To some, it may seem like the “wrong” side of the tracks.
The area just south of the Metrotown SkyTrain station has numerous three-storey, mostly affordable rental apartment buildings.
But it’s become a hot zone for redevelopment, and a coalition of three groups–The Alliance Against Displacement, Metrotown Residents’ Association and ACORN–is fighting the latest rezoning.
They say 109 residents in two low-rise rental apartment complexes at 6380 and 6420 Silver Avenue face eviction if the rezoning passes second reading at Burnaby Council.
WATCH: Rezoning application angers Burnaby residents
The demonstrators, who held a news conference at the corner of Beresford Street and Silver Avenue Monday afternoon, said the Silver Avenue buildings would be replaced by a 30-storey highrise that would be mostly condos, with a small number of rental units most locals cannot afford.
“There are people who are working at McDonald’s in low paid jobs for $10 or $11 an hour,” said ACORN’s Shirley Sinclair. “How can they afford new market rates in the new tower that’s going to go up? They cannot- -they’re gone, and they are exiled from Burnaby. That’s just not right!”
On Monday night, just a handful of protesters showed up at Burnaby City Council, seemingly resigned to the fact that council would approve rezoning.
That’s exactly what happened. In a unanimous vote, council gave the go-ahead for the development.
-With files from Catherine Urquhart
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