SOUTH OF FRASER CITIES' COHESION, COLLABORATION NEEDED:
The decades-long void of cohesion and collaboration among South of Fraser cities- at Metro Vancouver and Translink/ Mayors' Council- and when SOF cities lobby the BC and federal governments for grant funding- is the root cause of most of the SOF sub-region's current problems ...
At the minimum, Delta, Surrey, the 2 Langleys and White Rock should establish a formal collaborative structure- such as a:
->>> "SOUTH OF FRASER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION/ Task force"... with a terms of reference that would include:
- Establishing Densification & Economic Development Hubs (town centres) in the SOF sub-region;
- Public transportation and, in particular:
- Technologies to be used by, & Routes for to-be-built Rapid-transit lines;
- Bridges/ tunnels into the SOF sub-region (expediting replacement of the decaying Massey Tunnel);
- Ensuring tolls are not instituted or re-introduced on bridges/ tunnels into the SOF sub-region;
- Ensuring that there are adequate numbers of public K-12 schools;
- Gun/ illicit drugs crime issues;
If Surrey does not lead an initiative to form a "South of Fraser Economic Development Commission/ Task force".... no other SOF cities will....
Roderick Louis - 6 years ago
PART 2
WHAT ABOUT DELTA's LONG-NEGLECTED RAPID-TRANSIT NEEDS??!!
All planning for & activities related to Translink's proposed South of Fraser street-car ("LRT") lines- especially "Phase 1”, should be immediately halted…
... until the economic development- and rapid-transit needs of Delta's current and future residents and business owners have been considered- and written into these plans...
During the past 3 decades, Metro Vancouver’s “North of Fraser” cities have benefited immensely- in terms of economic development- from having a network of 5 LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines (Expo, Millennium, Evergreen & Canada Lines, AND the West Coast Express heavy rail line) in the NOF area… enabling several- such as Burnaby, to build up huge ($1 billion+) reserve funds, while several of the booming in populations, long neglected South of Fraser cities have gone into debt
MV's South of Fraser cities should not be denied the same opportunities as MV’s North Of Fraser cities to economically develop themselves- by establishing Densification & Economic Development Hubs linked by a network of LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines
====
“(Burnaby’s )... high-rise developments are being concentrated in four town centres linked by RAPID transit: Metrotown, Brentwood, Edmonds, and Lougheed.
“’Part of our responsibility to the region is to allow more places for people to live,”... “So... we have designated (Town Centres) for high density: density around (rapid) transit, housing around transit.’”
WHAT ABOUT DELTA's LONG-NEGLECTED RAPID-TRANSIT NEEDS??!!
Extraordinarily, Translink’s proposed "South of Fraser" commuter rail lines- do not include any along or adjacent to the ripe-for-development commercial thoroughfare of 120th Street (aka Scott Road) that separates north east Delta from north west Surrey...
A puny seven-mile-long line- entirely in Surrey (mostly along King George Boulevard & 104th Avenue);
and
Phase 2:
A 12-mile-long line from Surrey City Centre to/ from the 2 Langleys...
Phase 1 should be amended & expanded to include:
->>> A legitimate*** rapid transit line running directly west from Scott Road Station (in north west Surrey) along 120th Street (aka “Scott Road”) & then south along 120th Street (up the hill) past the areas where Delta’s current high-rise developments (and many others) are proposed and underway.... all the way to 64th Avenue, then east along 64th to King George Boulevard, and then north along KG Boulevard to King George Station ... at Surrey City Centre....
*** IE: NOT using 19th century human-driven, in-middle-of-roadway STREET CAR (“LRT”) technology, and instead using: automated (computer-driven), separated from roadway, SkyTrain-like technologies...
Technologies that are chosen for use by South of Fraser cities (not just Surrey's!!) commuter rail lines should result in SOF cities receiving commuter rail lines that are as good as, or better than, the city of Vancouver's and "North of Fraser" cities' 5 LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines (Expo Line, Millennium Line, Evergreen Line, and Canada Line... AND the “West Coast Express” heavy rail line...
Roderick Louis - 6 years ago
North Surrey’s decades-old outrageous eyesore mess of scrap metals dealers, junk yards, sawdust “mountains”… adjacent to Scott Road SkyTrain Station….
…. should be a REDEVELOPMENT PRIORITY for the new Surrey city council- as a city of Surrey/ Metro Vancouver /BC govt/ Govt of Canada mega-project…
Better uses for these incredibly high-potential lands would be hosting University & college campuses; High-tech research & development facilities; Commercial & residential high-rise towers; Sports’ Stadiums; parkland, et cetera
Largely due to being connected to the rest of Metro Vancouver’s “North of Fraser” area by LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines, for over 10-years New Westminster has been, & currently is successfully re-developing its once decrepit riverfront areas into highly sought after locations for residential & commercial investment:
“New Westminster council approved zoning for the largest tower the city has ever seen: Bosa Development’s 53-storey condominium skyscraper.
