Dear Editor:
West Vancouver has always had a long tradition of consultation and public engagement before municipal council decisions are made. This is now under threat from our current mayor and council.
Three recent examples:
1. The purchase of the Boathouse site at Horseshoe Bay for a proposed arts facility. Decades of studies have been done by district staff, working groups and others on where a facility should be located. The goal always was to build in the central part of the community where it would be accessible and to provide a draw for businesses in the area. The public has always been consulted as the various plans have been reviewed. Now an offer has been accepted with no public input on a site in Horseshoe Bay in the far western part of the community.
2. The sudden change at Navvy Jack House from a community-led restoration to a commercial enterprise. This ignores 50 years of commitment to the community that the Argyle properties would be for public not commercial use when they were acquired. A private deal was made here to permit a restaurant on an expanded site. There was no meeting seeking public comments or explaining why this change was in the public interest. No report from staff advising if this location is the right site when parking, traffic, noise and other issues are considered.
3. The sale of waterfront parkland at 30th Street. When a lot at this location was considered for sale, a separate lot to protect the existing public path to the west was also created. An offer was then accepted in private to include this path in the sale of the building lot advertised. No public process was followed to explain why this was an acceptable change or to provide opportunities for other buyers to bid on the new proposal.
West Vancouver residents are having to deal with municipal tax increases well above inflation, unfair property tax surcharges on school tax mandated by the province, and absurd bills from Metro Vancouver to pay for their mistakes. All this in an uncertain current economic environment with a lack of trust in leadership at so many levels.
The least our residents should expect is to have input into the decisions that are made affecting their homes and community by our mayor and council.
Michael Smith
West Vancouver
Michael Smith served as mayor of West Vancouver from 2011 to 2018.
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