Centennial Beach facilities

This is really a joke!

The Centennial beach concession stand is a micro statement that adequately represents the painful issues of growth in Tsawwassen.

The "Pacific Flyway" and all of its side issues have hamstrung our community long enough. This is embarrassing!

From the Optimist.....

When was the last time you went down to Centennial Beach? Boundary Bay Regional Park is not only a local treasure, it is a regional destination that is used by close to one million visitors a year. Many, if not most of the park users, are not from Delta.

Obviously, highest use is in times like these while we are enjoying an incredible stretch of sunshine.

When summer tides offer choice, I prefer heading down to the beach on an incoming tide from a late morning low. The countless hours I have spent in my youth at Spanish Banks and here with my daughter in her younger years in these situations have been some of the most memorable times of my life.

The shrieks of mock despair as I stood with the kids on crumbling castles as the tide rushed in mixed beautifully with the temperature of the water and the embracing warmth of late afternoon sun on slightly dry and salty skin.

Wafting in the distance was the smell of malt vinegar. The sensory melding on these perfect days should be bottled somehow.

Just last week I had occasion to visit Spanish Banks on the way to a meeting at UBC.

The tide was out and the concession bunker at Spanish Banks west had just opened. I was the first customer of the day and took my vinegar laden fries out on the low tide for a great twenty minute stroll. Sweet memories of youth ran through me with each bite.

The bunkers at Spanish Banks have been upgraded to some degree over the years. They are run by Metro Vancouver Parks and serve traditional beach fare which is great.

In the big city at Kits Beach and at English Bay, real restaurants have been added to the beach fare menu for the non fries and burger crowd and I think that is a good thing, especially if you don’t spend a bunch of time standing on crumbling castles anymore.

The first out of the chute was the “Watermark”, a Barnett brothers offering. It took a while to go through the process but eventually this perceived assault on the community made its point and added a lovely choice for beach goers since.

Just recently the Boathouse took over at this Kitsilano beach location after an unbelievably short approval process.

What is happening here in Delta with our facilities at Boundary Bay Park? Not much. Many years ago an idea for a restaurant at Centennial was shelved. The cold case file was re-opened with an unsolicited proposal in 2004. Metro Parks wanted to see a plan to upgrade the existing bunker and provide for additional amenity in the way of a restaurant and interpretive centre combo. People with money and expertise participated in a process that caved in after 6 years.

Now it would seem, Metro Parks and Delta cannot come to an agreement on where to build a popsicle stand. Forget about the restaurant for now. Lets prepare for that potential outcome but let’s get a replacement for a building that is considerably past its shelf life.

Boundary Bay Regional Park is for all citizens in Metro Vancouver and we need to keep that front and centre in our decision making and planning process. Let’s get on with it!