The Livable Blog

Saturday - Tree Planting to Stop the Highway
*****************************************************
With no contractors in place to build the South Fraser Perimeter Road (SFPR) highway as proposed in the Gateway plan but the Ministry of Transportation have begun early stages of bull dozing and laying sand along portions of the proposed route of the controversial South Fraser Perimeter Road (SFPR) highway.

Brad Major, a local fire fighter, and professional arborist has started a small business growing Christmas trees on his families beautiful 1 acre property. Brad lives in the a lush valley close to burns bog which is in the trajectory of the proposed SFPR highway route in North Delta on the banks of the Fraser River.

Brad is one of the residents who have been told that his property will be expropriated by the provincial government to make way for the proposed SFPR highway which would connect Delta Port to Highway 1 as part of the Gateway Project. He was contacted a week before Christmas last year by the Ministry of Transportation by phone and told they would remove him out of his home within a year.

This Saturday Brad will be planting some of his Christmas tree seedlings in the path of the highway as part of a reforestation project on his property. Brad plans to sell Christmas trees to families and then the tees would be planted on his property after the holidays if the highway has not gone ahead. Brads business would help provide a carbon friendly Christmas for families and a healthier habitat for species in the Fraser River, Burns Bog ecosystem.

Drop by this Saturday at 1pm at 11059 River Road for a BBQ and a family friendly tour of Brads property and tree farm. Come see first hand a piece of what is threatened by the Gateway Project highways. Plant a tree and check out where our Christmas trees could go if the valley is saved and the highways are stopped.

Check out this video for more on Brad and his home at risk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC5JYg9rBXQ

Contact Ben West, Healthy Communities campaigner for more details 604 683 8220