Improvements for Burquitlam on hold

By Leneen Robb - Staff Reporter

Proposed Evergreen Line construction has put improvement plans for the Burquitlam area on hold, the past-president of a local residents' association told council Monday.

Don Violette, who spoke for the Burquitlam Community Association but said he had the support of the Oakdale Heritage Society as well, told council that residents are growing increasingly frustrated as they wait for improvements to their area.

He said a dedicated right-turn lane at the congested Clarke Road and Como Lake Avenue intersection and changes to a "confusing" crosswalk in the 500 block of Clarke are both badly needed, but keep getting delayed as the city waits for the Evergreen Line to be constructed.

The crosswalk, which is near a Dairy Queen restaurant, features flashing yellow lights, instead of the red lights Violette said the group would prefer.

He said residents are also upset that TransLink plans to build a tunnel portal for the line north of the Clarke/North Road intersection, instead of south, which he said would create less traffic congestion.

He added that TransLink representatives told his group building the portal south of the intersection would cost $10 million more, money that's not available. Residents were appeased by the "carrot" of a park on the site of what is now a Mohawk gas station and a restaurant, Violette said, adding that TransLink now says that plan was just an idea and has been taken off the drawing board.

Recently, TransLink announced that it would spend approximately $19 million to build a tunnel for the Evergreen Line near Coquitlam Centre.

In an interview Tuesday, Violette called that proposal "a joke," adding that he believes the Lougheed Highway tunnel is being planned mainly for esthetic reasons.

"We feel we're being railroaded, somewhat literally, by TransLink and the City of Coquitlam," he said.

His group is also concerned about the city's lack of building design criteria for Burquitlam - an area that is expected to absorb significant numbers of new people as it densifies.

"We want responsible development in our area, we think it's going to happen," Violette said. "We just want it done right and we can't do it if the city doesn't have the proper plans."

He said the area needs its own identity, something that won't happen without the city's help, and gave as an example the fact that a duplex has been built on land that could accommodate townhouses - but no developer will want to tear down a brand-new duplex to build multi-family housing.

Violette had a group of supporters at Monday's meeting, who applauded loudly after he spoke.

Mayor Maxine Wilson said the city will look into the concerns he has raised.

"I think you made council and staff aware of some issues," she said, adding that "We will get you answers on all of this."

The city's general manager of engineering and public works, Ken Wright, also told council that changes to the pedestrian signal in the 500 block of Clarke will be in the city's 2007 budget proposal, which council has not yet seen.

While Burquitlam residents say the future of their area is on hold, plans for the Evergreen Line are also far from certain. The cost of the line has now ballooned to $970 million, and TransLink still needs $400 million more before it can go ahead with construction.

TransLink board chair Malcolm Brodie said at a news conference last month that unless the money is found by April, the line will not be built.

published on 11/08/2006