Editor, The News:
Re: News Views: Stick to the plan (The News, March 7.)
My vision for south Albion is for a much higher and better use of the existing land. This would include dense mixed-use industrial-commercial, as well as high rise-towers, should the landowners embrace this concept.
This will provide the whole Albion community with a chance to get the amenities it doesn’t have now, including a West Coast Express station and an overpass for better access, complementing the proposed (commercial) plans for the north side in the Albion flats.
I see this as our chance to give Albion what it deserves – a truly complete community.
Consultant Paul Rollo’s commercial-industrial strategy proposes lowering employment targets.
This I strongly oppose. Maple Ridge needs more employment – in all forms.
I have supported all the lands identified in this strategy for employment generation.
In fact, I want more employment lands, not less, as some of our industrial base in the plan will be hard to realize, such as the north 256th Street area.
I also did not suggest any more standard (single family) homes, as the editorial stated, as these are well provided for elsewhere. The 160 acres currently provides $1.9M in tax revenue, with 37 acres vacant, 47 acres under-utilized, employing around 1,000 people. I see an opportunity to facilitate a much better result.
I also stated I supported the development of the Fraser River waterfront, south of downtown.
As a proponent of the town core incentive program that provided $100M in construction value from a $1M investment, it is evident employment and a stronger local economy can be achieved with the right plan.
I also see connections between communities along the waterfront.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure lands that lies between the Albion Industiral Area and Port Haney, will assist in achieving this.
I see trails for pedestrians and bicycles along the whole waterfront, providing connectivity between the two.
Densifying along this whole transportation corridor utilizes our existing infrastructure more efficiently with a nice bonus of fulfilling the plan visualized in the province’s “Experience the Fraser” which is a trail connecting Hope to Vancouver.
Mike Morden
Councillor, Maple Ridge