Hikers, trail walkers, kayakers and picnickers could soon have a new park to visit after Metro Vancouver approved a public consultation plan to get ideas for a new regional park within the Widgeon Marsh Regional Park reserve.
The 626-hectare parcel located in Coquitlam and Indian Arm/Pitt Lake communities would add to the Tri-Cities' collection of regional parks, which includes Colony Farm, Minnekhada and Belcarra.
A spokesperson for Metro Vancouver's regional park system said much of the Widgeon land is ecologically sensitive and includes marsh, bogs, ponds, forests and rocky outcrops but there are parcels already developed that could be for public use and a trail network.
"There are some areas for picnicking — the views from there are really spectacular. We want to be able to share that but it will be more rustic and have less amenities," said Jamie Vala, division manager for the central area.
The land has been acquired over the past several years from private property owners, with about half of it owned outright by Metro Vancouver and the remainder on a 99-year lease from The Nature Trust of BC, Vala said.
Last year, consultants identified the constraints and opportunities for park use, noting that numerous species at risk make their home there, including the Pacific water shrew and the peregrine falcon, and the waters are spawning grounds for a unique population of late-run sockeye salmon.
There are also some topographical limitations to development, such as steep slopes and the fact that there is only a one-lane road through the park, at the end of Quarry Road, which is currently gated.
Park visitors would likely have to walk or cycle in from a parking lot, and while it could also be accessed from the water, strong currents, winds and low water levels at low tide could make boating a challenge.
Still, Vala said the park would be an appealing additional to Metro Vancouver's regional district and would be the most ecologically diverse.
The consultation process will likely begin mid- year and will include speaking with local environmental groups such as the Burke Mountain Naturalists as well as the city of Coquitlam, with the goal of having a management plan that would be voted on by Metro Vancouver board members.
There is as yet no date as to when the park would be opened to the public.
"We need to develop a plan with more specific details in how that's going to work. We are going to be going to the public to find out what their values are for the park and what kind of program they'd want to see," he said.
