Big park moving in ”right direction”
One of the first things to be built on the Garden City Lands will be a 2.5-kilometre perimeter trail. Later, will come a community hub, farming plots, gardens, fields for passive leisure activities and a boardwalk through a bog.
That’s all according to the Garden City Lands Legacy Landscape Plan, which was officially endorsed by city council on Monday.
It is hoped that the plan acts as the framework for many of the changes that are to come, over the next few years, to the 136-acre park and nature reserve.
Thanking city staff and residents in a news release, Mayor Malcolm Brodie called the process “remarkable,” while also noting the lands are an environmental asset that honours the city’s agricultural heritage.
Jim Wright, of the grassroots Garden City Lands Coalition, was welcoming of the plan, overall.
“Were pleased that it’s moving in the right direction,” said Wright.
Also this week, the final plan to build a major, Walmart-anchored shopping mall across the street from the park on Alderbridge Way went to the city’s development permit panel. That plan showed improvements to re-create a natural “view corridor” to buffer the mall from the park.
“There’s certainly an effort to screen the Walmart from the Lands,” said Wright, noting trees need to be tall enough to hide the mall but short enough to maintain mountain vistas.
Getting cookin’ in Richmond
Do you like food? Well, who doesn’t? But, do you like food truck food?
The City of Richmond is cautiously pressing on with its Sidewalk Vending Services Pilot Project after city councillors officially extended it on Monday at a council meeting. Currently just two mobile food vendors have a licence to operate in the city – Japadog and a roasted chestnut stand, both at the corner of Westminster Highway and No. 3 Road.
“The opportunity for mobile vendors to operate in other city-owned or controlled property will be explored,” stated a staff report to city councillors that was subsequently approved.
City staff indicated there are six other interested vendors.
Citizen scientists asked to join bat count
Got bats? The province’s Ministry of Environment is asking this question to all citizen scientists across B.C. and asking them to register for a bat count at www.bcbats.ca.
Richmond has many bats, largely thanks to surrounding farms and the Fraser River.
The goal of the count is to identify roost sites of bats and/or learn about proper ways of removing the night critters.
Of B.C.’s 16 identified bat species half are of “conservation concern” as habitat loss continues to threaten the small mammals.
While bats may look scary they are typically harmless as, in addition to their good night vision, they use their wondrous echolocation abilities to avoid flying into you. Also, they eat mosquitos, sometimes the equivalent of their entire weight in just one night.
@WestcoastWood
