Tsawwassen residents showed up again at Winskill Park early Monday as work started on the new $130-million aquatic and fitness centre.
With police watching nearby, bright yellow construction fencing began to arrive in order to block off the area before trees were chopped down prior to construction beginning.
The city has to take out 166 trees to make room for the new U15 baseball diamond and relocated U13 ball diamond.
But protesters remain opposed to removing the forest in the southwest corner of the site.
“We are opposed to the destruction of this forest,” said Annika Taylor, who lives nearby, pointing out the baseball diamonds only will be used for three months of the year and there are better locations. “This place is beautiful and valuable and rather than destroy it, it should be managed and restored.”
Taylor said she recognizes there are trees that are sick and damaged, but not everything has to go.
Winskill Park is the only green space in the area, she added.
“It’s a crying shame that we’re doing this.”
She added that she’s not opposed to building a new fitness centre and aquatic centre either.
“I’m happy with the new facilities. We can have these two things together. There has to be a way,” she said.
Norman Taylor said that more room could be found by adjusting the layout for the parking spots.
Carol Vignale said she’s lived in the area for 44 years and that years ago, there were lots of trees in Tsawwassen.
“We have to preserve what’s left instead of cutting it down,” she said.
Seth Phillips helped organize the Save the Forest Delta group.
He said the project seems rushed.
“I just think there needs to be way more deliberation on this,” he said. “The biggest problem has been the rate at which this has been pushed through.”
Council last week reviewed the preliminary concept for the park, following the public input process.
The plan includes a perimeter reforestation area with a walkway, a community plaza, and about 300 trees retained around the baseball diamonds on the south side of the park.
As well, the city will replace the trees that were taken down with new ones on a two-to-one basis.
City manager Donny van Dyk said consultation will continue with the reforestation plan.
“We share the passion and concerns of those residents, which is why we will have a detailed reforestation plan as part of this project,” he said. “Definitely the engagement is working and it is creating a better project for us.”
Most of the 166 trees being removed would have to be taken down anyway because of poor health, he added.
The commitment is to ensure there’s a “tremendous green space” when the park is done, van Dyk added.
He added that there has been a “robust engagement process” and the city is trying to design a better project based on the feedback.
Van Dyk said there’s no delay anticipated and that tree cutting will begin in a few days, “and the project will proceed on schedule.”
Completion for the project, which includes four baseball diamonds, a fitness centre and a 10-lane, 25-metre lap pool, four-lane teach pool, hot tub, cold-plunge pool and sauna is expected by late 2027.
