It seems everywhere you look these days the urban land- scape is marred by construction. Old character buildings are torn down in favour of sleek, shiny modern marvels of architecture that punctuate the skyline like so many middle fingers aimed squarely at the past.
There isn’t a corner of the Lower Mainland that remains unaffected by it. Delta has certainly seen its share of late, and like it or not there’s a lot more to come.
The Southlands development, the 37-story Delta Rise tower at the corner of 80 Avenue and 120 Street/Scott Road, the MK Delta Lands and now (possibly) a casino at the Town & Country Inn and apartment buildings at the Firehall Centre for the Arts...it’s anyone’s guess where the next proposed project will land.
Change is inevitable and not necessarily a bad thing. New developments can help spur much-needed improvements in transit and municipal services, create jobs in the short- and long-term, and (depending on your political and philosophical leanings) help make the region more affordable and accessible for everyone.
The question is how best to go about it. What is worth saving and what is worth sacrificing? What do we need and what can we do without?
Obviously there are no easy answers, nor are there any solutions that are even remotely guaranteed to please everyone. The only way forward is to have a meaningful dialogue where everyone feels heard and a workable compromise is within reach.
Let us know what you think. Tell us how Delta, Metro Vancouver and the province should plan and execute their unending march into the future. Send us your emails at editor@northdeltareporter.com.