Prince George’s urban greenspace and forests define our city as one of the best urban places to live in BC. The City of PG Parks Strategy Plan (2017) identifies Ginter’s Meadow as one of the West Bowl’s destination parks, as it provides residents easy and convenient access to kilometres of accessible walking and cycling trails within a priceless mixed forest.

Ginter’s Meadow Park and the surrounding forest can be accessed by public transit and bicycle.  It lies within walking distance from many neighbourhoods as well as the University of Northern BC. Both paved and large flat gravel paths allow for people with varied mobility levels to access this amazing area. From this park there are decades-old hiking and mountain biking paths throughout the whole escarpment. Having urban forests with this level of accessibility is a huge gift to all citizens and should be cherished as such. 

The City of Prince George’s Official Community Plan (OCP) put both Ginter’s Meadow Park and the surrounding forest at risk for development. Massey Drive is planned to extend through the forest to Tyner Boulevard and Foothills Boulevard is planned to extend through Ginter’s Meadow Park to Ferry Drive. Most of the forest above Ginter’s is private land, much of which is currently for sale and marketed for development potential. Extensive development along the edge of the escarpment poses significant risk to the slope stability and hydrological function of the slope. Currently most of these lands are zoned for agriculture and forestry (AG/AF) so they could be clearcut logged at any moment.

As such, we are petitioning the City of Prince George Mayor, Council, and Planning Departments to hold public engagement sessions before the next civil election. The OCP is out of date with how people want our city to expand and grow its housing capacity. The value of these urban forests is priceless. We risk losing one of the great things about Prince George and a discussion on this topic needs to happen between city officials and the community.  

We, the signatories of this petition, ask:

• That the OCP is updated to recognize, value, and protect existing greenspace and urban forests prior to further development; 
• That the City engage in a consultative process with its residents on how development of the forest around Ginters Meadow and the surrounding escarpment proceeds, or even if it should; 
• That the City commission a hydro-geotechnical analysis of the Cranbrook Hill Escarpment from Tyner Boulevard to Foothills Drive. The investigation should include the cumulative effects of large scale removal of the forest along the western edge of the escarpment above Ginter’s Meadow, and the impact of the residential housing developments currently underway and planned for the future.