Surrey: coal exporter, climate denier?

December 6, 2012 | Paul Hillsdon

In a year where the American mid-west faced the worst drought in a generation, New York was pummelled by super storm Sandy, and the 97% of the Greenland ice sheet melted, Port Metro Vancouver is planning to accelerate the burning … Read More

Study calls for second district energy system

December 3, 2012 | Paul Hillsdon

As we reported this summer, the City mandated that all new buildings in the City Centre must be built to connect with the Downtown district energy system. The system will be powered by three energy nodes, the first of … Read More

‘Surrey City Energy’ corporation coming soon

May 17, 2011 | Paul Hillsdon

The City is set to launch its own energy utility, Surrey City Energy. The new corporation will run the district energy system planned for the new City Hall site. The network will use a geothermal exchange system to source … Read More

City Centre District Energy system adds to Surrey’s green credentials

February 10, 2011 | Paul Hillsdon

The City is moving swiftly to build a new district energy system in the heart of the downtown. District energy systems distributes thermal energy across a network, heating or cooling interior areas and hot water in buildings. Terasen Gas … Read More

Tynehead Plan envisions condos, freeways, and financial shortfalls

October 15, 2010 | Paul Hillsdon

As we reported earlier in the year, the City and property owners are currently creating an ambitious development plan for the Tynehead neighbourhood, transforming it from a rural edge of Surrey to the centre of significant density and strip malls. Although the draft plan certainly incorporates more modern elements of so-called “sustainable” urban planning, such as natural stormwater management, agricultural buffer zones, and “placemaking”, it remains fundamentally urban sprawl. Worse yet, with a major funding shortfall for the infrastructure required, citizens may end up subsidizing this sprawl!

At full build out, this “Grandview North” is expected to have between 5000 to 8000 dwelling units, translating into 14,000 to 22,400 residents! That’s roughly proportional to the growth in East Clayton. Close to half of all residential developments will be four to six storey condo buildings, with the remainder as townhomes or so-called “cluster” housing. Naturally, the population growth will necessitate three new elementary schools, as well as a “future” community centre (typical Surrey eh?).

However, the fundamental key to making the car-oriented growth possible is the expansion of transportation routes. The highway adjacent location already made the area ideal for more big-box retail and office parks. But to accommodate all those new cars, the City is proposing several major pieces of road infrastructure, including:

• the construction of a new Hwy 1 interchange at 192 St
• a new, grade-separated interchange at 176 St and Golden Ears Way
• A new overpass connecting 93 Ave over 176 St
• A new overpass that crosses Golden Ears Way, paralleling Hwy 1

Just these four major structures are estimated to cost $101 million, of which only $34.5 million would be covered by standard Development Cost Charges.

Meanwhile, building the new road network for the area will cost $242 million, with only $142 million be covered by DCCs. That leaves the transportation bill with a funding gap of well over $100 million. Whoever says we don’t subsidize cars and sprawl needs to wake right up. In the meantime, we’re wondering how to pay for transit?

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Despite the rhetoric, Surrey continues to sprawl

October 4, 2010 | Paul Hillsdon

There’s a growing perception in some circles in the City that “sprawl” is on the decline. What, with the Sustainability Charter and Ecosystem Management Study now directing growth policies, a majority of new housing built as multi-family instead of single-family, the promotion of “green infrastructure” in new developments such as East Clayton’s natural stormwater drainage system, and the City winning the 2008 UBCM Green City Award and 2009 Fraser Basin Council Award for Overall Sustainability, it is easy to think that Surrey “sprawl” is a thing of the past. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.

First, we should define what “sprawl” is. Answers.com says urban sprawl is “the unplanned, uncontrolled spreading of urban development into areas adjoining the edge of a city.” Wikipedia gives us a more specific definition based on four characteristics:

Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses (e.g. stores and residential), and various design features that encourage car dependency.

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Surrey officially participating in Earth Hour

March 18, 2010 | Paul Hillsdon

Earth Hour is coming to Surrey! The global event, in which the world turns off its non-essential lights to raise awareness for, and take action on, climate change, is held on March 27th. The City will be holding a free … Read More