“The building is part of a project that will include a second 43-storey tower and a three-storey commercial building, all built on the New Westminster riverfront****”
**** Facing North Surrey & its decades-old outrageous eyesore mess of scrap metals dealers, junk yards, sawdust “mountains”… adjacent to Scott Road SkyTrain Station….
Translink's planning for SOF commuter-rail lines should have considered these lines' direct & indirect effects on the eyesore "wasteland" areas of N Surrey that border New Westminster, & how these lines- if built as LEGITIMATE rapid-transit, instead of as street-car (LRT) lines- could contribute to & act as catalysts for their comprehensive redevelopment
Candidates for election to SOF cities' councils should demand that Translink re-thinks all of its proposed SOF commuter-rail projects, eliminates the current proposals for street-car lines, replacing them with LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines..
“Legitimate" rapid-transit rail lines meaning: separated-from-roadway, computer-driven, RAPID; instead of the in-middle-of-roadway, human-driven, SLOW street-car ("LRT") lines that Translink wants to impose on the SOF sub-region…
============
During the past 3 decades, Metro Vancouver’s “North of Fraser” cities have benefited immensely- in terms of economic development- from having a network of 5 LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines (Expo, Millennium, Evergreen & Canada Lines, AND the West Coast Express heavy rail line) in the NOF area… enabling several- such as Burnaby, to build up huge ($1 billion+) reserve funds, while several of the booming in populations, long neglected South of Fraser cities have gone into debt
MV's South of Fraser cities should not be denied the same opportunities as MV’s North Of Fraser cities to economically develop themselves- by establishing Densification & Economic Development Hubs linked by a network of LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines
====
“(Burnaby’s )... high-rise developments are being concentrated in four town centres linked by RAPID transit: Metrotown, Brentwood, Edmonds, and Lougheed.
“’Part of our responsibility to the region is to allow more places for people to live,”...
“So... we have designated (Town Centres) for high density: density around (rapid) transit, housing around transit.’”
SOUTH OF FRASER CITIES' COHESION, COLLABORATION NEEDED:
The decades-long void of cohesion and collaboration among South of Fraser cities- at Metro Vancouver and Translink/ Mayors' Council- and when SOF cities lobby the BC and federal governments for grant funding- is the root cause of most of the SOF sub-region's current problems ...
At the minimum, Delta, Surrey, the 2 Langleys and White Rock should establish a formal collaborative structure- such as a:
->>> "SOUTH OF FRASER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION/ Task force"... with a terms of reference that would include:
- Establishing Densification & Economic Development Hubs (town centres) in the SOF sub-region;
- Public transportation and, in particular:
- Technologies to be used by, & Routes for to-be-built Rapid-transit lines;
- Bridges/ tunnels into the SOF sub-region (expediting replacement of the decaying Massey Tunnel);
- Ensuring tolls are not instituted or re-introduced on bridges/ tunnels into the SOF sub-region;
- Ensuring that there are adequate numbers of public K-12 schools;
- Gun/ illicit drugs crime issues;
If Surrey does not lead an initiative to form a "South of Fraser Economic Development Commission/ Task force".... no other SOF cities will....
PART 2
WHAT ABOUT DELTA's LONG-NEGLECTED RAPID-TRANSIT NEEDS??!!
All planning for & activities related to Translink's proposed South of Fraser street-car ("LRT") lines- especially "Phase 1”, should be immediately halted…
... until the economic development- and rapid-transit needs of Delta's current and future residents and business owners have been considered- and written into these plans...
During the past 3 decades, Metro Vancouver’s “North of Fraser” cities have benefited immensely- in terms of economic development- from having a network of 5 LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines (Expo, Millennium, Evergreen & Canada Lines, AND the West Coast Express heavy rail line) in the NOF area… enabling several- such as Burnaby, to build up huge ($1 billion+) reserve funds, while several of the booming in populations, long neglected South of Fraser cities have gone into debt
MV's South of Fraser cities should not be denied the same opportunities as MV’s North Of Fraser cities to economically develop themselves- by establishing Densification & Economic Development Hubs linked by a network of LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines
====
https://www.straight.com/life/354186/towers-rise-burnaby-all-according-plan
“(Burnaby’s )... high-rise developments are being concentrated in four town centres linked by RAPID transit: Metrotown, Brentwood, Edmonds, and Lougheed.
“’Part of our responsibility to the region is to allow more places for people to live,”... “So... we have designated (Town Centres) for high density: density around (rapid) transit, housing around transit.’”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/what-will-or-should-burnaby-do-with-its-1b-reserve-fund-1.4253774
https://www.burnaby.ca/Assets/our+city+hall/financial+reports/2017+-+2021+Financial+Plan.pdf
WHAT ABOUT DELTA's LONG-NEGLECTED RAPID-TRANSIT NEEDS??!!
