The following are highlights of the municipal council meet- ing held on Sept. 19 at the Kennedy Seniors Recreation Centre:
• North Delta street gets new name:
A North Delta cul-de-sac will be getting a new name commemorating Japanese farmers who lived in the area before World War II. The road, located south of 92nd Avenue and between Mulholland Place and 116th Street, will be named Sato Place in recognition of 1942 North Delta resident Kaname Sato, his wife Kimiko and their five children. The family lived on what now is 92nd Avenue but were removed and sent to an internment camp in Manitoba, only to later be deported to Japan. Another family sharing the same last name lived on Gibson Road, now 90th Avenue, and were removed from the area as well. According to the report to council, the Delta Museum and Archives have corroborated this information.
Mayor Jackson proposed the next street to be named be in honour of Tatsuro “Buck” Suzuki, a Japanese-Canadian fisherman who worked to protect fish habitats and prevent dumping of sewage and industrial waste into the Fraser River.
• Tax freeze for proposed development on 72nd Avenue
The developer of a proposed 40-unit townhouse development project in North Delta was granted a tax exemption as the site is within the 72nd Avenue Economic Investment Incentive Zone. The exemption allows the taxes to be paid upon completion of the project, but at the 2016 rate. Bassi Properties Inc. is asking for this “freeze” option, as the report to council calls it, based partially on a low environmental impact rating. According to the report, the economic benefits of the project would be north of $350,000. Development will run across eight lots: 11548, 11568, 11576, 11588 and11592-98 72nd Avenue, and from 7176 to 7179 116 Street in North Delta.
• Environmental Assessment for the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project
The Corporation of Delta will pass along its comments and concerns relating to the environmental assessment of the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project. The project application is now within the 180-day review period, and staff’s report and comments about high construction noise, traffic management, protection of wildlife and quick response to spills will be submitted to the BC Environmental Assessment Office. The review period will end on Jan. 23, 2017.
• Syrian Refugees struggling in Delta
Council received an update from support groups regard- ing Syrian refugees living in Delta. Concerns were voiced on how the families are unable to find affordable housing options due to the limited amount of support they receive and the high cost of housing. A letter from Mayor Lois Jackson will be sent to provincial Finance Minister Michael de Jong and federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada John McCallum regarding the ongoing financial welfare of these families given that income provided by the federal government ends 12 months after their arrival to Canada. The Corporation of Delta will also engage with Delta residents regarding volunteer opportunities to support the refugees, as well as become a formal partner with the Delta Local Immigration Partnership.
To view video or read minutes of the meeting, go to delta.ca/your-government/mayor-council/meetings-workshops.
