A 14-acre light industrial business park featuring accessory retail shops will be built across from the Riverport entertainment complex after Richmond City Council unanimously approved the development following a public hearing.
The main concerns voiced at the hearing concerned traffic congestion.
"The City needs to be aware of the traffic problem in the area resulting from the Riverport Sports and Entertainment Complex, multiple apartment buildings, and heavy commercial traffic (mainly trucks) going to Triangle Road. I have spoken with many residents in the area and they are fed up with the heavy traffic in the area," said local resident Darshan Rangi in a letter to council.
City planners intend to widen Steveston Highway to four lanes in front of the development, but area commuters — namely movie theatre and ice arena patrons — will need to wait until the province builds the George Massey bridge for the highway overpass to also widen to four lanes.
The land was previously zoned light industrial.
