emails to Councillors Bestwick, Kipp re #Nanaimo waterfront hotel public hearing

Subject: Fwd: Georgia Park
Date: September 4, 2014 at 1:45:33 PM PDT

To: Jim Kipp  jim.kipp@nanaimo.ca

Hi Jim, forwarding to you this this note to Bill Bestwick. I can tell you that from my chats with people at the park each morning over the last couple of weeks there is very broad opposition to the loss of control of this precious parkland, essentially its privatization. This is hitting a nerve very much like the one that inflamed the Harewood neighbourhood over the Colliery Dam Park crisis.

There may be a win / win scenario achievable here, but clearly, this isn’t it. I hope you’ll vote to send this back to the drawing board.

Frank Murphy

Subject: Georgia Park
Date: September 4, 2014 at 1:31:09 PM PDT

To: Bill Bestwick  bill.bestwick@nanaimo.ca

Hi Bill, I was sorry to hear you won’t be running for Mayor but glad to hear you will run again for a Council seat.

I was particularly impressed with how you were able to offer level-headed leadership throughout the Colliery Dam Park crisis. Two things you said, after Council had no other choice but to reverse course, stood out for me: “Nanaimo, I’m glad to see you still have it in you.” and I paraphrase — you said that if you had to choose between this park and its lakes and a beloved hockey rink, you would not hesitate to choose saving the park.

And speaking of hockey, consider the “suicide pass”. A teammate gets out of trouble passing the puck to another teammate who is not in a position to do anything productive with it, but will loose possession and get knocked flying in the process. Strikes me that is what Staff has passed to Council by recommending that sections of Georgia Park on our waterfront be leased out to a hotel development.

My morning walk takes me along our fine harbour-front promenades and I’ve had the chance to talk to strollers and people enjoying the park each day. The thought of loosing control of this precious parkland is truly abhorrent to people. The recommendation should be withdrawn and the huge height and building massing increases in front of Council this evening should be rejected until the other elements presented to Council on August 11 as interconnected: the leasing out of parkland, the sale of the City owned lane-way property are resolved. 

Georgia Park needs, as it has for a number of years now, a redesign, a revitalization. I believe talented landscape architects and park designers can redesign the park in a way that first and foremost enhances this area for the greater community in a way that co-operatively and collaboratively meets as many of the hotel’s needs as possible. Without hearing from these experts, this should not proceed. An open design competition should be the first step. From there Council and Nanaimo-ites can decide if there is a win/win fit with what the developer has in mind.

This project raises a number of issues and questions. I’ve submitted my concerns in writing and will speak at the public hearing this evening. This post includes my comments and a sample of opposition to this I’m seeing on twitter —

http://nanaimocommons.blogspot.ca/2014/08/nanaimo-waterfront-hotel-proposal-lets.html

Are you concerned that Insight doesn’t see this as a long-term business investment? That they plan to turn it over to a strata corporation made up no doubt of mom and pop investors and withdraw from this as soon as they can I think should be of concern.

Have you been able to see, has the City been able to have independently reviewed a contract with the Hilton Corporation and how that contract is transferred to the new strata corporation?

Are you concerned that if the rezoning application is approved, we have lost our leverage at the table to negotiate any other outstanding issues?

Let’s send this back to the drawing board.

Frank Murphy