What brings people in a community together? Big sporting events like the Olympics or the infrequent Canucks' playoff run get people excited. Sometimes it's helping others dealing with an emergency, like a flood or a fire.
But more often than not, it's controversy that draws a crowd. We tend to be somewhat complacent until we are backed into a corner.
And here in Delta, we've been in a lot of corners over the past few years.
This was on my mind as I walked through the South Delta Recreation Centre last Thursday, looking at the latest iteration of the Southlands plans. As I looked over the boards, I thought about the numerous meetings, presentations, discussions and workshops that have been conducted on this proposal.
Then I thought about other proposals like Marina Garden Estates, recent discussions about the Ladner waterfront and the MK Delta Lands development. Each one of these proposals has triggered a significant, vocal response from the community. And it's no wonder.
As someone I know said recently, in Delta, things happen to us: the power lines, the SFPR, port expansion. It seems, for the good of province and country, Delta must do its part, no matter how we feel about it. We have one thing that everyone else wants - land.
Open spaces. And we seem quite fond of how it looks just the way it is.
So when we have a chance to actually have local control over an issue, I'm not surprised we put up a fight. It's been welling up in us for so long, we need an avenue to let it out. It seems the target for this build-up of emotion is our municipal council.
To say they have a lot to deal with is an understatement. Four major development proposals are underway throughout Delta, each one deserving of council's focused attention. Each proposal comes with a large contingent of residents who have questions, concerns and opinions that need to be considered. Not only is it a lot of work, it's a lot of responsibility, and has the potential to dramatically change our neighbourhoods in the years ahead.
If we feel we have to stop things from happening to us, we have to be careful not to stop things that happen for us. Sometimes there are good reasons for decisions being made, even if it doesn't appear that way initially. Every project comes with costs to the community, but should come with benefits as well.
We have the right to oppose those projects we feel are detrimental to our neighbourhoods. We have the right for our opinions and concerns to be heard. We also have an obligation to understand the facts in our discussions, and remember that, in the heat of the debate, we all have a shared interest in a positive outcome.
In the end, our council must carefully weigh all the facts and decide what is in the best interest of the community, and nothing else. And we as citizens must continue to make sure they know what we consider our community's best interest to be, more than just "no."
Ironically, the development proposals we face have brought us together.
Let's hope the decisions do as well.
