One of Maple Ridge’s main nature showcases is expanding again, for the fish.
Metro Vancouver announced Tuesday that it has bought 4.7 hectares (11 acres) of property in Maple Ridge’s Kanaka Creek Regional Park, near 108th Avenue and 240th Street.
Cost for the purchase was $2.1 million.
That will be added to the park in an area where the park is close to the neighbouring suburbs and will provide increased buffer space to protect the area. Kanaka Creek Regional Park is now 446 ha in area.
It’s also near an area where Metro Vancouver plans to increase habitat for young coho salmon in Thornvale Creek later this year, said a news release.
“This purchase adds a buffer to protect the natural area along Kanaka Creek, and supports the wild coho spawning grounds within the park,” said Heather Deal, chair of Metro Vancouver’s regional parks committee. “Preserving such lands is vital to the health of our urban fish streams, and this is especially needed in areas experiencing rapid development.”
Kanaka Creek’s boundaries were also expanded in 2016 when Metro Vancouver added another 4.7 ha to the northern portion of the park near Dewdney Trunk Road. Kanaka Creek Regional Park is now 446 ha in area.
In 2017, 440,000 people visited the park which bisects Maple Ridge and encompasses Cliff Falls, the Fraser River frontage along with trails running north past Dewdney Trunk Road.