The City of Prince George will hold a public hearing to determine the future of a 46.8-acre greenspace area along the Nechako River.
On Monday night, city council approved the first two readings of a bylaw to amend the official community plan and rezone the greenspace, known as Birdsong Park. The greenspace is located on the west side of Foothills Boulevard, immediately west of Nechako Riverside Park.
Currently it is zoned as mix of greenbelt and agriculture and forestry land. The bylaw, if approved, would see the area zoned as park and open space. 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.
“This is a good news story,” Coun. Garth Frizzell said. “Look at the stretch along the Nechako River that is being protected for parks.”
The Birdsong Park area has several hiking trails, and is accessed by a trail under the bridge from Nechako Riverside Park.
City council will hold a public hearing at a future date, to allow city residents to provide feedback, before considering the final reading of the bylaw.
In October, members of the North Nechako Residents Group appeared before city council to request the land be officially designated a 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.
Opportunities to preserve riverfront land in a natural state for the community don’t come along often, group spokesperson Meghan Hunter added.
