The City of Trail’s proposal to dispose of a riverfront Glenmerry lot was a hot topic around Greater Trail during the month of March.
More than 20 residents took to the streets in an effort to obtain 600 signatures by 4 p.m. on April 2, to stall the process of the sale.
On Tuesday, just past noon, Joanne Crossman handed over a petition that contained 905 signatures to Sandy Lucchini, deputy corporate administrator for the City.
Next in the process, is for Michelle McIsaac, corporate administrator, to review the signatures and compare them to the official B.C. Elections voter list.
Once signatures are confirmed, the list will have to be presented to council at the next meeting on April 8.
“Six hundred signatures is enough to defeat the bylaw,” said Lucchini.
“But this needs to be presented to council and they will make a decision whether or not to take this to a referendum.”
Crossman said the past month has been a monumental learning experience for her, and those who joined the cause, to question the city’s decision to dispose of the riverfront lot.
“I really want to be clear,” she said.
“This is not a petition against a family or council, it is about the process taken to dispose of parkland property.”
On Feb. 21 and Feb. 26, the city ran an ad (see page 19 of the link in the e-edition of the ad) in the Trail Times that outlined council’s intent to adopt a bylaw on April 8, to allow the disposal of parcel located between 3650 and 3660 Rosewood Drive in Glenmerry.
By chance, Crossman noticed the ad, and was surprised that the city could proceed with a sale of the last piece of riverfront green space in Glenmerry to a private bidder; without ever posting a sign or informing neighbourhood residents.
The city opted to use a notice of “alternative approval” process to notify citizens of the city’s sales agreement and intent to sell this prime piece of real estate, she explained.
“If citizens allow city council to adopt this bylaw it will set a precedence which will allow this council and future councils to sell parkland in any neighbourhood in the City of Trail, using this same quiet process.”