Southlands in Transition

 SCPT

The Southlands Community Planning Team evolved out of a process launched by Century Group President Sean Hodgins a year and a half ago to engage South Delta citizens in a discussion about the role development might play in the future evolution of the community. 
Early in 2006, Century Group hosted a series of information seminars conducted by Smart Growth BC to build capacity and public awareness of the issues surrounding growth, development and community planning as Delta grapples with the challenges of change and the desire to manage growth in a sustainable way.

These sessions conlcluded in June 2006 with a day-long workshop.

In October 2006 Century Group then sought to specifically engage local citizens about the future of its Southlands property in Tsawassen. This was in the form of a “Planning Workshop” at the Southlands Barn where over three hundred local residents attended.

At this forum, Century Group President Sean Hodgins shared a broad vision he has for how the Southlands can be integrated into the South Delta community in a way that provides net community gains. He stressed that his vision was just that – a vision consisting of some broad ideas—but that no plan had been formulated.
He asked those in attendance to participate in further discussion and working toward developing a plan collaboratively, reflecting community needs and realities. He propoed the establishment of a citizen-driven planning committee.

At that meeting and in response to community advertising, 24 citizens volunteered to actively participate. The group held its fist meeting at he beginning of February 2007 and began formulating their own term of reference and settled on a name for their group--the Southlands Community Planning Team.

Members of the Southlands Community Planning Team have since committed to an intense schedule over the next sixteen months. The Team has decided to explore and discuss many issues regarding any potential development of the Southlands.
They settled on six fundamental questions that will guide that exploration and discussions and, hopefully, ultimately inform and direct a physical planning process in the future. These six guiding questions can be viewed HERE.
Our Planning team members profiles can be viewed HERE.
Please join us in this exercise. It is an important one.