Jackson Farm and the Power of Money

Hello Scott - I was really surprised that you interpreted my 2 talks at the mic during the public hearing as being totally in farvour of the development of 112 lots - I think if you had heard my complaints about the lose of use of the recreational trail, the lack of access and not being able to use 248th street for the 5 years of clearing, sit servicing, lot creation and then the building of the 24 homes you would not be so quick to say that I had been bought off. I did talk about the ongoing problems, issues, lose of use and the lose of revenue because I was unable to access the Thornhill network, that I use to train my young horses which are sold throughout the year.  Maybe you will remember that I voiced my concern that my Farm and our horses COULD NOT live in a Tiny Town type subdivision nor in Condos or Town Houses.  Yes I did say thank you to the Redmond family for spending time going over the proposed development with me and I did acknowledge that the internal trail would be an extra sales feature and that after 25 years I finally have Municipal / GVRD water (with no thanks to the District of Maple Ridge),  BUT no where in my 2 times at the mic did I state that I supported another 112 homes on the upper Jackson Farm - although I said I supported the lower Jackson Farm being turned into a Municipal Park. I remember ending my comments with " I would rather see 4 lots developed as opposed to 57 lots or 112 lots / homes"  So I am at a quandry where you got the idea that I support this development of 112 lots on the upper Jackson Farm. Maybe because I wasn't my usual assertive and passinate self, some how you think that means I support this, NOT TRUE!!!   There were lots of other passionate, upset local residents who spoke against this development and like many at the public hearing I also would like to see the lower Jackson Farm retained as a Park and so didn't even talk about the issue of the donation of the lower farm as a trade off for the bonus density for the upper parcel.  I am still on Farm Land and will have to contend with approx 230 more vehicles twice a day, and that will mean more garbage, more speeding, more vandalism, more problems. I also stated that if in fact the only access to these 112 lots will be from from 102 Ave and Jackson Rd.  that I wanted that in stone and written in blood.  Sorry you are so quick to condemn me and my 35 years of community work - it just re - inforces what my wife has been saying, we will forced out of Maple Ridge because we will have no ability to access our trails after having lived here on this farm for 25 years. I have stated publicly over the past few years that when I died I was going to be cremated and my ashes spread along the trails that myself and others have worked so hard on,  but I am now beginning to believe that my family will be leaving Maple Ridge because of these kinds of land use issues and the lack of commitment to our Maple Ridge OCP. I have been involved in every OCP public process since it was started in the 80's.  So once again I am sorry you have so little faith. Dave Smith, Tower Ridge Farm