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2008 News and Information
Terra Nova Park Project Captures Another National Award
10 June 2008The City of Richmond’s Terra Nova Rural Park project has won the 2008 Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) Environmental Award. The Terra Nova project was recognized for its innovative planning approach and use of community partnerships to develop a major new City park, while carefully protecting key natural and historic elements of the site.
“We are extremely proud of Terra Nova Rural Park which is so much more than the traditional city park,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “It is really four parks in one. It will provide great public amenities while preserving elements of the area’s farming and fishing heritage and the area’s critical natural environment. We will even be taking the extraordinary step of safely breaching the dyke so that the Fraser River can once again feed the waterways within the site."
“As well, programs like the Edible Schoolyard and Richmond Sharing Farm are examples of the community working together to not only enjoy this great new park, but use it to provide assistance to others, promote urban agriculture and educate the next generation.”
The genesis of Terra Nova park project began in the late 1980s when a grassroots movement sought to save some of the area lands for community use. A referendum to purchase lands in the Terra Nova area was approved in 1996. The City eventually assembled nearly 40 hectares within the Terra Nova area at the northwest corner of Lulu Island. This included the 13.83-hectare Terra Nova Natural Area, which has been carefully protected and allowed to return to or maintain its natural state. After completing its land assembly, the City began developing the vision for the adjoining 25.5-hectare Terra Nova Rural Park through extensive consultation with the community.
Key elements of the Terra Nova Rural Park plan including preserving the historic remnants of farming and fishing heritage within the site, preserving and restoring existing and natural habitats and promoting urban agriculture through community gardens and other programs, while weaving public amenities such as trails and picnic areas carefully into the natural environment Significant development of the new park plan began in 2006 and is about 60 per cent completed.
The CAMA Awards recognize the achievements of local governments and their chief administrators in the development and implementation of successful programs, projects or services. The CAMA Awards are considered among the prestigious awards for municipal governments in Canada. This is the fourth CAMA Award won by Richmond.
The Terra Nova Park project has also received numerous other national and international honours. Last year, the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association honoured the City with its 2007 Award of Excellence for Innovation for the Terra Nova park project. And, the Terra Nova project was one of the centrepieces of Richmond’s entry in the prestigious 2007 International Liveable Communities Awards, where the City captured first and second place trophies in the United Nations-supported competition.
To learn more about the innovative and unique Terra Nova Rural Park, visit www.richmond.ca/asp/parks/park.asp?ID=80
