Many Burnaby Heights residents are against the plan to implement a bus rapid transit (BRT) line through their neighbourhood along Hastings Street to Willingdon Avenue. Residents say the BRT route would remove street parking and would destroy the neighbourhood’s distinct community. Gabriel Hasselbach is the director of the Burnaby Heights Residents’ Association. “It’s a village. It’s a community. It is so different than other parts of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland,” says Hasselbach. The neighbourhood is filled with coffee shops, local restaurants, and grocery stores. “Merchants have already told me that their leases are coming up and they’re seriously considering relocating if the BRT comes through,” explains Isabel Kolic, director of the Burnaby Merchants’ Association. “They know their clientele and where they live.” TransLink has proposed two routes for a section of the BRT line between Kootenay Loop and Brentwood Town Centre. It will either run along Hastings Street and Willingdon Avenue or along Boundary Road and Lougheed Highway, depending on the response from the public. Hasselbach and dozens of other residents held signs saying “Heights is our Home” Friday – advocating for the Lougheed Highway option. “People need this area for bikes, seniors, because all kinds of medical buildings (are) here, LifeLabs and stuff,” says Hasselbach. “We need our parking. This is something really serious to us.” The group has now organized a petition, saying the BRT line would not only negatively impact accessibility, but also the distinct Burnaby Heights community. TransLink says the proposed transit stops are aimed at improving travel between the North Shore, North Burnaby and Metrotown. The transit advocacy group Movement has been pushing for the Hastings route, holding a picnic in the median of Boundary Road last weekend to highlight the undesirability of that location. “We’re here to show that this is not the right place for bus rapid transit. This is not a nice place to be,” said Denis Agar, Movement’s director, at the time. “We want transit riders to be in a much more comfortable, relaxing environment on Hastings.” In a statement to CTV News, TransLink says it “welcomes and encourages members of the public to share their input.” “Feedback will play a vital role in shaping where this new rapid transit service will travel,” the transit provider said. “Once a preferred route is identified, final decisions about road space and design will be made by municipal councils in collaboration with TransLink.” TransLink is taking public feedback until Sunday.
