A group opposed to the multi-tower redevelopment of Tsawwassen Town Centre mall is advocating for a library to be incorporated into the design of the new Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre, and their efforts have caught the attention of Delta's mayor.
Public engagement on the detailed design of the new Winskill Centre wrapped up Monday (March 24), but Dream South Delta is leading a letter-writing campaign and petition urging the city add a third storey housing a library to the project.
The push to build a library at Winskill is, in part, meant to undermine Century Group's proposal to replace the existing single-storey Tsawwassen Town Centre mall, grocery store and parking lots with more than 1,400 homes spread between four 21- to 24-storey mixed-use highrises and several adjacent residential buildings ranging from five to six storeys in height.
The application is consistent with the site's "Urban Centre" designation under Delta's new Official Community Plan, which allows for developments up to 24 storeys "where a significant community contribution is provided.”
To satisfy that requirement, Century Group plans to create a new “community hub” featuring a 15,000- to 17,000-square-foot library, a mobility centre with bike storage and car share, and a 25,000-square-foot public plaza “framed by retail uses and patio spaces, ensuring activation of the public realm, [and] drawing on examples of traditional, vibrant public squares found around the world.”
Public engagement on the project closed March 16, and a city staff report summarizing the feedback received will be shared with council and Century Group and made publicly available prior to the application coming up for first, second and third reading.
Dream South Delta's hope is that, without the library component, Century Group would not be permitted to build to such heights, though the developer could propose an alternative community contribution before the application is considered by council.
Benefits beyond halting highrises, argue advocates
But it's not just about preventing towers in Tsawwassen; Dream sees other benefits to building a new library at Winskill.
The group argues doing so would create a civic hub with multiple municipal services and "program synergy" in one scenic location away from busy 56th Street. They say the site's "generous amount of above-ground parking" and proximity to KinVillage allow for greater accessibility, especially for seniors and families.
Dream also claims incorporating the library into the design of Winskill means it would open a decade sooner — potentially in late 2027 — than if it were built as part of the Tsawwassen Town Centre redevelopment, which would be complete around 2037.
Opening sooner and on city-owned land, the group claims, would save Delta an estimated $2.6 million in lease payments for the library's current location (it's the only one of Delta’s three libraries the city does not own), plus eventual strata fees to be paid to Century Group, which Dream estimates will be around $6,000 per month.
As well, having everything under one roof would offer greater "operational efficiencies," with shared upkeep of building systems, including custodial services, and a single reception area to serve both the library and the community centre.
Dream argues that with the project still in the design phase, a library "can be easily included" at "minimal" additional cost.
Investigate idea in the name of transparency: mayor
Council approved the schematic design for the $130-million Winskill project on Dec. 17, 2024, and is expected to vote on the detailed design in April ahead of a late-summer start to construction.
However, before that happens, Mayor George Harvie wants council to "fully investigate the feasibility and desirability" of incorporating the library as part of the new aquatic centre's design.
Via his X (formerly X) account Wednesday (March 19), Harvie announced a motion he intends to table at the next meeting of council on April 14 directing Delta's city manager, Donny van Dyk, to provide a report on the design stage work to date and a complete analysis of the option to including space for a relocation of the Tsawwassen Library.
In his motion, Harvie cites "significant interest" in relocating the library from residents attending recent engagement sessions on the Tsawwassen Town Centre application and Winskill rebuild, and says it's important council look into the idea while the latter project is in the design stage, adding any council discussion of the idea "requires complete transparency."
Given his motion specifies van Dyk's report is be given at the April 28 meeting of council, it is expected Harvie will look to wave the usual notice in order to immediately debate and vote on his motion April 14.
Early analysis finds adding library possible, but expensive
In recent internal communications obtained by the Reporter, van Dyk said that, while possible, adding a library to the new aquatic centre's design now would be "logistically challenging and expensive" as it wasn't in the original scope of the project.
A preliminary analysis by city staff, included with van Dyke's correspondence, found that incorporating a library comparable to what is proposed in the Tsawwassen Town Centre application would add $15-25 million to the Winskill project's budget.
As well, including a library in the design would require adding an unknown number of parking spaces above and beyond the 250-275 stalls currently planned, and the limited space at Winskill Park puts constraints on the ability to expand the size of the parking lot further.
Before finalizing the design and beginning construction, staff recommend the city hold further community engagement to confirm support for the idea, which coupled with the additional design work would delay completion of the centre by three to six months.
Included with staff's analysis was feedback from Delta Friends of the Library, received during public engagement for the Winskill project, that Tsawwassen Library's current location best serves the community as it is more centrally located than Winskill Park. The group's position was subsequently confirmed in correspondence received by the city on Tuesday (March 18).
"Should council wish to consider this further, I would recommend a resolution from council authorizing us to do a more detailed analysis of options and implications of incorporating a library into the Winskill Renewal Project," van Dyk wrote, adding it would give staff time to work with the city's consultants and refine the information available to them.
"That report should be provided back at a public meeting."
