Dear Editor,
Re: “Steveston High site rushed through: neighbours,” News, Dec. 19.
We should remember that Polygon Homes has a business mandate to build homes which are targeted at a demographic who they feel will invest in their product and still remain profitable.
They ran open houses where they presented their view of what they thought the development would look like and asked for the community’s thoughts to validate aspects of their design. They did this three times. Each iteration incorporated changes requested by the neighbourhood within reason and also within the purview of City building/planning regulations.
Polygon Homes brought this property from SD38 after the sale was approved by the BC Minister of Education. This property belongs to the school district and not the City of Richmond and in the application to the Minister the proceeds of the sale were destined for acquisition of a future school site in city Centre. SD38 and the city operates autonomously in such matters and will cooperate on land swaps where there is need and benefit to both parties and the taxpayer.
I have attended the three open houses and have engaged their representatives and those from the city in discussions based on how I saw the development being constructed and designed. Both groups were enthusiastic and upfront with their answers.
I have lived in the neighbourhood for 28 years and it is only in the last two to three years I have started to see a reawakening in the neighbouring subdivisions with new construction. Maybe it is time to see the rebirth of the old Steveston school grounds and the rededication of the fields to a passive park for users young and old.
I have no relation or connection to Polygon.
Kai Y. Tham
Richmond