Extraordinarily, Translink’s proposed "South of Fraser" commuter rail lines- do not include any along or adjacent to the ripe-for-development commercial thoroughfare of 120th Street (aka Scott Road) that separates north east Delta from north west Surrey...
Currently, Translink’s proposed street-car (“LRT”) lines consist of:
Phase 1:
A puny seven-mile-long line- entirely in Surrey (mostly along King George Boulevard & 104th Avenue);
and
Phase 2:
A 12-mile-long line from Surrey City Centre to/ from the 2 Langleys...
Phase 1 should be amended & expanded to include:
->>> A legitimate*** rapid transit line running directly west from Scott Road Station (in north west Surrey) along 120th Street (aka “Scott Road”) & then south along 120th Street (up the hill) past the areas where Delta’s current high-rise developments (and many others) are proposed and underway.... all the way to 64th Avenue, then east along 64th to King George Boulevard, and then north along KG Boulevard to King George Station ... at Surrey City Centre....
*** IE: NOT using 19th century human-driven, in-middle-of-roadway STREET CAR (“LRT”) technology, and instead using: automated (computer-driven), separated from roadway, SkyTrain-like technologies...
Technologies that are chosen for use by South of Fraser cities (not just Surrey's!!) commuter rail lines should result in SOF cities receiving commuter rail lines that are as good as, or better than, the city of Vancouver's and "North of Fraser" cities' 5 LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines (Expo Line, Millennium Line, Evergreen Line, and Canada Line... AND the “West Coast Express” heavy rail line...
North Surrey’s decades-old outrageous eyesore mess of scrap metals dealers, junk yards, sawdust “mountains”… adjacent to Scott Road SkyTrain Station….
…. should be a REDEVELOPMENT PRIORITY for the new Surrey city council- as a city of Surrey/ Metro Vancouver /BC govt/ Govt of Canada mega-project…
Better uses for these incredibly high-potential lands would be hosting University & college campuses; High-tech research & development facilities; Commercial & residential high-rise towers; Sports’ Stadiums; parkland, et cetera
Largely due to being connected to the rest of Metro Vancouver’s “North of Fraser” area by LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines, for over 10-years New Westminster has been, & currently is successfully re-developing its once decrepit riverfront areas into highly sought after locations for residential & commercial investment:
https://pierwestbybosa.com/
https://biv.com/article/2017/07/new-westminsters-rising-tower-power :
“New Westminster council approved zoning for the largest tower the city has ever seen: Bosa Development’s 53-storey condominium skyscraper.
“The building is part of a project that will include a second 43-storey tower and a three-storey commercial building, all built on the New Westminster riverfront****”
**** Facing North Surrey & its decades-old outrageous eyesore mess of scrap metals dealers, junk yards, sawdust “mountains”… adjacent to Scott Road SkyTrain Station….
Translink's planning for SOF commuter-rail lines should have considered these lines' direct & indirect effects on the eyesore "wasteland" areas of N Surrey that border New Westminster, & how these lines- if built as LEGITIMATE rapid-transit, instead of as street-car (LRT) lines- could contribute to & act as catalysts for their comprehensive redevelopment
Candidates for election to SOF cities' councils should demand that Translink re-thinks all of its proposed SOF commuter-rail projects, eliminates the current proposals for street-car lines, replacing them with LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines..
“Legitimate" rapid-transit rail lines meaning: separated-from-roadway, computer-driven, RAPID; instead of the in-middle-of-roadway, human-driven, SLOW street-car ("LRT") lines that Translink wants to impose on the SOF sub-region…
============
During the past 3 decades, Metro Vancouver’s “North of Fraser” cities have benefited immensely- in terms of economic development- from having a network of 5 LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines (Expo, Millennium, Evergreen & Canada Lines, AND the West Coast Express heavy rail line) in the NOF area… enabling several- such as Burnaby, to build up huge ($1 billion+) reserve funds, while several of the booming in populations, long neglected South of Fraser cities have gone into debt
MV's South of Fraser cities should not be denied the same opportunities as MV’s North Of Fraser cities to economically develop themselves- by establishing Densification & Economic Development Hubs linked by a network of LEGITIMATE rapid-transit lines
====
https://www.straight.com/life/354186/towers-rise-burnaby-all-according-plan
“(Burnaby’s )... high-rise developments are being concentrated in four town centres linked by RAPID transit: Metrotown, Brentwood, Edmonds, and Lougheed.
“’Part of our responsibility to the region is to allow more places for people to live,”...
“So... we have designated (Town Centres) for high density: density around (rapid) transit, housing around transit.’”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/what-will-or-should-burnaby-do-with-its-1b-reserve-fund-1.425377
https://www.burnaby.ca/Assets/our+city+hall/financial+reports/2017+-+2021+Financial+Plan.pdf