The Editor,
Re. “Oakdale area fights changes that come with Evergreen” (The Tri-City News, Oct. 28).
It is good to see the people of Burquitlam speaking out in your paper about the big “D” — the densification of their community.
It is more surprising that they now finally have the ear of our city council.
The good people of this nice family area know they will soon be bathed in shadows and crushed by traffic, with added costs that come from greater density. I have coffee with buddies who lived in Burnaby and one of them moved here recently and is very glad to get away from the Brentwood area.
One of the time-tested ways of the city moving forward is to create community task committees. This gives counsellors something important to do along with staffers. Residents take a look at various issues and provide recommendations. This is all good stuff and hopefully should provide clear direction for council.
Now let’s take a look at a huge cost example that has gone sideways. How about Tsawwassen. Now you may say, “That’s not our problem” but it is another driving force that is connected to a $4-billion dollar bridge cost that you and I will pay in tax dollars that should go to health care and education. We already have paid in the massive loss of farm land regardless of ownership and now more crazy traffic conflicts.
We are caught in a time warp by thousands of cars and governments that have no foresight to see that the only answer is rapid transit and no more 10-lane toll highways. Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore spoke against this massive bridge plan but it seems now to be a done deal.
I expect there will be bankrupt businesses before all the condos reach for the sky and a new dedicated detour road to the ferry is built.
Brian Robinson Coquitlam
