Many residents opposed to apartment blocks along slice of waterfront
Kent Spencer
Province
John John Klassen (left), chair of the Fort Langley Community Association, and Doug McFee, a director of the Salmon River Enhancement Society, ponder Wednesday the ParkLane Bedford Landing development that includes the Langley Rowing Club along the Fraser River in Fort Langley. Ric Ernst — PNG
“People are very unhappy. We were promised a Granville Islandstyle destination tourist site when the community agreed to this in 2004,” said Doug McFee, a director of the Salmon River Enhancement Society, on Wednesday.
“ParkLane is trying to weasel out of it one step at a time. We want what was promised, the way it was promised. There isn’t another site like this anywhere.”
ParkLane wants to modify its previously approved plan for the site and build two apartment blocks near the Fraser River’s Bedford Channel, cancelling its plans for a 75-room hotel. A riverside plaza would be moved farther away from the water and commercial space limited.
“I call it a stonewall, both for the way the plan obstructs views of the channel and for the way ParkLane has treated this community,” said McFee.
The development site, which is on the Fraser River’s floodplain, was previously approved for 400 residences, many of which have already been built.
McFee claims ParkLane stands to make a “windfall” profit of $20 million to $30 million by up-zoning the entire 32 hectares from rural/industrial to high-density residential.
John Klassen, chair of the Fort Langley Community Association, said “minimal” space is being given to a potential tourist destination that “could be very great.”
“ParkLane’s desire to reduce public access is disquieting. The proposed condominiums will reduce the waterfront space to the point that it could create tensions,” he said.
Coun. Kim Richter told Tuesday’s public hearing that 70 speakers opposed the project and nine spoke in favour.
McFee said residents demonstrated their concern by showing up to council chambers for three full nights and talking for some 11 hours.
“You have to love Fort Langley. It was a great turnout. The room was packed with 90 people,” said McFee.
“Council insisted on having the meetings at city hall, rather than in Fort Langley, where meetings are more convenient for the community,” he said.
Klassen said he hopes council takes the public hearings “seriously” and will turn the proposal down.
“I still want to think I trust councillors enough to make the right decision,” he said.
In a 346-page application, ParkLane proposes to build 77 apartments in the 23200-block Billy Brown Road.
ParkLane, which needs rezoning approval, says the public would get 15 hectares of public space and parks, a dredged channel for rowing, a $100,000 water sports stowage area and $150,000 for parks.
Fort Langley’s Business Improvement Association said it believes, as does ParkLane, that a “large hotel would not be financially viable.”
“Although the massing of the building is large for Fort Langley, we understand that when you give up more than 50 per cent of your land for public spaces, you have to balance this off on another part of your development,” said business chair Stan Duckworth.
Staff are “supportive of the development” because they say it fits with the community’s long-term plans.
Councillors, who are not allowed to offer opinions during the public hearing process, were not available for comment.
The proposal will come back to council on July 5, likely for a vote on whether to grant conditional approval.
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