COLD LAKE - Residents of a Cold Lake neighbourhood are appealing to City council to develop a usable green space for their community. The request comes on the heels of a rezoning decision in September that saw four residential (single-detached) lots in the area rezoned to medium density residential, clearing the way for a multiplex development despite objections from residents.
During the public hearing for the rezoning Sept. 12, residents argued multi-family units were not a good fit for the community and that there were better uses for the privately-owned land located on 14th Ave. between 15th and 16th St.
Last Tuesday, residents were back in council chambers with a petition in hand calling for playgrounds not four-plexes in their neighbourhood and asking council to reconsider its decision. Encompassing an area extending from 16th St. and 16th Ave. and 12 St. and 12th Ave., the delegation asked council to instead consider purchasing the lots and creating a park area for the community.
When the neighbourhood was first developed, plans included a “significant green space,” according to Vanessa Shaver who, together with Thomas Fedoruk represented residents’ concerns. According to Shaver, the designated green space area was later rezoned for storm water management and, as such, was never upgraded for residents’ use.
“I know that I am not alone in my opinion that this is not the usable green space that our community deserves,” Shaver said, showing council pictures of the over-grown area that was supposed to be the neighbourhood’s green space and comparing it to other parks and playgrounds in the city.
She said children in the neighbourhood “face a substantial walk or bike ride navigating multiple roads and intersections just to access a usable green space . . . This again is not acceptable nor safe for the young people in our community that just want to head to the park to play with their friends.”
It’s a key reason members of the community spoke against rezoning of the four lots, believing there were better uses for that land.
“This is the largest piece of land left available in our community and that is why we are fighting so hard for it,” Shaver said. “We understand that asking council to purchase or consider purchasing lots intended for residential development to create a green space may seem very unconventional, but this is an unconventional situation.”
Shaver said the unique situation calls for innovative solutions. The land represents one of the last opportunities to create a usable safe and accessible green space in the community.
Fedoruk expressed the view that he felt council has pushed through the rezoning of the lots without taking residents’ concerns into consideration.
“We are here today to try to keep the city accountable to our community and keep multifamily dwellings out of our neighbourhood.”
Following their presentation, Mayor Craig Copeland said the privately-owned lots had been for sale for some time with the sale of the property to a developer likely hinging on rezoning the land.
“It’s going to be very, very difficult to get in front of that bus,” Copeland said, adding council “won’t interfere with residential development.”
Instead, Copeland turned the attention back to the area suggested the City could “have a hard look at the property” originally intended as green space to see what can be done there to meet the needs of the community, while still serving as a storm water management area.
“Has anyone approached the city to see if anyone can put playgrounds in that green space,” he asked.
Copeland said that while he recognized the area presents some challenges and has been neglected, he also thought it may also offer some solutions.
“Let’s look at that whole property and see what we can do.”
