Local residents are objecting to the cutting of trees to create extra parking at the Lynn Canyon Park.
DNV is looking at paving and expanding an existing gravel lot, a plan that has been on the to-do list for the parks for several years. The project will add an extra 33 parking spots with new painted lines and stalls, bringing the total number of parking spots to 143.
But the expansion comes at the cost of trees.
As many as 74 trees would need to be removed, and 80 per cent of them are in moderate or poor condition. That is not true, says Corrie, a resident who lives on Robinson Road, which backs off to the park. Corrie appeared before the council with her husband and said the trees were very healthy and had large, far-reaching roots, according to a private arborist hired by them.
“There is no reason for these trees to come down for a mere 33 parking lot. These are healthy trees and they provide a buffer between the current parking and the neighbouring properties. We haven’t been informed of this and we strongly oppose this,” she said.
She said a real estate advisor has also told them their home values will depreciate anywhere from $100,000 and $150,000. “We are talking about a three quarter of a million dollars of a potential lawsuit in exchange for 33 parking lots.”
She said the district should study how the parking is being used and at what times. She suggested the old Lillooet Road parking area be opened up and another area close by could be used for extra parking spots. “The district should study how to provide better parking without the removal of these large, old and healthy trees,” she said.
Another resident, Kim Hughes, also spoke against the proposal for the parking lot expansion. “The trees provide sound buffer for habitat, wildlife and are important for the owls and the falcons that visit,” she said.
She reminded the council of the climate emergency motion and said the district needs to be environmentally responsible while urged district to look at other options near the park.
“None of these areas were ever considered in these 15 years and residents of Robinson Road were never give any other opportunity for input except one meeting in which our ideas for other locations were completely disregarded.”
My opposition to the plan stems from the misinformation provided about the trees buffering the existing upper
lot and the Robinson Road properties. Not only are these trees verified as healthy and viable, but provide a backdrop of beautiful forestry to visitors of the park, and a sound and vision barrier between the properties and the existing upper lot. The current parking area can be reworked to provide better safety and access and even increase parking spots, but important considerations such as better use of the Lillooet Road parking lot accessible from the other side, use of the existing Ross Road (lower road) for additional parking rather than leaving it closed most weekends, and of course better transit access for visitors, all would improve access and parking in a far more environmentally conscious way.
My thoughts regarding the DNV wanting to add extra parking spots stems from a previous discussion regarding parking in the DNV (East 29th Street). I find Mayor Little and the majority of his Council hypocrites. They site climate emergency when they plan to remove on-street parking for residents but cannot suggest that visitors to the park utilize side streets for parking, encourage visitors to take the bus or ride a bike to the park.
That Corrie and others were not informed does not surprise me one bit. DNV Council is not known for practicing transparent and informative planning. They are certainly not known for providing up-to-date and thorough data collection regarding parking needs either.
I agree with Corey Z. The peak months to visit LV Canyon is in June, July & August. Cutting down healthy trees for more parking spaces for those 3 months is not the solution.
Can’t the DNV lease the Brockton School (off of Duval Rd) parking lot in those peak months?
Lillooet Road has 2 decommissioned spaces that would have ample parking. One used to be the riffle range and the other was used by Scouts and other organizations (close to Freya’s Connector-Richard Juryn Trail). There you’d find the Baden Powell Trail or the gravel path alongside the road which also goes to the suspension bridge, ecology centre and pools.
Funds should be spent on upgrades to the trails, repairing the Bear Trail bridge, putting garbage/recycle bins by each service gate and at the Twin Falls/Centennial Trail open area.