Willingdon South’s potential as a new library site is a reason for voter apathy, according to a Powell River citizen.
Paul McMahon, appearing as a delegate before City of Powell River’s committee of the whole on Thursday, July 3, said: “‘You can’t fight city hall’ best expresses the major reason for voter apathy.”
McMahon, reading from a letter he had sent to the city, said the Willingdon South site was gifted as parkland to the citizens of Powell River, not to the civic government.
“The current council will effectively expropriate, for public development, non-renewable waterfront parkland gifted to the citizens of Powell River,” he said. “The action taken by the current council is indefensible in view of the two major reports of overwhelming opposition to the Willingdon site.”
This is a straightforward issue without the technical complexities of the wastewater treatment issue, according to McMahon. There were 18 sites initially considered for a new library and three prospects were given to council, he added.
“Council chose to expropriate the parkland gifted to the citizens of Powell River,” he said. “After numerous letters, delegations, petitions and third-party professional surveys, council continues to ignore significant public input.”
At the city’s library open house in June, when comparing the Willingdon South property to the Powell River Recreation Complex renovation option, McMahon said it is not surprising that 204 of 341 in attendance favoured Willingdon South.
However, the Willingdon Watch group, which opposes development at the site, has its core supporters as well, McMahon said. The significant difference is the volume of public supporters behind the Willingdon Watch group, which has a 5,000-name petition to maintain the Willingdon site as parkland.
“Are we surprised at the voter apathy?” he asked. “How in this case can the majority influence council? Can the citizens of Powell River fight city hall?”
McMahon said if council goes ahead with a library referendum, it should ask “straight-up fair questions, or a set of questions.”
He suggested any referendum contain queries about whether citizens want a new library at the Willingdon site, if they want a new library, and would they support a maximum of $3.5 million of tax dollars to be spent on construction.
Mayor Dave Formosa said he took offence to McMahon’s letter.
He said 46 years ago he played hockey in the [Willingdon] Civic Arena that was built on that property. Calling that portion of the property as parkland is insinuating that it is park area similar to Willingdon Beach, he said.
“To the best of my knowledge, that land was given to the city, to the people of Powell River, to build an arena on,” Formosa said. “I played hockey there. Many of us went to the Powell River Exhibition there and enjoyed it until the building was taken down.
“I just want to let you know there was a big arena there and I’m sure you are aware.”
Formosa said he was bothered by McMahon’s statement that council had found a loophole to circumvent the restrictive covenant.
“I have not sat down with anyone from this council to figure out a loophole for a library I have always said we cannot afford,” Formosa said. “I have never once, in six years, met with my council looking for a loophole.
“Another point—that council chose to expropriate parkland gifted to the citizens of Powell River—excuse me, I don’t understand that,” he said. “I’ve been part of one expropriation and this wasn’t it.”
Formosa said council was now looking at some other options for siting a library in two potential unoccupied commercial locations.
Councillor Maggie Hathaway said the Local Government Act, particularly Section 165, lays out the difficulty of wording a referendum question similar to what McMahon was proposing. There are rules around it and McMahon’s proposal wouldn’t work, she said.
Councillor Chris McNaughton asked McMahon what he thought council had done to break the trust.
McMahon said the public has stated in volumes that it does not want development of a public or private nature at the Willingdon site. He wondered why Willingdon hasn’t been taken off the table, whether or not there was an arena on that site.
“The public has spoken and that is the gist of this presentation,” he said. “There are two major reports that say no public or private development at the Willingdon site. What should we do to get council’s attention?”
