Secret feasibility report, secret planning sessions, secret land negotiations and then the shocking announcement by the Central Saanich mayor that council had decided to expropriate a Hovey Road property. A property that was to be used for a senior's housing project, but instead would be used by the district for a new multi-building municipal complex.
According to staff, the secret feasibility report and closed-door planning sessions by council had been going on for about the last two years. At no point during that time was the community ever informed of what was transpiring. Since the mayor's announcement, the district has expropriated the property, albeit at a much higher assessed value than initially considered, and is now facing a lawsuit by the original owner of the property who is claiming the expropriation value is far below fair market value.
With this backdrop, the biggest shock to the Central Saanich community has been that the people who were elected to represent us have been completely silent. There has been no discussion or even a single vote in public by council on any of this. And, there is not one councillor who will even acknowledge their involvement. When pushed for an explanation, they are either silent or reply that they are protected from having to comment by Community Charter legislation.
So, where do we sit? We have secret planning sessions, an expensive expropriation, a pending lawsuit, a massive civic development probably worth tens of millions of dollars and, apart from the mayor, not a single councillor who will explain their actions. With the current representatives on council, the future of Central Saanich is seriously in doubt.
David Lawson
Central Saanich
