After years of advocacy and following Monday's formal pubic hearing the property at 2021 Foothills Boulevard is now officially Birdsong Park.
The property is a 46.8-acre greenspace area along the Nechako River, immediately west of Nechako Riverside Park, and a public hearing was held as part of the process to rezone it to parkland.
The city received nine items of correspondence received all in support of the application and no opposition.
This has been in the works since earlier this year when the first two readings of the proposed rezoning bylaw were passed in February. The city purchased the land from Pittman Asphalt as part of a 2016 deal which saw the company’s gravel mine in the area expand.
In October 2022, members of the North Nechako Residents Group appeared before city council to request the land be officially designated a park. The Birdsong Park area has several hiking trails, and is accessed by a trail under the bridge from Nechako Riverside Park.
“This park is a large, intact river area,” North Nechako Residents Group spokesperson Kathleen Haines told council at the time. Volunteers have created trails and planted trees and shrubs in the park, which is home to an assortment of wildlife.
Haines returned to city council for the public hearing to give more history on the groups efforts to preserve the parkland.
"I’m here with fingers double crossed to hopefully see Birdsong Park officially rezoned to parks and open space," she said to council. "In 2016 members of our neighbourhood drove across the river to Pittman Asphalt offices. We had been invited to look at topographical maps and discuss the idea of a 40 acre park in exchange for a large mining designation. For the first time ever after going to council six times over the years to protest gravel designations we had a proposal we could support."
She said this is an example of "industry and Prince George people working together to give back to our city, to consider the environment, and make Prince George a city to be proud of and give Prince George a 40 acre riverside park."
Council also had positive comments regarding the groups advocacy work on this project over the years.
"I remember we had a number of phone calls and visiting the site over the years and this has been a real grassroots drive and it is really a template to how other organizations can do things," said Coun. Brian Skakun. "They approached industry on their own, worked with city administration and basically came to council with a finished product. It is always nice to have something like this come on the agenda where we are preserving parkland."
The recommendations to rezone the property to parkland were approved unanimously.
- with files from Arthur Williams
