A community group serving residents on Coquitlam's Westwood Plateau is calling on the city for "leadership" to help rebuild a common amenity.
Tom Cox, secretary of the Westwood Plateau Community Association, and association member Lockery Munnion spoke before the Oct. 24 land use committee meeting to complain about the state of a fence along private properties in the neighbourhood. The long fence was built as part of a development agreement between the city and Wesbild, which bought the plateau lands in 1989 and serviced them.
Since then, dozens of homeowners have tried to upgrade and paint the fence and, as a result, it looks twisted and multi-coloured.
"It's not a good look for Coquitlam," Munnion told The Tri-City News. "What we need now is a uniform fence."
To complicate the issue, the fence posts don't line up with the property lines so, if one neighbour wants to tear down and replace his fence, the supporting posts are in the neighbour's yard, Cox added.
"It's such a mess."
Recently, the association went door to door to about 70 homes in the "animal streets" - those with names such as Cougar, Grizzly, Coyote, etc. - where it's estimated the fence has about two years left. Of the 55 homeowners contacted in person, 52, or 94%, agreed that the fence had to be changed - and soon - at their expense, Cox said.
The group also has talked to suppliers and seen alternatives to the cedar fence, including vinyl, concrete and composite material (costs haven't been determined).
As well, it has approached Wesbild "but they said it's not their responsibility," Munnion said, adding, "We're not trying to find blame. We just want a new fence." (Wesbild did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)
Cox said the city could lead the project and legislate a tax assessment on the affected landowners.
Jim McIntyre, Coquitlam's general manager of planning and development, said city staff were working on the file and plan to have a report before city council in the new year to consider options and implementation. Still, he said, the city "has to be careful as private property rights are involved."
And if the program is successful? Cox said the association will look at replacement of the fence along the "bird streets" - Finch, Wren, Sandpiper, etc. - where it has a few more years left then on the "animal streets."
"We want to restore the neighbourhood charm in its entirety," Munnion said.
