The city of Coquitlam may be moving forward with its plans for a transit-oriented neighbourhood in Partington Creek on Burke Mountain — but getting TransLink to extend bus routes to the area will not happen overnight.
That was the message during Monday’s council meeting from city staff, who said that building wider roads and pullouts for bus stops does not necessarily mean transit will come immediately.
“We know it is going to be a real challenge to get transit there today,” said Perry Staniscia, Coquitlam’s general manager of strategic initiatives. “But in the future, we want to make sure we can accommodate that.”
Coun. Mae Reid even suggested the city consider the possibility of establishing its own bus service — possibly contracted out to a private company — linking the new neighbourhood to the closest Evergreen Line station.
“I don’t know that we shouldn’t have that conversation,” Reid said. “It is going to be years before we get enough transportation up on Burke Mountain.”
Mayor Richard Stewart was more optimistic, saying that by accommodating bus routes in Partington, the city is doing its part to encourage the use of public transit.
“TransLink will have to get its act together,” he said, adding, “Transit is coming. I can’t fathom the day when we abandon public transit in favour of the car permanently. This is designing a neighbourhood for when transit comes.”
More than 150 people attended a September open house on the Partington Creek plan, giving input to the city on what they would like to see in the new neighbourhood. Many residents said they liked the amount of open space, the views, the central plaza and the walkability of the area, while others had concerns about tree retention, density and parking. Feedback also outlined concerns about the potential for buildings being larger than four storeys.
In a report, staff said that most of the apartment buildings are expected to be in the four- to six-storey range, although there are several parcels of land in the north that could accommodate 10-storey structures.
The feedback from the open house will be used in the Partington Creek Neighbourhood Plan, which will provide land use policy guidelines and options for council as it moves forward with the development of the area. The master plan will be completed by mid-2016, when council is expected to consider it for adoption as part of the official community plan.
ANOTHER BURQUITLAM HIGHRISE?
Another transit-oriented highrise development is being proposed in Burquitlam.
Coquitlam council voted unanimously in favour (Coun. Craig Hodge was not present) of granting first reading to a 23-storey tower, which would add 189 apartments and several commercial units along Clarke Road.
A staff report noted that the development will be located within 400 m of the Burquitlam Evergreen Line station, adding to the number of high-density developments that have sprung up in the area with the planned introduction of SkyTrain in fall 2016.
The developer, Magusta Burquitlam One Development, is proposing that the 189 homes will include 20 studio units, 60 one-bedrooms, 68 two-bedrooms and 41 three-bedroom apartments. There will also be four townhouses along Smith Avenue which will range between three and four bedrooms.
The public hearing on the proposal will take place at 7 p.m. on Dec. 14 at city hall.
BURQUITLAM-LOUGHEED PLAN
The city is inviting residents and businesses to attend two open houses on the Burquitlam-Lougheed Neighbourhood Plan.
The information session will have a drop-in format, giving participants the opportunity to learn more and provide feedback for the second phase of the process. Once the feedback process is complete, staff will use the information in its draft plan, which is expected to come before council in the spring.
The first information session will take place on Saturday, Nov. 14 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the gymnasium at Roy Stibbs elementary school (600 Fairview St.). The second will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 4 to 8 p.m., in the gymnasium at Coquitlam College (516 Brookmere Ave.). For more information, go to www.coquitlam.ca/blnp.
@gmckennaTC
