Hugo Ray Park

The Hugo Ray Park Area Residents' Group - West Vancouver, BC

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ABOUT US

We are the West Vancouver Hugo Ray Park Area Residents' Group. We are a neighbourhood of approximately 150 caring and concerned home owners who live on Third Street, Esker Lane, Mathers, Hadden, Mulgrave, Eastcot and Burhill. We are also happy to include the West Vancouver Cricket Club among our sports friends and associates as well as the nearby churches, the daycare centre, and the families and visitors who come to spend time reflecting and visiting loved ones in our quiet neighbourhood cemetery.

Hugo Ray Park is an unique and special place. What was once a forgotten piece of land is now a thriving greenspace and natural habitat surrounded by family homes, places of worship and river side trails. On any given day you can see eagles soaring overhead. Owls, hawks, jays, flickers and a variety of nesting birds live in the nearby tall trees. There's even a tiny fish bearing stream, deer wandering in the park and a large but delicate 'riparian' area along the Capilano river banks. Bears, bobcats and other wildlife have been known to visit us too, so be on alert.

See Our Photo Gallery

Hugo Ray Park is on a quiet cul-de-sac, and there is very little vehicle traffic on the local streets. Kids ride their bikes and cyclists share the road with pedestrians as they access the new multi-use pathhway that runs along the highway. Walking in the area is safe and serene. The neighbourhood character is peaceful and quiet. It is an area that deserves the respect of all who wish to use it.

Today Hugo Ray is in need of things that add to the neighbourhood character - not things that destroy or diminish it. It is our wish that instead of the further destruction of our park lands and increased burden of traffic on our streets, we work together to add more greenery, more trees and more safe spaces and sidewalks. In this era of climate change, we want the municipality to acknowledge and assist in the assessment of environmental risks and to protect the 'riparian' areas and existing trees with suitable additions that provide a cleaner and greener future for area residents, home owners and our families.

Who We're Voting For - Election Oct 15, 2022

West Vancouver residents will get to vote in the next civic election on Saturday October 15, 2022. We will be asked to vote for the position of Mayor and for 6 councillors. This will be an important election as we want to elect people who will help support us as residents and who support the preservation and 'green' approach we have in our neighbourhood.

Keep your eyes on this space to see who is running and who we think will make the best candidates. Meanwhile you can write to mayor and council here correspondence@westvancouver.ca

Proposed Pickleball Courts at Hugo Ray Park - June 2022

We have recently learned of a new report (May 30th, 2022) that has come to West Vancouver council to support the creation of new permanent pickleball courts in the middle of Hugo Ray Park.

INTRO

There are two pickleball groups - a selection of West Van players (who are recreational users) and a larger North Shore pickleball group (most of whom do not live in West Vancouver) who are looking to grow their league for tournament play. Recently acquired emails show their expansive plan includes building 12-16 courts on the cricket fields with provisions to install lights, benches, bleachers and more.

These changes mean a dramatic increase in traffic on our streets as park users travel here to use the courts. It also means increased noise and sound - and the removal and destruction of the more than 45+ old tall trees that currently stand next to the clubhouse and act as a significant sound barrier to the highway traffic noise. REMOVAL OF THESE TREES WILL CHANGE THE PARK FOREVER.

Due to the noise and disruption caused by outdoor pickleball, West Van District has moved these courts out of other neighbourhoods already. Now, council and staff are exporting the same issues into our backyard.

Options to create a pickleball court at alternative locations like Ambleside Park, Normanby Park, and Gleneagles Rec Centre exist - but staff says they have not been 'directed by council' to look at these areas. Staff also reported that the pickleball players 'did not like the parking' at Ambleside or the fact they would have to share the courts wtih the public.

At present, there are 4-6 indoor pickleball courts available for play at the West Vancouver Rec Centre and 2-3 more at the Gleneagles Rec Centre. These courts provide for year round play.

MISSING DETAILS AND NO ANSWERS

The two pickleball groups have been working with District staff to develop a plan that focuses enitrely on Hugo Ray. We however have been excluded from the process and only learned about it days before the May 30th council meeting. We were not invited as a stakeholder to the table. Our subsequent requests to meet with staff have also been turned down.

As a result of this lobbying by pickleball players, Parks and Rec staff have produced a report targeting Hugo Ray Park - and ONLY Hugo Ray Park - as the new home for pickleball. The cost for building even one of these courts is estimated to be between $500,000 - $750,000 or more.

The report does not mention the extensive removal of our old tall trees, the number of trees that will be removed, the acknowledgement of existing trees as a 'sound curtain' from highway noise, or the number of birds nesting in the trees that will have to be removed and the disturbance to other wildlife. There are no proper environmental studies, no reports from the arborist, no soil studies and no protections for 'riparian' areas.

Hugo Ray Today

Hugo Ray with Trees Gone

The above photos show the results if just 10-20 tall trees are removed from beside the clubhouse. This is known as Option A in West Vancouver's staff report. In real life, there are more than 40-100 trees and ground shrubs that will be clearcut in this location. The court area is approx three times the size of the clubhouse and everything here would be torn down. We have asked staff to please tell us how many trees they are planning on removing but they will not provide any answers. They have also stated that they don't plan on answering the question until after the public consultation has been completed. We feel the public consultation would turn out differently if people knew how many trees would be clearcut.

