West Cambie Area Plan: 1.0: Plan overview: 1.4 Goals: 6. "Promote and support opportunities for city parks, open space, natural areas, recreation, environmental protection and heritage preservation..."
If there's a sub section of the WCAP that local resident and environmentalist Michael Wolfe feels has been ridden roughshod by the Smartcentres' proposal, it's this one.
The shopping centre proposal negatively affects around 1.5 acres of land designated as being environmentally sensitive and, as recompense, the developer has dedicated park space on site and put up $240,000 towards extending a nearby ecological area of West Cambie Park.
It's not nearly enough to sway Wolfe. "I think you can safely say this (goal) has been overlooked," he said.
"The developer has been allowed so many last-minute adjustments each time that we've been left with virtually nothing of any (environmental) value.
"What has been protected by this proposal in terms of the heritage?"
From a "green" angle, Wolfe contends that having a shopping centre in the Alexandra area would prevent the thousands of residents already living there from having to drive long distances to get what they need. "Do we need big box stores in there, though?" he questioned.
"Something like what they have out at Terra Nova is all that's needed; something that's not meant to attract people in from other neighbourhoods and cities.
"This proposal has enjoyed exemption after exemption that it now goes against so many of the city's principals."
