APRIL 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Bridge wins land commission support
Net gain touted as win for area farmers
Stories by PETER MITHAM DELTA – A massive bridge replacing
the Massey tunnel is a step closer to reality following the Agricultural Land Commission’s approval of the release of 50 acres from the ALR for construction of the $3.5 billion crossing.
An announcement regarding the decision touts the fact the project will result in a net gain of 2.5 acres of farmland in Delta and Richmond, which has been steadfastly against the multibillion-dollar project. “We anticipate there will be a net
increase in agricultural land in Delta and Richmond when the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project is finished,” BC transportation and infrastructure minister Todd Stone said in a statement. “Other benefits for farmers near the project include better drainage for their fields and congestion relief to make it easier to get goods to market.” Specifically, the transportation
ministry hopes to make 52.5 acres of unused right-of-way along Highway 99 available for farming when the project completes in 2022. Construction is set to begin this spring. However, much of the land requires clearing and some portions lie under
Pre-owned Tractors & Equipment
CLAAS 355 UNIWRAP ROUND BALER CALL FOR PRICING
CLAAS 430S
SINGLE BASKET ROTARY RAKE 3PT HITCH $5,900
BUSH HOG 22’ TANDEM DISK $10,500
JD 250 SKID STEER
NEW TIRES 12-16.5 $18,500 NH H7550
MID PIVOT MOWER CONDITIONER 13’ CUTTING WIDTH $26,900
CLAAS 3900TC
MOWER CONDITIONER, 12.5’ CUTTING WIDTH $29,900
JD 7450 PRODRIVE SPFH 4X4 KP, 10' GRASS PU, 676 6 ROW CORNHEAD CALL FOR PRICING.
3 USED CLAAS SP FORAGE HAR- VESTERS COMING IN. CALL FOR DETAILS AND PRICING
www.caliberequipment.ca
604-864-2273 34511 VYE ROAD ABBOTSFORD STORE HOURS MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8-5 SATURDAY 8 TIL 12
Look to CLAAS for all your hay and forage needs and experience success across the entire harvesting chain. The CLAAS family of prod- ucts offers rugged durability and continuous reliability. CLAAS balers and hay tools have been leading the way with innovative technology and an unparalleled range of features suitable for any size operation.
19
A conceptual photo of the new bridge that replace the Massey tunnel between Richmond and Delta. BC MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION IMAGE
power lines and highway ramps. Public hearings for the exclusion
were not required, explains Kim Grout, CEO of the ALC, because the land lies within a transportation corridor. “There was tons of written submissions but there were no hearings held,” she says.
The commission’s executive committee issued the decision, as the matter was of provincial significance. South Coast vice-chair Bill Zylmans, who farms in both Richmond and Delta, was not a party to the decision. Despite the ministry’s bucolic vision for the future of the land, Richmond
mayor Malcolm Brodie remains unimpressed. “It’s just bizarre; there’s just no other
word for it,” he says. “The 10-lane bridge is going to empty into a freeway that’s 25 lanes wide, which is
See BRIDGE on next page o
First and Still Foremost.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
