Prince George city council can, on February 24, amend the Official Community Plan to more formally protect Ginter’s Green and other important green space areas. Local advocacy group Ginter’s Green Forever is calling on city councillors to propose amendments to more officially recognize this important park.
“While we are thrilled that all road extensions (Foothills and Massey) have been removed from the OCP road network plan, much work remains,” said Jenn Matthews, one of the grassroots organizers with Ginter’s Green Forever. “The area through the meadow is still zoned for a road to run from Massey to Ferry. This is important, since at the last council meeting city staff commented that road plans that are not in this OCP could still be in the long term plan if growth gets to the right point (this comment was made with respect to a third bridge across the Fraser).”
There is also the need to officially recognize Ginter’s Green as a park, she said. Much of it currently is not. In 2022 city staff assured the public Ginter’s Green would be considered in this process. Despite this, it is not mentioned in the OCP document itself, she added.
“There is no indication in the OCP that there will be future plans to zone the area as P1 Park (the strongest park protection the city zoning offers).” said Selene Maxwell from Ginter’s Green Forever. “This is a key ask from Ginter’s Green: whatever land possible should be zoned P1 and that the future land use schedule in the OCP plans for as much of that area as possible to be park, rather than zoned for road and rural resource. “
Finally there is the amount of urban sprawl scheduled for the escarpment in general is concerning for the group.
“Urban sprawl is the number one way to raise our taxes and threaten green space,” said James Steidle, Ginter’s Green Forever organizer. “The whole escarpment and a huge amount of area east of Tyner, including the University Endowment lands which run all the way to Shane lake, are included in the Urban Containment Boundary, which defines where the city will prompt growth and sprawl. Almost all of this area is set for low density single family houses, and I’m not sure taxpaying residents want to pay for that AND lose the amazing trails behind UNBC.”
Second reading of the OCP bylaw will take place at the February 24 council meeting, 6 p.m. at City Hall. People can email their feedback to mayorandcouncil@princegeorge.ca. There will be a public hearing at third reading in March.