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Our Opinion (Editorial)
No San Antonio but hope left
for Big Wow
Opinion reprinted from Red Deer Express (Johnnie Bachusky)
November 19, 2008
It was no surprise last week
for anyone in the know the city wanted no part of a world-class
canal concept for the Riverlands.
In fact, it was one of the worst kept secrets in Red Deer history.
But when project consultant Lorne Daniel said with a straight face
that public feedback indicated citizens didn't want a "transplanted"
idea from another city, like the world-famous River Walk in San
Antonio, one has to wonder if that was some sort of joke thrown in
to break the serious tone of the media conference.
After all, the city is moving forward with an idea for the
Riverlands that is very much transplanted from another urban centre
-- the vision of B.C. urban planner Michael von Hausen.
But most seriously folks, how the city got to this point while
rejecting the canal concept is quite interesting.
Since last June, when the first of two open houses was held, the
city was already beginning to lose interest in the full-fledged
canal idea.
It was sold on the von Hausen plan, which will feature waterways on
a lesser scale than what the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce's tourism
committee envisioned when unveiling the San Antonio-inspired idea 14
months ago.
Von Hausen's concept came as the River Walk Committee, which was
running parallel to the Greater Downtown Action Plan Committee, was
looking into the full-fledged canal concept and was discovering that
while it was doable there would be considerable private land
ownership challenges and accompanying exorbitant costs.
But equally important for nervous city officials was that von
Hausen's concept was the answer to a few, and I do mean few,
complaints from a tiny but loud group of citizens who insisted a
canal system might be harmful to the environment, and from the
equally few but influential citizens of the old school of thinking
that Red Deer must stick to its traditional conservative way of
thinking and not think too extravagantly -- lest the liberals take
over.
To prove the von Hausen concept was instantly the city's preference
for the Riverlands, no substantial changes were made for the second
open house in October.
While some citizens in the community considered the full-fledged
canal concept folly of the highest order, Ken Mandrusiak and Jack
Donald, two key players on the Chamber's tourism committee, insisted
it was the right choice for Red Deer to become a major player in the
province's tourism industry.
Strangely, however, both men voiced excitement and approval for the
von Hausen plan last June but did a complete about face when the
B.C. planner's concept was once again presented with few changes at
the second open house last month.
They argued the von Hausen concept, which includes an undefined
signature structure called The Ark, was not a "Big Wow" and that it
would do little if anything to boost tourism in Red Deer's economy.
"What they are proposing there is just a big building with a
skylight in it. That is not a 'Wow' to me. You are not going to
bring people from half way around the world," said Mandrusiak.
Mandrusiak said he is not done in his quest to push the big canal
idea through.
He still insists the San Antonio-inspired concept has considerable
support within the business community and plans on surveying the 800
or more Chamber members to prove his point.
But time is working against him.
The city is moving ahead in earnest on the von Hausen plan and
council is expected to adopt it in January.
"For us there is a sense of urgency," said Mandrusiak. "There is
more than one way to create a 'Wow' but we have already gone through
that exercise. We had a study and probably looked at 20 ideas that
could have been wows. This one kept coming to the surface."
But what the entire exercise does prove is that ideas and dreams can
change in a heart beat.
In 2007 few predicted the U.S. economy would create the global
disaster we are seeing now, and which is now striking at Alberta.
At this stage, the public input process is done. And while the
results are hardly scientifically conclusive, the naysayers have won
the day.
But while the von Hausen concept has flaws in its attempts to create
a serious tourism industry in the city and region -- notably the
mixed housing component -- it is at least a start.
The San Antonio vision may be close to being buried but there is
still hope there can be a Riverlands' Big Wow.
And Mandrusiak and Donald can still be part of this ongoing
discussion.
Their voices will still be urgently needed to ensure the now San
Antonio-less Riverlands' Big Wow doesn't morph into just another
nice neighbourhood.
Too much time, energy and heart has already been spent. To throw
that away would be a waste.
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