Surrey city council endorsed “next steps for improvements” to Bear Creek Park as outlined in a corporate report that came before council on Monday night.
The report, from Surrey’s general manager of engineering Scott Neuman and Laurie Cavan, Surrey’s general manager of parks, recreation and culture, asked council to endorse work with respect to environmental wetland, invasive species removal and replanting, parking expansion, walking trails and public seating, dog off-leash areas, and public art.
It also asked council to forward a copy of the report to the Environment and Climate Change Committee (ECCC) for its information.
Coun. Harry Bains asked that the ECCC consult with the Friends of Bear Creek Park, whose efforts to save the park “are not unrecognized,” and “consider their input when developing a finalized list of improvements to be implemented in Bear Creek Park.
“Their opinion truly matters when it comes to Bear Creek Park,” Bains said.
Coun. Linda Annis said she admires the group’s dedication “to keep the park as environmentally friendly as possible.”
“I do hope the city will work very, very closely with them to make sure that we do the best possible job possible in ensuring the area south in particular but the whole park remains as best we can in the state that it was intended to be.”
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Coun. Doug Elford says he looks forward to the 84 Avenue expansion “coming to fruition very shortly.”
“The improvements around the area are really going to greatly enhance the public’s ability to utilize the area. Right now it’s not at that point.”
The corporate report notes that to date the City of Surrey, as part of the 84 Avenue project, has invested $2.7 million in “improvements” that include parking, walking trails, landfill remediation and removing invasive plants in riparian areas.
“The City has an estimated $836,000 in remaining budget towards further park improvements, with approximately $250,000 of this budget allocated towards extending the southern walking trail to the Senior Living Centre at 8233 – 140 Street,” Neuman and Cavan reported.
“Staff are developing a finalized list of potential park improvements for the remaining funding. With the establishment of the ECCC in January 2023, as well as the receipt of ongoing feedback from the public, there is an opportunity for staff to utilize the ECCC to assist in developing the finalized list of potential improvements to Bear Creek Park, within the remaining funding.”
The report indicates city staff will “develop a finalized list of park improvements, in conjunction with the ECCC” and “implement the improvements” this summer.
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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