Dear Editor,
The city’s stonewalling of residents of 124 Avenue concerned about the proposed road expansion continues the pattern of our current Maple Ridge government’s refusal to listen to citizen concerns, particularly about heritage issues.
The writer of the July 17 letter to The News, (Neighbours seek ‘meaningful consultation’ on 124 Avenue expansion), points out that her neighbourhood “reflects Maple Ridge’s history and character”.
Several years ago, the heritage commission awarded one of the properties that will be affected, Westacres, a Maple Ridge Heritage Award for preservation of a significant landscape.
The road expansion would permanently mar that landscape.
Unfortunately, the city appears to be totally ignoring that part of the issue.
And residents can no longer appeal to the heritage commission to back up their concerns. In 2024, the current mayor and council voted to discontinue our longstanding heritage commission.
Maple Ridge citizens need to realize that their current elected representatives cannot be trusted to have any regard for Maple Ridge’s history, character, and heritage.
Previously, the current mayor and council squashed plans by the historical society to celebrate local history on Maple Ridge’s 150th anniversary, instead spending $350,000 on a one-day concert featuring an Ontario band mostly known for performing Justin Trudeau’s campaign song.
This mayor and council were also deaf to the Maple Ridge Museum’s desperate appeal for an air conditioned archives, needed to stop the irreversible deterioration of many of our valuable historical records.
Steve Ranta, Maple Ridge
Former heritage commission vice-president
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