Work on a new railway fence in Crescent Beach has started, but not without its interruptions.
Trains through the South Surrey waterfront community have been a , with ongoing discussions revolving around railway safety fencing as well as the potential of eventual whistle cessation.
At a Feb. 10 meeting, Surrey council approved a recommendation to direct staff to , much of it along Bayview Street, in Crescent Beach up to an approved project budget of $450,000.
started March 10, but residents in the area have engaged in what they say is peaceful protesting.
On Wednesday (March 19), two RCMP (Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit) vehicles were on scene at the Bayview Street work site.
Gail Terry, who has lived in her Bayview Street home for 33 years, said the plan has been changed repeatedly without any consultation with local residents, and the current plan underway means she will not have any parking at all. With a 70-year-old house that is legal non-conforming, Terry said she is already losing money from a suite she rents in her home, as the renters 鈥� and she, herself 鈥� didn't realize there wouldn't be any parking available.
"I was told I could go and park at my neighbour's, which is absolutely ludicrous," Terry said. "It's already tight parking down here. They're removing a ton of parking by this craziness. ... I would probably have to park a block-and-a-half away."
Current renters of the suite were supposed to be there for two months, but she had to refund them, as they no longer wish to stay because ot the work and lack of parking.
"They won't come and stay if they don't have a place to park. ... The city did not engage with us in advance to figure out solutions. They've just made this up as they've gone along 鈥� it changes all the time."
Terry also shared that a BNSF official she spoke with told her the fence will not result in train whistle cessation.
Terry isn't the only area resident with concerns.
Deanna Bogart, who also lives on Bayview, said the issue is much larger than a fence or a sidewalk.
"The mayor and council show no interest in listening to the neighbourhood. If it can happen to Crescent Beach, it can happen to any community," she said in an email. "No one on this project thinks it makes sense, yet all continue to say they are taking their orders from the mayor's office."
A new roundabout at 128 Street and Crescent Road will "bring in cars faster than a four-way stop with nowhere to go or park," she added.
"We have a fence going in that accomplishes nothing. We will have paved sidewalks going in that lead to nowhere."
An RCMP officer at the scene Wednesday encouraged Terry to share her concerns with the mayor, city and council, but Terry said she and other residents have repeatedly tried, to no avail, except Coun. Linda Annis, who did respond. But Terry also noted Annis is only one vote on a nine-member council.
"This is why we're out here now, because we have to make our voices heard, somehow," said Terry.
The City of Surrey did not respond to questions from Peace Arch News about the issue, but instead, sent an emailed statement attributed to the city's engineering department, citing legal action as the reason it can't comment on the matter.
"Residents opposed to the project have engaged a lawyer and have initiated legal action against the city. To this end, the project is now subject to litigation," the emailed statement said.
"The city intends to file a response next week in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, which will set out the city鈥檚 position and the key facts from the city鈥檚 perspective. In the meantime, the City will not be providing any comment on this project due to the ongoing litigation."
On Thursday morning (March 20), Bogart said the fence work was still happening, despite she and other area homeowners filing an emergency petition to stop the work for 30 days.
"Crews are here now. We filed an emergency petition to stop the work for 30 days on Tuesday, so that everyone could get look at the actual plan and address significant concerns 鈥� like lack of parking for some homes, acknowledge that BNSF has to whistle no matter how much fence goes up, etc. We were unsuccessful," she said, adding the lawyer "was shocked" that the judge ruled in favour of the city.
"The concrete barriers go in tomorrow, with the chain link fence following later in the day, or possibly at the same time."
Bogart noted there are two legal actions she knows of, the other filed by "property owners whose City of Surrey front yards are being replaced with paved sidewalks."
