6,000 signatures needed to keep shelter from park

Carolyn Heiman, Times Colonist
Published: Friday, May 16, 2008

More than 6,000 residents of Victoria would have to sign a petition to put the brakes on a plan to build a shelter on what is currently a city park.

City councillors yesterday approved a process for one of three steps required before the land at 525-545 Ellice St. can be leased to the Victoria Cool Aid Society for a new emergency shelter and transitional housing facility.

Under the Community Charter, which outlines rules under which municipalities operate, any land removed from park inventory has to be approved by electors either through a referendum or what's called an alternative approval process.

The alternative process -- the one selected yesterday -- puts the onus on the electorate to collect signatures from 10 per cent of eligible voters to stop the bylaw that would remove the park from inventory.

The park removal bylaw is expected to get three readings at city council next week, with the fourth and final reading occurring if a rezoning application is successful following a public hearing. That hearing is expected in July.

Burnside Gorge Neighbourhood Association president Paul Gerrard says his group will try to collect the required 6,389 signatures.

The deadline to gather the signatures is July 2.