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City shifts proposed transit station to King George after cancellation of LRT

Council to consider Newton Town Centre plan in fall
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Newton residents walk through the senior’s centre, checking out the plans for the town centre during an open house on Tuesday, June 11. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

The biggest change in the Newton Town Centre land use plan, says the city’s community planning manager, is the change in location of a future rapid transit station.

Patrick Klassen said the “most notable change, of course, is the suspension of the Surrey-Newton-Guildford light rapid transit system.”

READ ALSO: Surrey council unanimously passes motion to ‘cancel’ LRT, Nov. 5, 2018

READ ALSO: Metro Vancouver mayors cancel Surrey LRT in favour of SkyTrain, Nov. 15, 2018

“Although, despite it being cancelled, this area is still served by the 96 B-line and it is still designated by the (TransLink Mayor’s Council) as a future rapid transit corridor,” said Klassen during an open house at the Newton Senior’s Centre on June 11. “Having that designation means that it’s still an area that both the city and the region want to see growth, so that’s why we’re still advancing this plan. It’s more that we’re setting the groundwork effectively for future development.”

READ ALSO: What might have been in Newton: BIA calls for ‘refreshed plans’ after LRT nixed, Dec. 5, 2018

The future transit station, he said, is now being moved to King George Boulevard.

A summary booklet from the open house says the future station would be somewhere between 71st and 72nd avenues. In the short-term, upgrades are planned for the existing 96 B-line that runs to Newton from City Centre.

With the shift in location for the station, Klassen said the plan has also changed the main density to be centered around the station.

“It’s a long-term plan,” he said. “It’s a long-term transportation location and we recognize that, so really, it’s about setting the foundation for what will be, we think, slow, but gradual development in the area.”

The land use plan focused on growth in the core of the town centre. The boundaries run from south of 72nd Avenue, west of 138th Street and north of 68th Avenue. it now includes a recently expanded area east of 134th Street and north of 70B Avenue.

Residents still have an opportunity to complete an online survey, which is open until June 18. The survey can be found here.



lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com

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A comments board at the open house for the Newton Town Centre plan at the senior’s centre on Tuesday, June 11. (Photo: Lauren Collins)


Lauren Collins

About the Author: Lauren Collins

I'm a provincial reporter for Black Press Media's national team, after my journalism career took me across B.C. since I was 19 years old.
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