Funding to make Terra Nova Park a Reality
09 March 2005
$2 million in grants from the province’s Community Development Infrastructure initiative will be directed to develop Terra Nova Rural Park, announced Richmond-Centre MLA Greg Halsey-Brandt and Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie.
“Terra Nova protects environmental diversity on our riverfront, and reminds us of Richmond’s natural, rural heritage,” said Halsey-Brandt. “The City of Richmond is going to use the grant to improve and restore the beautiful, sixty-three acre park.”
Details of the project are:
- Protection of a grassland bird sanctuary
- Renovations to historic buildings
- Enhancing biodiversity by creating wetlands, hedgerows and woods
- Community gardens and a sharing farm
- Outdoor ecology centre for outreach programs
- Trails and boardwalks
- Public art program will educate visitors about the sites
- Daylighting of a heritage slough
“The City began to acquire property along the edges of Sturgeon Banks and the middle arm of the Fraser River at Terra Nova in the mid-1990s," said Brodie. "Now in a City-Provincial funding partnership, we can finally fulfil our vision for the sixty-three acres, which includes a variety of environmental and heritage uses.”
Announced by the Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development through supplemental estimates to the 2004/05 budget, the $66 million Community Development Initiative provides up to two-thirds funding for significant community infrastructure projects around BC The projects selected for funding come from proposals submitted to government under the Canada/BC Infrastructure Program and the Western Economic Partnership Agreement.