When it comes to noise, there have been no verifiable noise measurements taken. Traffic estimates do not account for the increased usage by new visitors coming into the area from outside West Vancouver (there is no transit in the area). There are no cost provisions for noise dampening curtains around the courts, restrictions on playing times or mention of whether or not the public will be allowed to use the courts (a pay to play model has been suggested). The report also does not acknowledge the WV Cricket Club as being current field tenants, or the affect on nearby churches - and there is very little consideration given to those visiting the cemetery for quiet reflection.

We belive the report is erroneous in many ways and was written too quickly and without proper research. It incorrectly states that 'homes to the west' will not be affected by these major changes. We vehemently disagree with this statement and have submitted all our questions regarding the report in writing. Several residents have already written letters and are awaiting answers. We have pointed out the omissions regarding the clearcutting of trees and the environment that must be destroyed and feel that these must be included before any further action is taken. On June 17th, we received correspondence that it will take 4-6 weeks to provide any answers.

See a copy of the report here:

https://westvancouver.ca/sites/default/files/dwv/council-agendas/2022/may/30/22may30-5.pdf

UNFAIR PROCESS

Meanwhile, District of West Vancouver staff is currently conducting what they call a 'public engagement' process (as approved by council) - BUT the process is really just a web survey that has been sent to their mailing list of people all across the North Shore and beyond. It was developed in haste and uses questionable tactics.

Hundreds of pickleball players and people from outside West Vancouver have been encouraged to participate in this popularity survey and have been asked to choose between Option A (removal of the trees) or Option C (middle of field) at Hugo Ray. Again, we feel that if people knew the number of trees that were going to be clearcut, this would dramatically affect their choice.

We have obtained emails that show the 'instructions' that the pickleball members have been given for this campaign and directions on which option they should choose. However, when it comes real unbiased public input, there is no option to choose 'none of the above'. There is also no option to choose Ambleside or Gleneagles as an alternative location.

We feel the 'public survey' has been carefully designed to skew and alter the way feedback is submitted. We maintain that this is NOT a proper public consultation process. We do not understand why we have NOT been consulted as the main stakeholders in this process. We do not understand why staff have omitted vital pieces of information involving trees and the environment. We do not have answers to the most vital questions that will forever change our neighbourhood.

New courts as suggested by West Van Park staff at Hugo Ray.
Options A and C are being recommended by staff with no option to choose alternative locations like Gleneagles or Ambleside.

Expansion plans as revealed in letters of correspondence to West Vancouver Council for North Shore (North Van) Pickleball

OPTIONS FOR OTHER FIELDS

We believe that a more appropriate place for these pickleball courts is either at Ambleside Park at a location called 'Field H', OR beside the Gleneagles Rec Centre on the old abandoned track. We have been speaking to the West Van pickleball players and they agree that Gleneagles is defnitely a viable spot and worth looking at.

The cost to renovate these areas for pickleball would be minimal - and there are no homes nearby and no trees need to be removed. There are also nearby amenities, lots of parking and regular public transit.

We also believe that tax dollars would be better spent expanding the use of the existing all-season indoor courts which everyone in the community can use.

THIS IS A WIN-WIN SOLUTION FOR EVERYONE IN WEST VANCOUVER.

Ambleside Park Field H Option

no tree removal required
nearby transit
no homes affected
nearby amenities
estimated cost saving of $400,000+ over Hugo Ray

Gleneagles Rec Centre

no tree removal required
nearby transit
no homes affected
nearby amenities
estimated cost saving of $400,000+ over Hugo Ray

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

The current proposal does nothing to protect the natural area and add to our neighbourhood. Instead it takes away too much and simply transports a problem that existed elsewhere into our area. The environmental risks are too high. These courts bring additional traffic and noise to our area and DO NOT support our neighbourhood vision of a 'cleaner greener' area plan that also provides safe streets for kids and families.

We wish to emphasize that we are not against sport and continue to support the current field user groups (as they are good neighbours). We wish only to be recognized in the process and treated fairly as stakeholders. We need council and staff to acknowledge that greater environmental concerns exist and that a proper master plan for the area must be given immediate consideration. Staff's recommendations are also not in keeping with the Official Community Plan, in particular sections (2.1) and (2.6) which deal with respecting an area's character, and in the protection of the natural environment respectively.

In this era of climate change emergency, we should never be considering the removal of existing tall trees in any neighbourhood - nor should we be encouraging more traffic and cars in place of public transit.

If you wish to show your objection to the pickleball courts at Hugo Ray Park and/or to object to the unfair public process that is currently underway, please CLICK HERE to fill out the form. If you believe that Ambleside and Gleneagles need to be studied as alternative locations, please show your support for this option. Your email will be sent to the Mayor and all West Vancouver councillors. You can add your own words into the comment section.

CLICK HERE TO SEND THE FORM TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL

You can also write to mayor and council directly at correspondence@westvancouver.ca

West Vancouver MAYOR AND COUNCIL have the power to redirect this process - all they need to do is request a study of Gleneagles and Ambleside.

Thank you for your support.

Hugo Ray Park Neighbours

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