A group opposed to the extension of David Avenue through Bert Flinn Park is feeling a little more optimistic the roadway won’t be built after Port Moody council approved a study to find an alternative route that will connect with the Ioco Lands.
Hunter Madsen, of the Friends of Bert Flinn Park, said the scope of the assessment of five possible routes for a new thoroughfare across Port Moody’s north shore increases the odds the David Avenue extension won’t survive the process. Though he concedes some of the routes may still have some impact on the park.
“I do have some cause here for hope,” said Madsen. “I don’t think saving Bert Flinn Park is unreasonable. Let’s try to preserve the essence of what makes the park special, minimizing the impact of a road to as great an extent as possible.”
A staff report considered by Port Moody council on Tuesday recommended the hiring of a consultant to assess four possible routes for the new connector route, including the extension of David Avenue through the park to April Road. That route has been part of the area’s official community plan (OCP) for decades, and a rudimentary gravel roadway was once partially constructed. But in 1999, the 311-acre parcel of forested land was turned into Bert Flinn Park by referendum. Since then the park’s network of walking, hiking and biking trails have become beloved by residents and visitors.
James Chandler, the city’s manager of engineering, said the possible alternate routes the study will assess include an expansion of Ioco and East roads, a new road along the northern edge of the park to link David Avenue to Sunnyside Road, and a shorter extension of David Avenue through a corner of the park to connect to Strong Road at East Road. Council added a fifth option that links Strong and Sunnyside roads.
But Chandler said any plan for an alternate route is complicated by the lack of information from the owner of the Ioco Lands about the scope of their development plans for the 250-acre property. Brilliant Circle Group is in the midst of a third round of public consultations to determine what a new community around the historic Ioco townsite area might look like.
“Anything we do is presumptive,” said Chandler.
Coun. Barbara Junker said that’s all the more reason to look at all possible routes with eyes wide open. She suggested if the developer proposes to build low-density single-family homes, there may not even be a need to construct extra road capacity.
“We’re all guessing what they may want to put out there,” said Junker. “We don’t know what the traffic is going to look like.”
Even without new development, traffic along Ioco Road remains an issue that needs to be resolved, said Mayor Mike Clay. That’s why he urged council to reject a staff recommendation that Brilliant Circle Group pay for the assessment. Instead the $77,500 cost of a consultant and staff time will be referred to council’s finance committee.
“There’s a lot more here than simply one developer looking for one plan,” said Clay, adding the cost could eventually recouped when development does go ahead.”
That’s also encouraging to Madsen, who feared making the developer pay for the study might colour the result. He said the parameters approved by council for the assessment, to find a way that won’t impact the park while minimizing traffic impacts on Ioco Road, make it increasingly unlikely it would look favourably at building a road right through the park.
“I think the study’s framework is in better shape,” said Madsen. “All options seek to avoid impact on Bert Flinn Park.”
