Surrey builds business park on sensitive land: Lake drained, fish stream damaged, habitat destroyed

August 24, 2005 -

VANCOUVER – A popular family fishing lake in Latimer Lake Park has been drained and a major lower mainland fish stream has been damaged to make room for a new industrial park in Surrey, the David Suzuki Foundation has learned.

 

“This is one of the worst examples of urban habitat loss we’ve ever seen,” said Jay Ritchlin, the Suzuki Foundation’s marine campaign strategist. “The industrial park is being built right in the midst of one of the few remaining fish habitat areas in the lower mainland.”

 

Construction of the Campbell Heights business park, located at 28th Ave. and 192nd St. in Surrey, has resulted in:

* Water being drained from a lake and several streams that supply water to the Little Campbell River

* Destruction of a designated fish habitat (trees cut, streams covered, spawning areas dug up)

* Drawing down of the aquifer that feeds this fish habitat

 

The Little Campbell River is home to chinook and coho salmon, as well as cutthroat and steelhead trout. The provincial government has listed it as a sensitive stream due to loss of – and threat to – habitat caused by urban development and agriculture.

 

“The City of Surrey and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans are ignoring their own policies concerning fish habitat protection and environmentally sensitive areas,” said Mr. Ritchlin. “Ironically, a photo of the very lake being drained graces the cover of the city’s guidelines for the development of the Campbell Heights business park.”

 

The City’s own development design guidelines for the Campbell Heights business park states it will: “Integrate urban design and environmental protection into the development process by maintaining, protecting and preserving important elements of the natural environment including creeks, wildlife corridors and trees.”

 

The David Suzuki Foundation is asking Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum and DFO to step in and stop any further work that would result in more damage to fish habitat and to publicly commit staff and resources to prevent development that destroys fish habitat from happening again.

 

For more information, contact:

Jay Ritchlin

Marine campaign strategist

David Suzuki Foundation

604-732-4228, ext. 234

Cell 604-721-1536

 

Sarah Marchildon

Communications specialist

David Suzuki Foundation

604-732-4228, ext. 237