I guess the tax the governments made off all the dirty industries that caused the damage on that site are allocated to fix it.

Certainly, as a tax payer, I don't want to be footing the bill to clean up a mess while some company execs profits from it.

Wait a minute, this theme is starting to sound familiar….

N.W.

P.S. – Will, if it takes you all day to get from steveston to n.w. your buck'n the tide in your skiff.

Great comment! I think you miss understood me. I think moorage there would be a terrible idea. I have handled boats on the river and current can be a helper when docking, but also cause a hazard (current goes both ways on the Fraser, depending on tide). A dock would be expensive, hazardous, ill used and ugly. Not impossible though. I just wish there was one somewhere.

If the Samson V is forced to go… that Dock space by the MN Native would be viable again as the silt wouldn't drop.

The conceptual design has changed significantly since January, but the major elements remain. I am impressed with the combination of green space and built infrastructure, balance between active and passive uses. I am very excited about the idea of having a grass-covered concert space for ~2000 people on the water.

I see ingress and egress issues, as the only access is via the Lorco property. The uncertainties around the North Fraser Perimeter Road were definitely the elephant in the room. But that said, they want to get as much of this in the ground before the Federal funds run out in March 2011.

On Ross’s comments: they definitely want the pier structures to be fishing-friendly. Apparently there are no fish there (they are all over on the other side of the river where currents are slower apparently), but as you mentioned, catching isn’t necessarily an important part of fishing. As for dogs, kids, etc. playing in the water: that is completely off the table. The current is quite high there (4 knots+) and if anyone got in the water, they would be dragged under the Lorco pier, and if they got out of there, they may not have a chance to get out of the actual water until Queensborough. That said, they have developed a floating dock with a place to safely “touch the water”. Not a swimming area, though.

On John’s comments: The same current that precludes swimming makes putting any kind of public docking facility in the place impossible. The current is 4x that considered the safe maximum for public piers, the wakes of the working boats on the river can be hazardous (4 feet or more), and there simply isn’t room or budget to build any kind of breakwater. Sorry, Will. There will be no moorage of any kind.

I also share your concerns about spending too much on this before the NFPR plans are known. But if we sit and wait for the NFPR (or Lorco, for that matter) to make up their minds before we utilize our waterfront, it could continue in disrepair for perpetuity. That is the recipe for urban decay. I think the City is being bold in making these commitments now, and is almost throwing a shot over the bow of Translink and Province, telling them if they don’t define how the space is used, we are going to. If this park is successful (and I have every reason to think it will be) then the Province will be on very thin ice trying to remove it to put a freeway in. That said, the City does seem to be planning for the NFPR as best they can, creating berms to separate the park from the Provincial right-of-way, planning for future access over top of any highway expansion, etc.

Bree, most likely the trees will initially be quite small, at least until they mature.

John, Richmond has quite a few parks along the river, for both swimming dogs and children, that do not have lifeguards. Garry Point Park is just one example.

I’ll be at the open house.

I am in favour of anything which will put NW on the map.
I agree with Will about docking, and add that when boats used to tie up at the Quay, you would be sitting there with a cold martini in hand and it would end up in your lap everytime a tug approached. Most boaters do not like to tie up in open turbulant water. Have they priced a Breakwater? Or is this what the Barge is designed to do?
As for kids playing in the sand on the river bank? It’s a dream. You will need life gaurds around any water area. And by the way, any riverfront park I know of is Muck and Granite…. can’t even throw a stick for your dog.

A real concern to me, as the City continues to squander our tax dollars is… Why are we planning anything until the perimeter route is complete. Will we have access? Will they expropriate a piece of the park? How do we safely approach the park without tripping over rail lines?
As for Commercial ventures for the Park:

1. A doggie wash station….

2. A Medical clinic for those choosing to swim in the Fraser. Could call it “Fin’s Medical Clinic…. Ha

3. A Wheel chair rental company specializing in power assist and hydraulic brakes for getting to/from the park.

4. Food venues are out, the River Market will fill that spot.

5. All I see is the event driven Parks and Rec Unionized hamburger stand making a few bucks.(and competing with free enterprise)

All joking aside I hope the public gets involved! My past experience is, public input is simply a step to doing what they will anyway. Thus the low turnout.
Use our public consultation on taxes as an example… a joke! More hiring and higher salaries smack dab in the middle of a recession…. It’s just not Wright.. It shouldn’t be that way.

That said, there is a BC wide shortage of mooring and NO mooring at all for non-resident boats on the main shore of New Westminster since the docks at the Inn at New West Quay disintegrated. It also needs to be noted that in many boats, it takes all day to get from Steveston to New Westminster. Counselor Bill Harper mentioned the dock would accommodate boaters on day trips from Seattle. While I agree with the need for the dock, I do not think it would cater to folks from Seattle just up on a short trip. Aim for cabin cruisers on 2-3 week excursions or folks already in the Fraser River system.

That is my 2pennies.