White Rock residents rallied at city hall Monday afternoon, protesting a planned parkade near the waterfront.
The City of White Rock unveiled a six-storey plan earlier this month for an estimated $13-million parkade at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Vidal Street, noting it could be as low as $9.25 million for four storeys.
Around 50 residents gathered for Monday’s demonstration – which preceded a meeting of the city’s land-use committee, where members of council were to consider a corporate report regarding the structure.
The report includes recommendations from staff that council give first and second readings to official community plan and zoning amendments required to facilitate the parkade. It also recommends council direct staff to schedule a public hearing for those amendments.
Protesters Monday – who stayed for just over half an hour – carried placards, applauded speakers and joined in chants of “no parkade, no parkade.”
It was not the first time that residents have been critical of the plan.
Dozens attended a public meeting held July 13, and many who turned out to a public hearing earlier that week regarding the city’s new official community plan also put their focus on the parkade.
Concerns raised have included noise and light pollution, lack of details on how much it will cost, traffic congestion, and that it will be under-utilized.
More to come…