The future of the Winskill Aquatic Centre has sparked a lot of discussion in the community and on our letters pages.
Those who have written to us say they are not against the replacement of the aquatic centre, but they are certainly not in favour of the options put forward so far by the City of Delta.
One of the main issues of contention is the removal of trees in Winskill Park.
The three options presented thus far by the city all involve removing trees from the park, which doesn’t sit well with many.
I don’t want to see trees removed either, but some are going to come down, whether you like it or not.
Contrary to what some have posted on social media, hundreds of trees in the park need to be removed and or replaced – no matter what happens with the aquatic centre.
The Optimist reported in June 2021 that then Parks, Recreation and Culture director Ken Kuntz said many trees will ultimately need to be replaced over a multi-year period. He told the Optimist the tree assessment condition report for the forested area west of the sport fields and aquatic centre, found many are in a state of decline.
His report to the Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission noted the assessment identified that all trees inventoried pose a low risk, meaning that immediate removal is not required. However, 317 trees were noted as being in poor condition, including the vast majority of the 272 mature trees that are 40 years old or more.
The argument that some have stated that the facilities and surrounding sports fields are not busy enough and there is adequate parking and no need to build more, simply is not true.
I was at the park on Canada Day for the Kyle Losse Memorial Tournament. The park was packed. I had to park three blocks away, as there was not a parking spot in sight.
And, as a side note, the Delta Blue Jays, who are two-time national champions at the bantam level, use the diamonds eight months of the year, so saying the fields are not used year-round is a disservice to them, their organization and their dedicated players and families.
Then, there is the disc golf community, who we featured in a recent Optimist news article, who are also upset that they may lose their golf course. The city is working to address their concerns, but like the final design and concept, that all has yet to be determined.
I get all the arguments and I get all the concerns – including, why not just retrofit the current facility? Well, that’s not going to happen.
You can’t keep putting on a Band Aid to stop the bleeding.
At some point, major surgery is needed and that’s exactly what is going to happen, whether some like it or not.
There has to be some compromise - on both sides - to make this project a success.
