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Chase Development

After development denied, Chase resident hopes former golf course property becomes a park

Jul 14, 2019 | 1:24 PM

CHASE, B.C. — A Chase resident says the community has won a key battle, but has not yet won the war against a developer who wants to build on a former golf course property along Little Shuswap Lake.

At the village office Tuesday (July 9), council voted 4-1 against bringing a development proposal to public hearing. The plan would have seen development on a lakefront piece of the Sunshore golf course.

About 90 people turned out Tuesday to oppose the development proposal.

Wayne Quinn’s property borders the former golf course land, but says keeping the picturesque land from development benefits the entire community. Quinn notes the land is on a flood plain, and the village may have been on the hook if the developed land ever suffered a catastrophic flood.

Now that council has stated it doesn’t want to see the property developed, Quinn says he hopes the village can acquire it and keep it green space.

“The ball’s in the court of the developers at this point,” said Quinn. “What is the next move? We’re hoping it will be approaching the village with a reasonable offer to purchase the land, get it back into public hands and turn into a park or something else that fits better with the zoning.”

Last week, Quinn called the issue a “passionate” one within Chase, and says Tuesday’s turnout confirms that.

“It was a very inspired group of residents who attended. We had lots of horns blowing and thumbs up. The community was definitely behind the [effort] to defeat this application. It really brought the community together in a very positive sense,” said Quinn.