There's change occurring all around, but it's still the same old look at Ladner Harbour.
Still awaiting a provincial determination on long-term water lot leases, Delta has no redevelopment on the books for the waterfront and it appears nothing will be done there anytime soon.
"The port used to be the ones in charge of it (water lot leases) even though it was under the purview of the province, but then they got out of that business. Now it's solely the province's jurisdiction and we have to negotiate getting something done with them, but it's just like watching molasses in 20-below, it is so slow and they keep telling us, 'Oh well, next year,'" said Mayor Lois Lois Jackson.
"I have no idea why it's taking these lawyers so long to get this completed. We've been on this for the last two or three years. We try to be very patient but this seems to be an inordinate amount of time that it's taking, so we've got to try to press a little harder."
Port Metro Vancouver had been managing provincially-owned water lots for the government, subleasing and regulating activities, but the port pulled out when its agreement with Victoria expired at the end of 2014. The province has taken over managing the foreshores, but hasn't offered current or prospective leaseholders, including many float home owners or businesses, long-term tenure, which means the Deltaowned Seven Seas site, which was put up for sale, isn't a particularly attractive place to make a big investment.
In an interview last fall, Sean McGill, Delta's director of human resources and corporate planning, said the Forest, Lands and Natural Resources Ministry is now in charge of the water lots and it was in consultation with First Nations. He noted the province was only willing to offer two-year leases, but investors won't be interested in redevelopment unless guaranteed longer term deals, which is making any kind of economic development difficult.
Jackson said nothing has changed and they're still waiting.
Delta's multi-million dollar revitalization and beautification project for the village core, scheduled for completion this fall, is expected to help attract visitors and stimulate new business, but the Seven Seas property and the adjacent Chisholm Street parcel formerly occupied by the Brackman-Ker warehouse are seen as a catalyst for major redevelopment and revitalization at the waterfront.
However, they remain empty.
Until the lease issue is resolved, it doesn't look like much will happen when it comes to the redevelopment of the waterfront strip, a key part of the South Delta Business Sustainability Strategy. The strategy is aimed at providing incentives to redevelop and revitalize parts of the community to help businesses adjust to life alongside mega malls that will open this October at the Tsawwassen First Nation.
"I would love to see it go back to the flavour of a village atmosphere. Anything that we build there, and I've been saying this to the planners in particular, anything that is being built, renovated or changed in Ladner Village should look like a village. That's what we're trying to do, is create that tourist factor, that cute little old-fashioned façade that attracts people," said Jackson. "It could be one of our best shots at getting people to come into Ladner to shop... obviously we're a long way from there but that's what I'd like to see."
Delta has already approved a new waterfront mixed-use zone for the municipal-owned parcels that would permit a wide range of uses.
Delta will send a delegation to Victoria this fall for a meeting on the water lot issue.
