An open letter to Surrey council.
I had previously written citing my concerns as a young taxpayer and homeowner in the South Surrey area regarding the proposed truck park – moved to under the Port Mann Bridge now – and also the absurd placement of the Ebco galvanizing plant in Campbell Heights.
I write you again, in regards to extreme environmental concerns I have regarding the City of Surrey file 7916-0068-00. The application to rezone from agricultural A-1 to 14 industrial lots in the 18700-block of 28 Avenue is shortsighted and, frankly, makes no sense.
The South Surrey tree canopy is being decimated. The air quality in the area due to various industries and increased trucks and vehicle traffic has been notably worse.
I have a master’s in nursing, bachelor’s of science in nursing and two specialty degrees in critical-care nursing – I know how to critically think, and assess data. I recognize the huge impact a loss of tree canopy in this increasingly developed area will have on the respiratory health of Surrey South residents.
I’m sure you or your loved ones have been affected by asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and the like, and hopefully you recognize how poor air quality can exacerbate these conditions and increase suffering of all of our loved ones with respiratory ailments. Your mother. Your father. Your children. Your grandchildren. Possibly even yourself.
I also recognize the impact increased runoff and risk of industrial pollution will contaminate our already-fragile waterways. I grew up on a well, and many homes in the area do not have ‘city water.’ The canopy serves as a filter for our ground water, and the increased industrial pollution and runoff will directly influence the quality of our water.
I am also an alumni of East Kensington Elementary, designated by your council as a heritage school at its 100-year anniversary. I shook then-mayor Doug McCallum’s hand, as vice-president of the student council, commemorating the pioneering history of the school in 1999, its resilience throughout the decades and the huge contribution it has had to the growth and development of Surrey.
That school is something special. There is an innocence preserved there which you do not see now in this crazy world of cyber-bullying, kids growing up before their time and desensitization of our youth.
One of the most special things about this school is its location, which is now acting as a stepping stone for the new outdoor, environmentally focused program for kids.
How many kids do you know who have backyards now, outside of your immediate circle? I met a kid two weeks ago who didn’t know what a ditch was. Think about that.
Concrete jungles. That’s what this area is turning into. I ask that you rescind this proposal and find somewhere better for this new industrial park.
Anna Solbrekken, Surrey