucks fans like to talk hockey, but they also like to talk housing.
That was my experience at a local pub watching a Canucks game with friends last weekend.
Sitting at a group table the discussion turned to the changes to Delta’s Official Community Plan (OCP)
One gentleman was clearly not a fan of the new OCP.
His suggestion was, “to put barriers at the foot of 56th Street, and not let anyone else in.”
He also wanted to know who at the table had grown up in South Delta. I gather that survey was to gain support from those born and bred here, which I am not.
We ended the conversation politely and returned to the game. It was an ah-ha moment for me, as I realized there are a lot of people who are genuinely fearful of an influx of newcomers to our community.
The urge to keep the status quo is strong because the Lower Mainland has changed, and that’s hard to accept for some. The population is exploding, and we are more multicultural than ever before.
Many remember the good old days when this was a sleepy community off the radar, with a tunnel that kept the crowds away. Those days are gone.
We shouldn’t fear changes to the OCP. We are not going to suddenly become a sprawling metropolis with high rises springing up like daisies.
Most developments slated for Ladner and Tsawwassen are medium density because developers favour townhouses and low-rise apartments.
Let’s face it, Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall needs to be upgraded and Ladner Village and the waterfront both need to be revamped.
We all need to have our voices heard, but fear mongering and hyperbole does not serve us well as we work towards a harmonious future for our community.
Stay calm and carry on.
Ingrid Abbott is a freelance writer who is on the Canucks bandwagon, if only for the beer and nachos.
