PDF Version (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)For Immediate Release
November 24, 2004UBC Drops Height of One Tower, But Other Towers Will Still Be Visible from Beach
BURNABY, B.C. -- At the GVRD/UBC Joint Committee meeting on Monday evening (November 22, 2004), UBC announced plans to drop the height of one of the four proposed high-rise towers it plans to build adjacent to Pacific Spirit Regional Park. However, its revised plan continues to include three twenty-storey towers that, if built, would still be visible from Wreck Beach. One of these towers has already received permits, and there are no plans to lower its height to respect the adjacent Park. It is under rapid construction and with the addition of another couple of storeys, will likely be visible from the beach.
When determining tower visibility from the beach, the low water mark should be used, as suggested by the GVRD Board's first resolution -- not the high water mark as used by UBC in determining the towers' visibility.
"Only a fool would define the beach as being limited to the narrow stretch of sand that remains at high water, an area completely enveloped in a canopy of shrubbery" said Don Rosenbloom, representing the Pacific Spirit Park Society (PSPS) in a presentation to the GVRD/UBC Joint Committee following UBC's announcement.
"Common sense tells us that the beach is the tidal zone, extending to the low water mark, and indeed includes the water within the vicinity of the beach where people swim. I dare say that the narrow strip of sand above high water mark is but a fraction of the beach and its amenities. To suggest otherwise is, I suggest, to intentionally mislead," Mr. Rosenbloom continued.
The GVRD has echoed the concerns of the public about the impact on the pristine, natural views of the cliffs from the beach, on the privacy of beach visitors, and on cliff stability and erosion. On October 29, 2004, the GVRD passed three resolutions regarding the development. The first expressed opposition to any development that compromises the historical viewscape and the privacy of Wreck Beach from all areas of exposed beach at low tide. The second advocated that UBC release its background reports to the public, and the third requiring UBC to conduct a full public review, including consultation with the Musqueam, regarding the impact of the development on Pacific Spirit Regional Park. Yet Mr. Pavlich, Vice President of External and Legal Affairs at UBC, insisted at Monday night's Joint Committee meeting that UBC would not conduct a full public review, rather just "informational sessions".
Many people continue to have serious concerns that the new design may continue to not achieve compliance with the Official Community Plan (the "OCP") for the area. Members of the Joint Committee, including GVRD Director Raymond Louie, expressed concern at the meeting that the revised design ignores the intent of the GVRD Board's resolutions, to protect Wreck Beach's natural views. The Joint Committee, at a request from Louie, directed GVRD and UBC staff to report on whether the new design complies with the OCP.
Yesterday, UBC announced in a press release that it has now released its environmental and geotechnical studies to the public. Neither the Wreck Beach Preservation Society nor the Pacific Spirit Park Society had received the information at the time of issue. Both Societies look forward to passing them along to independent scientific experts, to analyze carefully the methodology used and conclusions reached by UBC's paid consultants.
Wreck Beach is part of Pacific Spirit Regional Park, which is protected from development impacts by its Regional Park Management Plan and by the Official Community Plan (OCP), a bylaw of the GVRD.
PSPS's submission to the GVRD/UBC Joint Committee can be found at http://www.wreckbeach.org/towers/psps_nov_22_2004_submission.pdf . Information about the WBPS's 21,000-signature petition and letter-writing campaign opposing the towers can be found at http://www.wreckbeach.org/.
-30- For more information, please contact:
Judy Williams, Chair of the Wreck Beach Preservation Society at 604-308-6336
James Loewen, Vice-Chair of the Wreck Beach Preservation Society at 604-689-9697
Lara Tessaro, Legal Counsel to the Wreck Beach Preservation Society, at 604-688-6881 or 604-873-1178
Ed Chessor, Chair of the Pacific Spirit Park Society at 604 822-9707 or 604-813-9707