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Protesters hold ‘yellow-ribbon’ event at Surrey’s Bear Creek Park

People asked to tie a yellow ribbon in their yard to ‘show support for our trees’

Friends of Bear Creek Park held a ‘yellow-ribbon event’ on Saturday (June 12, 2021), with protesters at 84th Avenue and King George Boulevard and 84th Avenue and 140th Street.

People were asked to tie a yellow ribbon in their yard “to celebrate and to show support for our trees in Bear Creek Park,” according to an email advertising the event.

A Facebook post for the event said “If 84th Ave. goes through Bear Creek Park from King George to 140th St. many trees will be lost along with the wildlife that live in them.”

There were about a dozen protesters on either side of 84th Avenue, shortly after the event started. It ran from 1 to 3 p.m.

But there was plenty of honking from vehicles driving by.

Most recently, Surrey city council decided in a 5-4 vote on May 31 to authorize city staff to proceed with “detailed design” of the project and tendering for its construction once the design is complete.

It was the five members of the Safe Surrey Coalition that voted in favour. They’re looking to extend 84th Avenue between King George Boulevard and 140th Street, through a hydro right-of-way at the southern end of Bear Creek Park.

READ ALSO: Surrey council approves design contract for 84th connection as divide grows, March 9, 2021

READ ALSO: Gulf widens over Surrey council’s plan to expand 84th Avenue at south end of Bear Creek Park, May 31, 2021

That same evening, Friends of Bear Creek Park held a protest outside of city hall, with Sebastian Sajda, president of Force of Nature and organizer of Friends of Bear Creek Park, says the city’s plan will “destroy” one of Surrey’s intact green spaces and threaten salmon spawning streams and animal habitat “directly in the path of the proposed road.”

The road is expected to cost $12.25 million to build.

– With files from Tom Zytaruk



lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com

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Friends of Bear Creek Park held a ‘yellow-ribbon event’ on Saturday (June 12, 2021), with protesters at 84th Avenue and King George Boulevard and 84th Avenue and 140th Street. People were asked to tie a yellow ribbon in their yard “to celebrate and to show support for our trees in Bear Creek Park.” (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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