Popular greenway park in Maple Ridge expanded by regional district

Metro Vancouver Regional District has provided the North Alouette Regional Greenway with a green space expansion through the acquisition of adjacent properties.

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The popular greenway is located in the northwest corner of Maple Ridge and borders Pitt Meadows, and it includes a shared dike trail used for walking, cycling, and horseback riding.

According to the regional district, the parcel of land was acquired at a cost of $715,000 through the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Land Acquisition Fund. The addition runs north from 136th Avenue and includes Cattell Brook, which provides salmon rearing habitat and is a destination for canoeists and kayakers.

Combined with the nearby Codd Wetlands Ecological Conservancy and Blaney Bog Regional Park Reserve, the greenway is a part of natural wetlands habitats that support several endangered species, such as Keen’s long-eared bat, the southern red-backed vole, and the Pacific water shrew.

The area also offers scenic views of the river, mountains, and agricultural areas.

“We are pleased and excited to have secured such an ecologically rich piece of land which complements the floodplain areas already protected by the greenway,” said John McEwen, chair of Metro Vancouver’s Regional Parks Committee, in a statement. “This property contains important fish rearing and wildlife habitat and is a key component of the Pacific Flyway.”

Beginning in 2018, the regional district doubled its annual contribution to the acquisition fund to a total of $7.57 million each year. The regional district’s park system currently spans 136-sq-km and includes 22 regional parks, three regional park reserves, two ecological conservancy areas, and five regional greenways.