Hello BH Folks,
I am sharing this information regarding an important issue in Surrey just outside of Bolivar Heights. Changes to Hawthorne Park may very well effect the quality of the creek system running through Bon Accord Creek in Invegarry Park.
Many are aware that there is a proposal to build a new road through part of Hawthorne Park, and also continue it through the Hjorth Road Elementary School play field. I have attached all the information sent to me by Grant Rice, who was very supportive of our down-zoning proposal, and is centrally involved in preventing this road being built.
I am sharing this information because I do not wish to take a stand on this issue myself. I feel conflicted. Of course, like most people I do not favour building a road through a park -or a school playground- for that matter. But, at the same time, I recognize that as a city we cannot have growth and development without roads and other necessary infrastructure. I do, however support Grant Rice in his well informed causes, so I wish to share this information so others can make their own decisions.
I suspect that given the caliber and media savvy of some of the people getting involved in this cause- that the road plan may get quashed- but I also ask how can we can continue to grow and develop without also recognizing the need for large roads to move us all. I also understand that the process being required by City of Surrey is very onerous on this group, and the road may very well go ahead.
To give you an idea of why I do not want to take a stand, I will provide the following background.
In 1976, my family bought it's first house in Surrey on 144 th St, two blocks North of where Hawthorne is today. Back then there were many tiny ranchers (800 sq. ft was large) on big lots along 144th, with very few cars on 144th, it was virtually desolate at night. Today there large houses, four plexes, townhouses, etc. all around Hawthorne Park on all sides, and these people all have to get around Surrey and to their jobs somehow. In 1976, there was also no Hawthorne Park, indeed it was funded through the development and property taxes paid by residents in the new houses and other development.
As they grow, Guildford and City Centre will need to have increased road connections, and I think it is hypocritical for many to oppose this project when most residents in Surrey (including myself) have been brought here during its growth, meaning we have necessitated the very existence of this new road, and the similar aim of building an LRT or preferably Skytrain along 104 Ave. So I am "for" the passion people have shown for this cause, and regret the damage to the park (I wish there was an alternative route), but as a resident of the Hawthorne/Bolivar Heights area since 1976, I am "neutral" on the construction of the road through Hawthorne Park, because I have partially necessitated it. For me to argue anything else seems sanctimonious.
Mark Styles
BHCA Director/ Secretary
Here is the information from Grant Rice and the Save Surrey Parks organization. Please base your decisions on his well informed ideas.
Dear Friend of the Environment,
Save Hawthorne Park Information and David Suzuki Rally
The Save Hawthorne Park group are Surrey residents opposed to the City’s plan to put a two-lane road through our neighbourhood park. We need the help of community leaders like you to help us stop this initiative. We are looking for volunteers across the city to collect signed forms and establish drop off stations in all of Surrey’s town centres. A list of current drop-off locations is available on our web site.
www.savesurreyparks.ca Please send this on to everyone you know in Surrey.
Background
We have met with city counsellors and senior management to discuss alternatives to their plan. On July 24th with support of over 100 residents and nearly 7,000 petition signatures, we made a presentation to Council asking them to stop the proposal and engage in meaningful consultation.
That same evening Surrey City Council voted unanimously to launch an Alternative Approval Process to pass a bylaw to repeal a 1979 bylaw that protects a large portion of Hawthorne Park. This process now allows council to avoid a referendum and instead requires citizens to gather 30,327 signed response forms by September 22nd.
Council has dismissed wide-spread opposition to the proposed road and has rejected any of our efforts to compromise including a relocation of the 104th Avenue utilities to an existing sewer main path along 106th Avenue. The Engineering Department is fast tracking this road-building project without proper traffic analyses, impacts to properties, and the neighbouring school. No studies have been conducted on air quality, noise pollution, site drainage, or water table impacts.
The city’s proposal does not consider the principles and objectives of the Sustainability Charter, the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy nor Surrey’s Transportation Strategy. The isolation of a large portion of the forest is not taken into consideration. Neither has loss and fragmentation of wildlife habitat, Riparian Area Regulations, the affect on the Red-coded Creek, and species at risk. The value of undisturbed park and forest space to human health has been ignored.
Dr. Suzuki and the Blue Dot movement
Save Hawthorne Park has just announced an important ally to our cause. World-renowned environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki will be speaking at our rally on September 16th at noon in the City Hall Plaza. He will speak to the importance of environmental rights, as well as Surrey Council’s failure to live up to its commitments to the Blue Dot movement. The Blue Dot movement is a campaign to support the groundswell of Canadians who want meaningful action to protect the people and places they love by recognizing the right to a healthy environment.
We are asking for Surrey residents to sign the Electoral Response Forms and/or volunteer to help us collect signatures. We are hoping to have a fillable form available online soon. In the meantime, we need to follow the City of Surrey rules in our response to the AAP. Please help as the next park in the city’s road-building plans, might be next to you.
Attached is a copy of the Electoral Response Form and a poster for the Sept.16th David Suzuki rally.
For further information, please contact: info@savesurreyparks.ca or reply to this email if you can help us in this campaign.
Visit our web site
www.savesurreyparks.ca and join our Save Hawthorne Park Facebook group.
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