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Opinion: No Ladner Village renewal without buy-in

It’s darn near impossible to turn your vision into reality without some help. I offer that stunningly obvious pearl of wisdom because it most definitely applies to the way we plan and develop our communities.
ladner
The Ladner waterfront could be a major draw but languishes largely out of sight.

It’s darn near impossible to turn your vision into reality without some help. I offer that stunningly obvious pearl of wisdom because it most definitely applies to the way we plan and develop our communities.

City hall, with the help of the public, regularly devises plans and policies so our communities will look a certain way, one that’s in keeping with the sensibilities of those who live here. This is all done with the best of intentions but that vision doesn’t come to fruition without buy-in from the private sector.

It’s the developers who take what’s in these documents and bring them to life -- or at least that’s what’s supposed to happen.

When the Tsawwassen Area Plan was reviewed earlier this decade land owners in the town core were asked why, after 20 years, had so little of what was envisioned in the plan been realized? The answer was pretty simple: it didn’t make fiscal sense. It’s a refrain being heard with greater frequency these days, most recently from architects speaking to the Ladner Village renewal advisory committee late last month. They had a similar message: Developers aren’t going to build what’s in any plan if it’s not financially viable.

This disconnect is creating a bit of a conundrum in our commercial cores. We don’t want to compromise the quaintness and small town feel, but without some kind of infusion their vibrancy, even their viability, comes into question.

The Ladner waterfront is largely an afterthought, partly due to short-term water lot leases, but more so because what’s permitted to be built isn’t economically viable. As a result, what could be a major draw languishes largely out of sight.

To be fair to those at city hall, the regulations in place are there because that’s what the public has said it wants, but I have to wonder if this attempt at Ladner Village renewal will test the time-honoured tradition of the most vocal getting the biggest say. Will potential resident pushback quash redevelopment efforts considered too dense for the village vibe or will civic politicians stand up and declare that without such activity the desired renewal will never happen?

Land owners and those in the development industry have made it clear what’s needed for them to come to the table.