Hundreds sign petition opposed to industrial barge berth at popular Fraser River park

A proposed industrial barge berth to help build upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant at Iona Beach Regional Park has drawn criticism from hundreds of people concerned about its impact on the area. 

The barge berth would support construction of the new Iona Island wastewater treatment plant, located at a popular recreational area in Richmond at the mouth of the Fraser River. The area is home to migratory birds and other wildlife. 

As of Tuesday evening, 755 people had signed an online petition to "stop the new barge terminal" proposed for a site directly across the Fraser River from Vancouver's Deering Island Park.

The petition says Deering Island Park — nestled on the shores of Southlands, one of Vancouver's most expensive neighbourhoods — is located on a part of the Fraser River that is already narrow and busy. It says the barge berth will add to the risk of more potential mid-river boat collisions and shoreline strikes. 

The petition also notes concerns about air pollutants, noise, light pollution and the impact on fish and bird habitat. 

In addition to the park, Deering Island has more than 30 homes on its shores. 

Residents 'deeply concerned'

In a letter to Metro Vancouver, Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Kevin Falcon's constituency assistant says the MLA's office had received "numerous pieces of correspondence" from constituents "deeply concerned" about the proposal.

The letter, along with a response from Metro Vancouver CAO Jerry Dobrovolny, is on the agenda for a meeting of Metro Vancouver's liquid waste committee this Thursday. 

Dobrovolny told CBC News that Metro Vancouver chose to build a barge berth to avoid sending about 250 dump trucks a day down the narrow, two-lane road to Iona. 

"Obviously that has a huge impact," he said.

The 10-year project is estimated to cost $9.9 billion and will include the restoration of ecological areas at Iona Beach Regional Park. 

The location across from Deering Island was first chosen because it was the site of the berth when the original plant was built in the '60s, when the island was just an industrial site. 

"We heard loudly and clearly that Deering Island residents had a concern with us reusing the existing location because now that was directly across the river from their homes," he said.

There are now three proposed sites for the barge berth, Dobrovolny said — the one across from Deering Island, another further downstream at a Port of Metro Vancouver facility, and a third one in MacDonald Slough.

Dobrovolny says all three options were discussed with about 100 attendees at a public engagement session last week.

'A beautiful setting'

Iona Beach Regional Park is one of Metro Vancouver's most popular recreational areas, he said. The area gets about 400,000 visitors a year.

"It's a beautiful setting," he said. "It's also a location at one of our largest sewage treatment plants that's reached the end of its service licence over the next 20 years." 

Dobrovolny said the new wastewater treatment plant is crucial to make sure it can withstand earthquakes and rising sea levels. 

In his reply to Falcon, Dobrovolny says Metro Vancouver has hired a third party to identify the most optimal site for the barge berth. 

The Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant is the second largest in Metro Vancouver.

The current plant was built in 1963 and serves about 750,000 residents, processing roughly 200 billion litres of wastewater every year.