North Vancouver should be more concerned about controlling already rapid growth than about spurring mega-developments on reserve lands.
-North Vancouver District Councillor, Jim Cuthbert
Mountain Forest
Cove Forest
This spring Cuthbert submitted a report to council urging redesignation of North Vancouver's Mountain/Cove Forestlands from Urban Residential Reserve to Park, Recreation and Open Space. At the same time, he asks for the fullest possible public participation in deciding the future of the reserve lands. He is sure that this will show strong support for preservation of the forests "and thus avoid the need for further ongoing discussion and expense."
Among the reasons Cuthbert gives for his stand are these:
- The forest areas offer irreplaceable, high quality recreation opportunities, such as hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, nature study and appreciation, photography, cross-country skiing, jogging and picnicking.
- The Mountain/Cove Forestlands provide vital winter habitat for deer and other wildlife, plus many species of birds.
- More than $100,000 in federal money and countless hours of volunteer work went into building the trail networks that make the Mountain/Cove Forestlands easily accessible to everyone, regardless of age, fitness or income, whether residents of North Vancouver or elsewhere in the Lower Mainland.
- Additional traffic congestion problems related to vehicles associated with the projected 2,150 new dwellings in Mountain/Cove Forests (if the reserves are developed) appear unacceptable to the majority of Seymour area residents.
Urban Sprawl in Coquitlam
- There has been a high rate of residential development over the last five years: Parkgate Manor, Mountain Terrace, Burrardview Cooperative, The Classics, Raven Woods, Nahanee Woods, The Legend, Wind Song, Winchester, Strathhaven Estates, Northlands Place by the Course, Tiffany, Pines and more. These residential developments have added thousands of people to the Seymour area, outstripping the District's capacity to provide for basic services.
- The proposed Mountain/Cove Forestlands development would intensify the problems of support services lagging behind population growth. For example, a number of schools have been badly overcrowded since 1990, and the Seymour area lacks such basic community services as a skating rink, recreation centre and gym.
DON’T LET MOUNTAIN FOREST AND COVE FOREST BE DESTROYED BY URBAN EXPANSION
Picture on the right shows Urban Sprawl in Coquitlam. (Click on image for detail).
Cuthbert's views are shared by several other councillors including Ernie Crist, who also is urging the council to end what he calls the "disastrous" policy of using revenues from the sale of District lands to cover current municipal operating expenses.
Instead, according to Crist, any such funds should be used only for legitimate capital projects. He stresses that these funds should not be generated by sacrificing the Mountain/Cove Forests.
