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Candidate: Vicki Huntington Answers:
- The Sunbury Neighbourhood Association provided Delta Council
with an excellent briefing on the issues facing the Sunbury/Annieville
neighbourhoods. It is clear that River Road traffic and the
eventual route of the SFPR is of the utmost immediate importance:
however, the development of the Delsom Estates land; the outcome of
the Burns Bog management plan; and the manner in which the
socio-economic impacts of the SFPR are mitigated are also of
critical importance to the community. Preserving the quality of
life of Sunbury/Annieville will be among the greatest challenges
facing the people of Delta in the coming months and years.
Addressing these
issues is always the more complicated side of the question. I have
spoken publicly of my support for the Hoover/Nass proposal, which
includes a tunnel under North Delta. I have asked the question on every
occasion Council has met with Gateway: why will you not seriously
consider a tunnel? I have stated unequivocally that the access to the
SFPR along the River Road corridor must satisfy the people who are
affected by the North Delta section of the new highway: nothing else is
acceptable.
The Delsom Estates
project very quickly went off the rails and I did not support it going
even to First Reading, let alone to Public Hearing. I advised Council
that in my opinion it was unacceptable to the community in its present
form and that it would not complement the adjoining neighbourhoods. I
had also asked that Council require the developer to leave the lands
north of Nordel Way in their natural state: passive parkland of that
nature was needed in that part of Delta. Council finally heard the
people at Public Hearing: however, I feel that a lot of anger and
frustration could have been avoided had Council and staff (and
Developer) heard what the people were saying. I will not support
a new plan unless it has the interest of the North Delta community at
heart.
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Community input goes to the root of
government decision-making. Elected officials have a duty to
consider your input in decisions that impact your lives. It is a
duty, pure and simple, and it is one that I take very seriously.
Again, how to use your input is the more difficult issue when so
much facing us is out of local government control: all we can do is
ensure our voice joins yours in the search for answers which assist,
not harm, Delta. Matters of local government control should be
resolved in the manner requested by the impacted communities – to
the extent that budget and the interests of Delta as a whole
permit. I have always represented your issues in the manner you
request to the best of my ability and conscience.
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Heritage and environmental protection
are among the three issues that prompted me to enter the local
arena, the third being an interest in protecting and enhancing our
quality of life. I Chair the Heritage Advisory Commission and am
dedicated to protecting the Heritage of Delta: it is one of my most
enjoyable committee responsibilities. I also Chair the Planning and
Environment Advisory Committee and am known throughout Delta as an
individual dedicated to the protection of our environment and of the
ecological treasures that are Delta.
The enormous
historical importance of the Sunbury and in particular, the Annieville,
areas must be preserved. The fact that the Province is even
contemplating the destruction of the oldest archeological wet site in
the world and is cavalierly ignoring historic sites like the Glenrose
Cannery, is unacceptable. I am prepared to join the citizens of your
neighbourhood in any effort you wish to undertake to protect the history
of this Province and community. No government has the right to ignore
its citizens and their well-being.
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Delta is a unique community and your
question is indicative of the complicated system of governance and
consultation that your Council represents. Almost every issue of
importance to Delta as a whole is met with consultation in each of
the three sectors. Every basic public service is represented in the
three communities, more so as time goes by. I give great weight to
the opinions of each community, which often differ in tone or
attitude. When choosing a direction needed for all of Delta, I
weigh the input and attempt to do what is best for Delta: again, I
attempt to represent your issues in the manner you request, to the
best of my ability and conscience.
I do believe that
Delta would be enormously served by a single community newspaper. I had
hoped that staff’s recommendation we stop the Delta Page and distribute
the Delta Report would work better: I do not believe that it has and
hope to convince Council that we should go back to a new and better
format of the Delta Page.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond
to your questions. I hope the responses have not been too long. My
best to you all. And get out to Vote on the 19th!!
Sincerely,
Vicki Huntington, Independent Candidate
for Re-election to Delta Council
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