To the editor:
During council’s discussion about revisions to the Draft Marpole Community Plan on September 29, Coun. Kerry Jang repeated his oft-heard opinion that “a lot of misinformation is out there.”
Coun. Heather Deal voiced similar concerns and Mayor Gregor Robertson complained of people “misleading residents with false information.”
Whether the community-distributed material is accurate or not, the question raised by council’s remarks is: Why were a few unpaid amateurs volunteering their spare time more successful at communicating with Marpole residents than the numerous well-paid full-time professionals employed by City Hall?
It is because the current strategy of abruptly revealing massive rezoning near the end of the process horrifies those affected. The community plan procedure is fundamentally flawed.
To be successful, a community plan requires substantive consultation with the residents from the beginning of its development.
Brendan Hallinan,
Vancouver
