Steveston residents get their backyards back - after 8-month fight

The last time residents in a certain Steveston neighbourhood had full use of their backyards, Christmas decorations were on their way up.

Just a couple of weeks ago, 33 homes on Richmond Street and Broadway Street ­—between No. 1 Road and Second Avenue — had their yards reinstated by the City of Richmond.

It’s been a near eight-month slog for the residents, led by Chris Back, who were confounded back in November, 2017 with the city’s desire to cement a 15-foot wide laneway through their backyards to have easier access to its sewer system.

Undeterred by the city being adamant that permanent access was needed, Back and his neighbours – while acknowledging the project was on city land — canvassed around 800 residents in the area to support solutions put forth by Back’s group.

After city staff considered a new round of public consultation in the spring, a majority on city council voted to have the residents’ fences put back up when the sewer work was complete, as long as they got 100 per cent approval from all the neighbours.

“We had to sign a licence agreement contract with the city, which means the city has no liability and we can’t grow trees or shrubs or anything like that there,” Back told the Richmond News this week.

“We are also responsible for maintaining the land. We signed a 20-year licence for $1 each. Our gardens are now back the way it was, all soiled and seeded.”

Back said he and his neighbours are “very happy with the outcome,” but some would rather have purchased the land.”

“But purchasing it would have been much more complicated,” he added.

“A lot of effort was put into this by myself and two other neighbours; we’ve put in a significant number of hours and then there is the time, city staff time and council time.

“I think if city council had given us more time at the beginning, it would have saved some time in the long run.

“But many of Steveston’s sewers are going to go in the next 10 years or so; hopefully what’s happened here will set a precedent and they don’t have to go through what we did.”

City of Richmond spokesperson Ted Townsend said, via email, that the Steveston Sanitary Replacement Project (SSRP) was completed June 30.

“All structures have been moved off of the lane dedication and the yards have been reinstated.

“Our crews are completing some unrelated drainage repairs in the lanes to the east and west of the SSRP.

“All the owners, but one, agreed to an arrangement where, in exchange for a nominal annual cost, they will retain personal use of the laneways subject to conditions as per council report approved earlier this year.”