Surrey Parks to Improve Boundary Parks Security Site Lines

 

 

by Mike Coates
Boundary Park Journal

August 29, 2013

 

I recently telephoned Surrey Parks requesting,  for safety and security reasons, their assistance in improving the visual site lines along the shoreline of Boundary Lake for the benefit of the RCMP, Block Watchers and residents of the Boundary Park Community.

 

 

As you are aware, in recent months,  there a been a number of drug and alcohol related disturbances on the east side of the lake during the late evening and early morning hours.  These disturbances, in the author's opinion, occur because the perpetrators know they cannot be seen by the Police or Block Watchers owing to the dense brush growing along the west side of the lake.

 

Today I received an e-mail from Surrey Parks (see below)  advising that they will be conducting some light editing of the brush around the lake which hopefully will open up the site lines and in so doing facilitate the safety and security for all residents of Boundary Park.

 

Regarding park standards, to my knowledge, there has never been any consultation between Surrey Parks and the residents of Boundary Park as to what the "standards (Surrey Parks) is aiming to achieve." 

To whose standards are we referring?  If Surrey Parks has a strategic plan detailing the standards for  Boundary Park then why have the residents not been privy to this plan?  

My guess is that there is no strategic plan and that the standards are the current manager's opinion and bias as to how things should look.

Furthermore, the residents at the north end of the lake never received any special favours from the now retired Park's Manager and to imply so would be incorrect. The residents at the north end of the lake were fed up with the lack of  overall park maintenance and petitioned the senior management at Surrey Parks to do something.

In fact it was the retired Surrey Park's Manager, who acting on our complaints, cleaned up the overgrown mess around the entire lake, not just the north end, and at the same time apologized to the residents of Boundary Park for his predecessor's neglect concerning park maintenance. 
 

I for one believe that Boundary Park's primary purpose is for the enjoyment of the residents. The park and lake were designed to be a people preserve not a nature preserve.

 And while I too enjoy wild life, I place far more emphasis on human life.  If a few insects have to be sacrificed to improve the safety and security of residents then this is of no concern to me.  

If some brush has to be removed so that the lake can be viewed and enjoyed by the residents of Boundary Park then this is of no concern to me.

If on the other hand, priority is being given to insects and small animals, versus the residents of Boundary Park then this is a concern to me.  

And if it is the intention of Surrey Parks is to transform Boundary Park Lake into an overgrown nature preserve then it will become a big concern to me and those residents who are in agreement with my point of view.

 

I would welcome your comments and opinions on this matter.

 

End

"Thanks for your Service Request about the Ponds at Boundary Park. I understand that you are concerned about the sight lines around the pond. I can do some light trimming of some of the non-woody plant material in the fall (late September or early October), this will open up pockets for sight lines. The plants around the pond are an important habitat for small animals that the birds and such feed on. Many of these insects need the vegetation to overwinter in order to be there next year. For this reason we will not be fully clearing the pond. The treatment that the northern section receives is due to a special agreement made by a now retired coordinator. That is not the standard we are aiming to achieve for the rest of the pond. There are many residents who value the wildlife and the natural appearance. I hope this answers your question and please don’t hesitate to contact me or our service request line if you have any other concerns. "

Surrey Parks