Residents in False Creek area are concerned about views, safety and late parties
David Carrigg
Province
The controversial development of a marina in Vancouver’s False Creek got the go-ahead last night despite a last-ditch protest by some residents living nearby.
Norton Youngs, who has lived aboard a boat in a co-op in the creek for the past 30 years, said the amount of boat traffic in the small body of water has increased dramatically over the years.
“There’s 1,200 boats coming and going on a busy day,” Youngs told the City of Vancouver’s development permit board.
Youngs said wayward barges and log booms have caused potentially deadly situations over the past few years in False Creek.
Concord Pacific has planned a marina in front of its Beach Neighbourhood development on the north shore of False Creek since 2001.
Despite city council permission for a 22-berth facility, the developer has been battling residents concerned with water safety, views being blocked by 30-metre monster boats and fear of all-night parties aboard the boats.
Last night was the residents’ last effort to get the development permit board to reject the application on the basis it didn’t meet zoning requirements for the area.
Arn Coleman told the board council’s decision to allow the marina “didn’t value False Creek” and that navigation and boat safety issues hadn’t been addressed.
David Negrin, Concord’s senior vice-president of development, said the biggest danger posed in False Creek is by squatters who often moor in the creek’s small navigation lane.
“We get this all the time. There’s 16 people here [at the meeting] and thousands living in our developments,” he said.
Negrin said it will likely cost $100,000 to buy a 30-metre berth.
Senior city planner Larry Beasley and other board members ultimately approved the marina, subject to several conditions.
© The Vancouver Province 2006
