Point Grey residents want peaceful RV parks
Residents of northwest Point Grey are again seeking assurances that their affluent neighbourhood will not be disrupted by the presence of hundreds of tourists who will come by RV during the Olympics.
Visitors are already reserving spaces in the RV parks that will be set up at Jericho Beach and Spanish Banks between February 10 and March 2, 2010.
Phyllis Tyers, president of the North West Point Grey Home Owners’ Association, told the Straight by phone that locals are concerned about a number of issues including noise, air pollution, increased traffic, and public disorder.
“It might attract criminal elements. I mean, who knows?” Tyers said. “It’s just an unknown whether they’ll be down there.”
Citing the need for new streams of revenue because of budget cuts, the Vancouver park board approved in July a staff recommendation to set up the RV parks, a move, which Tyers maintained, was made without prior consultation with residents.
Based on staff projections, the park board will generate $725,000 if 365 RV spaces are rented throughout the three-week period at a rate of $95 plus tax per night. According to staff estimates, a 38-percent occupancy level will mean the park board breaks even.
The board has awarded a $134,832 contract to Duckworth Management Group Ltd. to operate the campsites.
“There’s still space available,” company owner Stan Duckworth told the Straight by phone when asked about reservations.
Duckworth said his firm is getting a lot of phone calls, but he wouldn’t divulge the number of reservations.
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Comments
That's why it's best to always assume the worst and get your back up, and be as judgmental as possible, even when acknowledging that the situation is an unknown. Same deal with resisting the development of any and all forms of housing denser than a single family house - I mean, who knows what kind of criminal elements might buy a condo, rent an apartment, or live in a laneway house. It's just an unknown.
For the record, Phyllis, it seems as though Point Grey's parks (Pacific Spirit, Old Hastings Mill) are already plenty dangerous even before the RV park has gone in. Heck, they might even be safer with a few more people around, especially at night. But yes, those people might all be 'criminal elements' - it's just an unknown.
The whole deal with a 38% occupancy to break even by the city parks board just smells funny to me.
So while its owner Mr. Stan Duckworth is obviously a legitimate business man deaply involved in Langley Tourism, it would be interesting to know how exactly this deal came together.