WATCH: A protest is taking shape in Pitt Meadows against a proposed new rock quarry near Pitt Lake. Julia Foy has more.
Several Pitt Meadows residents are planning to protest a proposed new rock quarry near Pitt Lake.
Residents say there is already a quarry near the community of Sheridan Hill and another one near a residential neighbourhood would devastate the area.
The area is surrounded by farmland, mountains and waterways. But there is also industry. On the north side of Sheridan Hill a rock quarry has been in operation since the 1960s. Dozens of trucks rumble through the area six days a week.
Now a landowner on the opposite side of Sheridan Hill, which is dotted with million-dollar homes, has filed an application to start a new quarry.
The Heath family says their property line is just metres from where a road could be pushed through.
Resident Darcey Heath says she burst into tears when she first heard about the proposed quarry. “It just seems unfathomable to think that your neighbour could build a quarry right next to your house,” she says.
Pitt Meadows mayor John Becker confirms the city only received notice of their application from the Ministry of Energy and Mines a week ago.
“It would have been nice had the proponents had the courtesy of coming to city council or even the mayor’s office and said, ‘Listen, I’m thinking of doing this. I know it’s going to be controversial. Can we talk about it? Can we talk about mitigation? What do you think?’ But no, it just arrived,” says Becker.
Several neighbours say the man behind the quarry is Brian Craig. Global News visited his Sheridan Hill home, but no one answered the door or returned a phone call.
Global News did receive a statement from the Chief Inspector of Mines Al Hoffman, who says:
“As part of the review process, the company must consult with impacted First Nations, local government and residents.”
But that message hasn’t reached the 100 or so concerened citizens who are planning a protest for next week.
-with files from Julia Foy
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