The Editor,
Re. “Does Lafarge Lake need more paved paths and a bridge to a remote island” (The Tri-City News, March 12) and “Letter: Don’t mess with nature at Coquitlam’s Lafarge Lake” (Letters, The Tri-City News, March 19).
The Burke Mountain Naturalists, a group of about 200 members, would like to express our concerns regarding the proposed changes around Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam’s Town Centre Park. We believe the park has valuable wildlife habitat within it that should be preserved and protected.
Town Centre Park has been a success story: a gravel mining operation restored into a beautiful park. Because of the naturalized forested areas at the north and south ends of the lake as well as the shrubby border on the east side, a lot of wildlife are attracted to the lake. The city of Coquitlam has added many native plants to the park, which encourage birds, pollinators and other small animals to seek food and shelter there.
The island at the north end is particularly important as a sanctuary for wildlife to escape to, away from human contact, a place to rest and sometimes, nest. It is currently inaccessible to the public but people can view the trees and wildlife from the perimeter park path. There are often songbirds, woodpeckers and water fowl feeding and resting within the safe bounds of the island.
Plans to develop the park include a bridge to the island. This would fragment and denigrate this important habitat area and would displace much of the wildlife that currently use it. We believe the island should be left out of the development plans and kept as it is: for the wildlife.
There are currently 77 species of birds that have been recorded at Lafarge Lake on eBird (an online bird database) over the last five years — an impressive number for a city park. Sadly, bird populations are in serious decline worldwide largely due to habitat loss. Our local Audubon Christmas Bird Count this past year showed that both bird numbers and species were down compared to previous years' results. Thus, to support our birds and other wildlife, we see much value in conserving even small parcels of green space.
Many people are drawn to Lafarge Lake because it offers the opportunity to experience nature close to home. How many city parks offer a chance to see an otter swimming near shore, a grebe diving for fish, an eagle flying overhead, a woodpecker tapping on a tree or a beaver sitting on top of its lodge? It would be a loss to the community if the park were to become overdeveloped and we no longer had these sightings.
If you enjoy watching nature at Lafarge Lake, please let Coquitlam city council know how much you value its natural areas, including the north-end island habitat. Lafarge Lake is truly a refuge for animals and people and it needs to be kept intact and preserved.
Lori Austin, Education & Conservation Committee, Burke Mountain Naturalists
