Surrey's proposal for Bear Creek Park connector will result in fish deaths, DFO says
City says it will review fisheries response to its plan and resubmit proposal
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans says construction of an 84th Avenue connector through Bear Creek Park will kill fish and it's asking the city to submit a new engineering proposal.
The city asked the DFO to review its proposal last fall as part of the planning to fast-track the highly controversial road through the park.
According to the review performed by the Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program (FFHPP), a program under the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that helps conserve and protect fisheries and aquatic ecosystems, a big chunk of the work will likely result in the death of fish.
The FFHPP said that while some of the work will not harm wildlife, installing a bridge over Bear Creek, modifying its banks, and removing vegetation can be harmful to the fish, disrupting or destroying fish habitats.
The agency also mentioned that installing a culvert on King Creek, constructing a stormwater ditch and stream realignment will result in loss of fish as well.
The review did not indicate the number of fish likely to be impacted if the work goes ahead. According to the City of Surrey's website, more than 900 spawning chum salmon have been observed in Bear Creek in past years.
The City of Surrey sent a proposal to the FFHPP on Sept. 3, 2021, in which it proposed:
- Installing a clear bridge span crossing Bear Creek including modifications to channel banks.
- Installing an open bottom concrete culvert crossing King Creek, including channel realignment, substrate placement and morphological changes.
- Infilling several wetland habitats and drainage features.
- Constructing new wetland habitats.
- Constructing new culvert outfalls and drainage ditches.
The city's engineering department says its goal is to complete this project while ensuring all "environmental assets" are protected.
"The City is moving ahead with the project and work at the site is continuing as planned in areas that do not require regulatory approval," said a statement sent by city's engineering department.
Coun. Laurie Guerra says that while work is still underway, the city has adjusted its approach to the project's phases, so that it has time in which to submit a response to the DFO assessment.
Guerra says the response will indicate how the city is planning to minimize the environmental impacts on Bear Creek and King Creek.
It's not the first roadblock the proposed connecter has hit since it was resurrected by the current council in February 2021.
The Force of Nature Society, an environmental organization opposing the connector, had filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court to have the parkland areas declared 'impacted' by the 84th Avenue project but the judge ruled in favour of the city.
The same connecter was proposed in 2007, but at the time, city staff recommended council drop the idea because of heavy opposition.
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