IMBA Canada BC Rep Blog

Many of us have ridden our bikes or walked our dogs or fished for trout and otherwise enjoyed the Stokes Pit /Latimer Lake area for many years.  In fact, this is an area where SORCE has had plans to build a second BikePark put on the back burner for the past 4 years (thanks Ty!).

The City began Phase One of the Campbell Heights development in 2005 by turning much of this natural area into an industrial site-the results of which can be seen by driving to 28th St. Once touted as beacon of high tech, this industrial park has become a sea of vacant warehouses and has not provided the quality job market as promised, yet Phase Two is ready to go ahead and only a public outcry will influence the city developers.

Biologist John Werring of the Suzuki Foundation described Phase One development as “the worst example of urban habitat loss” he had ever seen.   Wildlife has been displaced and killed, the number of salmon in the Little Campbell River has been reduced, acres of forested areas have been cut down, the water table has been upset transforming Latimer Lake into a mud puddle and affecting local residents’ water, and our trail network was cut by half. “Don’t let Phase Two take what is left!” 

This area is what Sunnyside Acres was nearly 20 years ago, when the City of Surrey planned on developing Sunnyside into shopping malls, hotels, and golf courses.  At that time the local residents fought to retain it as an Urban Forest.  You can see the benefits of their actions today whenever you drop-in to the Bike Park.

Help support a more environmentally friendly approach to this development that will sustain, not destroy, the natural habitat and wildlife, and save a natural recreational area for ourselves and future generations.

Come to the Public Meeting on Thursday, March 6 (the Mayor and others have been invited) where you will learn more about the drastic changes being made to South Surrey. Help make Surrey the City of Parks and not the City of Industrial Parks. We’re trying to get as many people to attend the meeting as possible-don’t forget that this is an election year in Surrey, so bring your family and friends too. Remember, think globally-act locally.

For additional information please contact Barry (SORCE) at barryd@southsurreycycles.com, or phone (during the day) at 531-5004

Thanks for your support

Barry Dalziel

It’s official; today is the launch of the BC Rep blog for all things IMBA. I’ve been testing out another blog for a few months now with the blessings of IMBA HQ but, it wasn’t really official.

The purpose of this blog is to further advocacy in order to promote mountain bicycling opportunities and sustainable trails. So expect to see and hear of issues facing the mountain bike community across the province right here. BC is a huge province and obviously as a volunteer I can’t know what’s going on in every region. If you need some help, let me know and I’ll do my best to assist you.