Providing shelter
3
Church to open doors in extreme weather
Generosity recognized Barber and Hodgins up for philanthropy awards
5
Wonder years Healthwise takes look at teenagers
19-21
Optimist Delta
What a debut
Halloween Patrol
YOUR SOURCE FOR LOCAL SPORTS, NEWS, WEATHER AND ENTERTAINMENT! WWW.DELTA-OPTIMIST.COM The Voice of Delta since 1922 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2010
Newsstand 50¢
24
Tsawwassen runner wins Okanagan Marathon
See Page 3
Halloween brings out all kinds to Ladner’s Family Fright Fest PHOTOS BY
CHUNG CHOW
The annual Family Fright Fest in Ladner turned the area around the McKee Seniors’ Recreation Centre into a spooky place Thursday night. Nine-year-old Gloria Turbitt (left) came out to play as the Corpse’s Bride, while eight-year-old Liette Desnoyers had a bit of trouble with the popcorn thanks to some dental issues. For more photos see Page 18 and visit www.delta-optimist.com.
Area plan is too hot to handle
Negative feedback at public hearing forces council to abandon document almost two years in the making SANDOR GYARMATI
After a long and sometimes controversial process stretching almost two years, Delta council has abandoned the proposed Tsawwassen Area Plan. At a public hearing that stretched into a third day at the South Delta Recreation Centre Thursday, Mayor Lois Jackson announced the bylaw would be abandoned. The move came after council considered the comments by concerned residents in single-
family neighbourhoods just north of the town centre, who expressed strong opposition to redesignating the area to higher density. Saying it’s never been council’s intention to impose a plan without the public’s consent, the mayor said a report would be prepared reflecting the comments and remarks received during the threeday hearing. Noting the bylaw would have been scrapped anyways if major revisions were made, Delta CAO George Harvie told the Optimist his report would come next year
followed by a new bylaw for consideration. On Wednesday, the second day of a hearing, an audience of several hundred was informed that council would direct staff to take no action on the plan for the time being. That was due to the overwhelming negative reaction on the first
day of the hearing Tuesday, when almost all speakers expressed strong opposition to a proposal to designate their neighbourhoods, as well as the power lines corridor, for future townhouse development. An analysis looking at options to maintain the economic viability of the Tsawwassen town centre, taking into consideration potential commercial developments at the Tsawwassen First Nation, will be undertaken. As well, Delta is to look at the need for amending the Official
25
Community Plan and impacting existing neighbourhoods to provide additional housing options in Tsawwassen after considering of the legalization of secondary suites, the development of Tsawwassen Springs and the residential build-out of Tsawwassen First Nation. Harvie said that analysis would be part of his report in 2011. The future of the Southlands had been the hot topic on the Tsawwassen Area Plan See AREA PLAN page 3
FAMILY BUNDLE $ TWO 12" 3-FAVOURITE TOPPING MEDIUM PIZZAS, FOUR TORIZONÉ BREADSTICKS + ONE CAESAR SALAD
4815 Delta Street LADNER
10303063
BY
sgyarmati@delta-optimist.com