The City of 性视界传媒 is moving to redesignate land within South 性视界传媒鈥檚 Darts Hill Garden Park as a potential site for townhouse development.

At its April 8 meeting, council unanimously endorsed recommendations in a report 鈥� from parks, recreation and culture general manager Laurie Cavan and planning and development manager Don Luymes 鈥� that would redesignate land at 1734 and 1750 168 Street (a block south of 18 Avenue) from 鈥榩roposed park鈥� to 鈥榤edium density townhouse鈥�.

But, according to the report, the planned amendments to the Darts Hill Neighborhood Concept Plan (NCP) are not intended to reduce 鈥� but only to re-configure 鈥揇arts Hill Garden Park.

鈥淭his parkland is no longer needed to achieve the parkland needs in the Darts Hill NCP,鈥� it states.

It points out that an application for different development 鈥� already conditionally approved by council on Nov. 28, 2022 - removes the need for a detention pond on proposed parkland close to the existing park.

鈥淭his detention pond relocation will increase the amount of land available for park-specific amenities for the expansion of Darts Hill Garden Park, once the property is acquired by the city,鈥� the report adds.

Created by late residents Francisca and Edwin Darts, and gifted by them to the residents of 性视界传媒 in 1994, Darts Hill Garden Park is currently operated by the city under the guidance of a conservancy trust society.

The society seeks to 鈥渃ontinue the development of the garden and to extend opportunities to the public to enjoy the garden,鈥� according to the 性视界传媒 Parks website.

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The report states that residents in the NCP will 鈥渃ontinue to be served by existing Darts Hill Garden Park, and its proposed expansion to the east鈥�, plus four new neighbourhood parks proposed in the plan area.

鈥淭hese neighbourhood parks will be planned and designed in the coming years with input from residents through a public engagement process,鈥� it adds.

Context for the change, the report states, is the provincial Bill 44 - the Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023 - which calls for a sharp increase in family-oriented housing in municipal areas served by major transportation routes.

鈥淭his further increased density in neighbourhoods necessitates a review of future parkland recognizing that neighbourhood park space with active amenities will be even more desired by residents,鈥� the report notes.

鈥淚n relation to Darts Hill, city staff have heard from area residents about the importance of neighbourhood parks in the plan area.鈥�

Among the recommendations endorsed by council were related amendments to align the Darts Hill NCP with the OCP, plus preparation of the necessary OCP amendment bylaws for required readings and scheduling of a public hearing.