Council adds to park

Council briefs by Dan Hilborn
Published Aug. 30, 2006


A small park being built in the middle of a new central Burnaby subdivision has grown, even before its official opening.

Burnaby council passed a resolution on Aug. 21 that will add three city-owned properties on Canada Way into the Wilton Avenue parksite.

The enlarged park will provide greater protection for a small watercourse that runs through the neighbourhood, and allow city hall to sell at least one other city-owned lot in the area west of Rayside Avenue, near the bottom of the Canada Way hill.

A parks department report on the project said the addition of the three properties will increase the size of the park by about 15 per cent, to 1.43 hectares (3.5 acres).

The report also notes that its future development may include facilities and amenities for the surrounding community, especially for youth and seniors.

Council agreed to either sell, relocate or demolish the city- owned building at 7975 Graham Ave., to accommodate an expansion of a small park in southeast Burnaby.

The 57-year-old home has 800 square feet of living space and is considered to be in poor to fair condition. After the aging building is either sold or demolished, the property will be kept vacant until the land assembly for the park is completed.

Burnaby is also proposing the sale or demolition of a 45-year- old home and outbuilding at 4940 Claude Ave. as part of a long-term plan to build a linear park beside the creek the connects Burnaby and Deer lakes.

The property will then be kept vacant until the city can fit the creek enhancement project into its capital budget program.

CITY OKS FEE HIKES

The cost of local area improvements such as new street lights, paving of streets and lanes and the installation of traffic calming measures is going up in Burnaby.

At its Aug. 21 meeting, Burnaby council approved a series of fee increases for when a majority of area neighbours agree to pay for improvements to their street.

According to a report from the city engineering department, Burnaby has charged the cost of these street improvements to the local homeowners based on how many linear feet of frontage their property has on the street in question.

For instance, the cost of paving a street complete with curbs and walkways, will rise from $7.75 per foot of frontage to $9 per foot, over a 15 year amortization period.

Concrete sidewalks will cost local homeowners $3 per foot of frontage over 15 years, while asphalt sidewalks will cost $3.50 per foot over 10 years.

New streetlights will cost $2.75 per foot over 10 years, while lane paving will cost $5 per foot over five years.

Sidewalk crossings will now cost residential property owners $14 apiece while business owners will pay $60 over a 15-year period.