Fraserlands residents noticed red metal posts sticking out of a well-used grass field, located south of East Kent Avenue and west of Kerr Street, a few months ago.
After weeks of investigation, they discovered the posts are for soil testing, and the land might be used to build a 69-seat daycare.
Rob Howatson, who’s lived in Fraserlands since 2004, and in southeast Vancouver his entire life, was surprised to discover the neighbourhood might lose such a large chunk of much-needed green space that’s been a popular recreation area for more than two decades.
While the field was zoned for a school annex and daycare in 1989, few realized that because it’s seamlessly attached to the 3.5-acre Riverfront Park.
“To onlookers, for the past 20 years, [the field] appeared to be a park. And a lot of people, including myself, got a rude shock when we realized that according to the city it’s not a park,” he said.
The field is the only large, flat expanse of grass in the entire riverside area, according to Howatson, who said to reach the next closest comparable space, one has to cross Marine Drive and climb the steep slope to Bobolink or Champlain parks.
Riverfront Park, meanwhile, doesn’t offer the same expanse of space.
“Riverfront Park, for most of its area, is essentially a walking path. It goes along the river. There’s a small picnic area further down river that is part of Riverfront Park, but that is a crowded picnic area on the weekend in the summertime,” he said. “It’s definitely not a place where you can go and do any activity like fly a kite, toss a ball or play croquet — or anything like that. The grass field is the only large grass field in our community.”
Howatson doesn’t understand why the city can’t find a suitable site for the daycare where it was originally meant to be located: within the 126 acres of River District, which was formerly known as East Fraser Lands — an area south of Marine Way between Kerr Street and Boundary Road.
The East Fraser Lands Official Development Plan identifies four sites for future childcare centres within those boundaries, but one of the sites, located just east of Kerr Street, is no longer considered ideal, according to the city.
It’s “too constrained,” it’s located on a slope and it’s too close to Marine Way, which would “impact the quality and experience of potential outdoor play space.”
That’s why the city is considering the alternate site west of Kerr Street where the field is located, explained Susan Haid, assistant director of planning for Vancouver South.
An amendment that would allow that to happen is among several proposed amendments to the East Fraser Lands ODP that the city is consulting the public about.
A childcare facility would occupy about half of the one-acre field in question, while the rest would remain temporary open space until a school annex is built. (Space for a kindergarten to Grade 7 school is planned for the River District, which would likely be built before the annex.)
“There isn’t an application to build [the childcare facility] right now. It’s an amendment to the plan to enable it in the future,” Haid said.
The ODP was adopted 10 years ago, in 2006, she said, and since then provincial guidelines for childcare facilities have evolved.
“The West Fraser Land site, we feel, would be more developable. It would probably allow for a reduction in construction costs and the childcare could be developed there as a one-storey, wood-frame structure,” she added. “So again, having that play space right at grade and just [having] a flatter site to develop childcare are among the reasons we feel it’s more appropriate.”
Consultation was held in the fall — at which time Haid said the city heard support for the childcare site amendment, but Howatson said it wasn’t clear from the invitation that land outside River District was being discussed, so many residents didn’t attend.
The city has now scheduled another open house about all the proposed ODP amendments from 5 to 8 p.m. at the River District Experience Centre on May 4.
Haid said all the feedback will be considered. Staff anticipate reporting to council later this spring on the proposed amendments. If council decides to proceed, a public hearing would be scheduled.
@naoibh
