By Cheryl Jahn

Ginter’s development off the OCP

Nov 26, 2024 | 2:38 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – It is one place in town where there is just as much of the four-legged presence as the two-legged variety. Ginter’s is a greenspace in the heart of the city and is a popular spot for dog owners to let their best friends run free.

“This is green space and Ginter’s House was here,” says Councillor Brian Skakun, who grew up near the area. “This is an asset. We have people when they come into town and they ask Tourism Prince George a bunch of questions – restaurants, shopping, dog parks. Ginter’s always comes up and you can come here in the summertime and you see license plates from all over.”

But in recent years, there were concerns it could be developed, with plans to run a road through it. But the most recent draft Official Community Plan shows a change in the City’s intentions. Good news for the Friends of Ginter’s.

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“They did take the road extension off. Previously, the map showed a big two- or four-lane road going right through [Ginter’s] up the hill and hooking up with Tyner Boulevard. That’s off the map now. So that’s good.”

But what the Official Community Plan still has is an extension of Foothills Boulevard from 18th Avenue, where the new roundabout is all the way to 22nd Avenue. And it’s something that has a few people shaking their heads.

“We put in a nice parking lot there at the end of the roundabout for people to park there and go for walks. I’ve seen wedding parties in there. People are always using that end of the trail. It’s a beautiful paved trail that joins up with here. And they want to put a road down it. And we’re not quite sure why that needs to have a road.”

An Official Community Plan is a ten-year road map, so to speak, of future development in the city. But it is a fluid document, meaning, it can be changed under certain circumstances. So the Friends of Ginter’s want to have the green space officially designated as a park. Good idea, says Brian Skakun.

“When you designat it a park, it’s a little harder to rezone it. You have to go through some additional steps. I also think if it’s designated a park it could give some certainty to the area of land; that it’s not going to be developed that easily. Of course, it’s always the will of the council, but dedicate it a park, get it over with and take the stress off all the users here and let them know that it is not going to be developed.”

The Official Community is a draft document, awaiting Council’s approval, likely in the new year.