Tea Party to Save Sunbury

It would seem that Tea is becoming the drink of choice in British Columbia. The Liberal Party, under the leadership of Gordon Campbell, has incited a province wide 'Tea Party' with the tactics they have used to enact their hugely unpopular Harmonized Sales Tax and locally here in Delta with their Gateway development plans.

Paying homage to Queen Victoria on the long weekend that bares her name the Sunbury Neighbourhood Association (SNA) has decided to host their own tea party. "To express our royal displeasure with Gordon Campbell’s petulant scheme to pave over this historic landscape instead of preserving it as a Historic Waterfront Park", is the reason given on the official invitation to attend a tea party and banner painting party.

The event is a way to draw attention to what is happening in the North Delta community of Sunbury, and to provide an outlet for residents to voice their concerns with the South Fraser Perimeter Road project and frustrations with a provincial government that seems to be out of touch with the communities being affected by the development. “The government claims they do not have money for teachers, seniors, health care or public transit,” says Richelle Giberson, a Sunbury Neighbourhood Association member, “yet they plan to spend an estimated 1.3 billion dollars on a waterfront freeway. This really makes me question what our government’s priorities are.”

"The government has targeted about 75 homes to be destroyed in the Sunbury neighborhood and over 300 homes for the entire SFPR project. The Sunbury community is taking a big hit to make way for a four lane container truck route that nobody wants or needs. Delta Port is under capacity, the Port of Prince Rupert is running at 10% capacity, and their widening the Panama Canal. This road is completely useless and unnecessary. It only serves as a precursor to further industrial development to service the route. This (Liberal) government is just paying back the businesses that supported them with this development. Since the Campbell government has been in power, greenhouse gases have continuously risen despite their much publicized campaign to be the most environmentally responsible province in Canada," says tea party organizer and SNA member Ernie Baatz. “This beautiful and historic waterfront site is our local frontline in the struggle to stop global warming. Building a new four lane freeway when transit projects are being delayed for lack of funding violates the Liberals’ legislated commitment to reduce greenhouse gases 33 per cent by 2020. Making a waterfront park in our neighbourhood instead of a waterfront freeway is our way of thinking globally and acting locally. The tea party is a family friendly event and I would encourage families to attend."

UBC's Patrick Condon of the Design Centre for Sustainability is slated to speak to the group. Delta North MLA Guy Gentner will be attending but is not scheduled to make an address.

The event takes place Monday, May 24 between 1 and 3pm at the 10300 block of River Road, the sight of destroyed homes and the lot where the massive 'Climate Action Now" banner was unfurled during the recent 'Pilgrimage to the Bog'. Bring friends, family, painting clothes, freeway-busting ideas, slogans, cartoons, or whatever you fancy! Painting supplies and banners provided or bring your own plus a re-usable cup for this earth friendly event. Cucumber sandwiches and croquet are optional.

For more information:

http://sunburyneighbourhood.ca/GardenParty.htm

http://gatewaysucks.org/