A new neighbourhood is in the works for Coquitlam’s Burke Mountain.
Last week, city council rubber-stamped the scope and process for Hazel-Coy, the first of four new neighbourhoods for the northeast region where the municipality plans to add between 30,000 and 50,000 residents.
Located at the top of Coast Meridian Road, Hazel-Coy was supposed to be part of the original four neighbourhoods for Burke under the Northeast Coquitlam Area Plan (NECAP) that was approved in 2002: Upper Hyde Creek, Lower Hyde Creek, Smiling Creek and Partington Creek.
However, the Hazel-Coy plan didn’t move forward at that time because of existing residents’ concerns about development.
Now, as part of the second round of new neighbourhood planning — under the Northwest Burke Vision (NBV) that was OK’d in 2017 — Hazel-Coy will proceed first with a proposal for up to 2,750 more residents in 950 homes, on 100 developable acres.
Currently, there are about 20 homes in Hazel-Coy — all with septic systems.
Besides the residential component, the city intends to have a small commercial hub in Hazel-Coy plus a school, links to Pinecone Burke Provincial Park and upgrades to infrastructure including an Oxford Street extension and a water reservoir.
In his Dec. 7 report to council, Jim McIntyre, Coquitlam’s general manager of planning and development, said Hazel-Coy was the first NBV pick because of its proximity to existing roads and amenities such as the Burke Mountain Village (formerly known as the Partington Creek Neighbourhood Centre, see below).
As a result, city staff will reach out in the new year to speak with residents, landowners, developers and key stakeholders about how Hazel-Coy should look. The feedback and draft plans are expected to go before council in the summer or fall of 2022.
Others to be consulted include School District 43, Kwikwetlem First Nation and the provincial government.
“We are pleased for the residents to get on with this work,” McIntyre told council on Dec. 14, “and we are glad to kick it off with council’s support.”
Mayor Richard Stewart said he remembered talking with Hazel-Coy residents when he was first elected as councillor, in 2006, and some homeowners “lamenting it had been so long” for development to start in their area.
“This has been a long time coming,” he told council.
Meanwhile, after the Hazel-Coy planning is done, the city will move forward with the other three NBV neighbourhoods, in phases:
• Burke Mountain Creek: Located east of the Coquitlam River escarpment, the city proposes 1,750 new homes for 5,200 people on 175 developable acres;
• Riverwalk: Located west of the Coquitlam River escarpment and east of the Coquitlam River, the city envisions 450 new homes for 1,400 people on 50 developable acres;
• and Goodyear Creek: Located on the west side of the Coquitlam River, the city plans 450 new homes for 1,300 people on 50 developable acres.
BURKE MOUNTAIN VILLAGE
Construction is now underway on a presentation centre and café in the new Burke Mountain Village.
Formerly known as the Partington Creek Neighbourhood Centre, the Burke Mountain Discovery Centre and café will be located at David and Princeton avenues, and are set to open next fall.
When built, Burke Mountain Village — considered the “hub” of Burke Mountain — will have more than 2,000 apartments and townhouses, schools, parks, a public plaza, community centre and commercial space, over 39 acres. The community centre is set to open by 2026.
