Maple Ridge’s new council is trying to figure what to do with a big chunk of land that’s challenged previous politicians for more than a decade.
The Albion flats, about 130 hectares of low-lying land that straddles Jim Robson Way, north of Lougheed Highway, was on council’s Jan. 22 agenda, with staff asking council what it wants to see.
Once council decides, staff will start a plan that will blueprint development for the whole area that’s currently within the Agricultural Land Reserve.
According to a report for council’s Jan. 22 meeting, the Agricultural Land Commission in 2011, rejected any non-agricultural uses for the north, or west side of Jim Robson Way.
It’s also said that any exclusion of land to the south, or east side of Jim Robson Way, requires multi-million-dollar improvements to land drainage.
Coun. Chelsa Meadus lives nearby and said, “shopping opportunities are in the forefront,” adding that Albion is well positioned to allowing growth of jobs and industry.
“I’m just hoping our council can cut some of the red tape and within our term, see some of the actual fruition of the plan chosen for the Albion flats. Many councils before us have tried,” she said Tuesday.
Coun. Kiersten Duncan added that the ALC has made it clear that it won’t support or allow exclusion of the north, or west, side of Jim Robson Way for development.
“I’m really hoping that this council will support an agricultural hub,” on the north, or west side, of Jim Robson Way.
For the area to the south of Jim Robson Way, Duncan favours a mix of recreational and light industrial uses.
“But it makes more sense in this area to focus on recreational opportunities,” because it builds on the sport fields and Planet Ice facilities that are already there.
But figuring out what kind of recreation facilities would go there would require public consultation again. The city’s recently completed or is nearing completion, on several projects that were part of its current recereation upgrade.
“It will be a really interesting discussion,” Duncan said.
Even a new indoor aquatic centre could be considered for the area. “It would be absolutely fantastic. We desperately need an indoor pool.”
Maple Ridge has only one indoor swimming complex, the 37-year-old Maple Ridge Leisure Centre, currently undergoing a $10-million renovation.
Coun. Gordy Robson notes that plans a decade ago were for a shopping mall. “But that’s not in today’s world. We think we need more a destination shopping area, with some people to make it a community.”
However, he said that development should be planned around transit, noting there was supposed to be a West Coast Express station in Albion.
Staff used the concept plans that arose from the 2010 Albion flats planning process as the basis for its report. The previous council said in 2016 that it supported the ideas from the 2010 Albion flats planning process.
However, council in 2011 forwarded a plan to the ALC that call for development of both the north and south sides of Jim Robson Way. The ALC however rejected that plan.
