Save Nelson Park!

salrobinson6

47 minutes ago

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TEAM supports local residents fighting West End substation project

VANCOUVER, Oct. 15 – TEAM for a Livable Vancouver is pledging its support for West End residents fighting BC Hydro’s controversial proposal to build a substation in Nelson Park.

A TEAM majority City Council will rescind the Park Board's authorization of land use agreements that would allow Hydro to go ahead with the $1 billion project.

“The West End is already one of Vancouver’s most densely populated neighbourhoods, and its residents have limited park space within the area,” said TEAM mayoral candidate Colleen Hardwick. “People are understandably angry that the proposed project is threatening one of the neighbourhood’s most important public spaces. TEAM will protect Nelson Park.”

A TEAM-majority City Council will take the following steps to preserve the park:

Rescind the real estate rights-of-way and land use permissions granted to BC Hydro
Prevent the scheduled five years of construction, excavation, and heavy machinery placement inside Nelson Park
Prevent the slated removal of up to 83 mature trees and the disruption of local community gardens
Establish a strict policy rule against sacrificing existing public parkland for industrial or corporate infrastructure developments
Work with BC Hydro to examine alternative locations that could meet the West End's electricity requirements without sacrificing existing parkland or displacing residents.

“We recognize that the West End needs reliable electricity infrastructure, but protecting our parks must also be a priority,” added Hardwick. “A TEAM City Council will work with BC Hydro to find a solution that meets the neighbourhood’s electricity needs while respecting the people who live here.”

In July, the Vancouver Park Board approved amendments to BC Hydro's existing agreements permitting additional infrastructure and construction activity within Nelson Park. At the same meeting, commissioners directed staff to explore the possibility of routing part of the transmission infrastructure along Nelson Street.

TEAM believes this alternative deserves careful technical assessment before further irreversible changes are made to the park.

Saving Nelson Park has become an important issue in the current civic election campaign. TEAM supports local residents seeking to preserve the park and believes decisions affecting public green space must reflect meaningful community consultation.