Surrey’s mayor is pledging not to build a road through a school playground in the Guildford area as a part of a major new construction project.
The comments come in the wake of concerns from Surrey School Trustee Terry Allen that the city was planning to build through a field at Hjorth Road Elementary as a part of the 105 Avenue Connector Project.
“They would not end up having no playground for the children. That would simply not be something I or council would consider to be a viable solution,” said Linda Hepner.
The project has been controversial, also raising the ire of community activists upset that it would cut through nearby Hawthorne Park.
Hepner said the plan actually calls for a new playing field and other improvements at the elementary school on 104th Avenue.
“We would ensure that Hjorth Road Elementary is kept whole. They currently have a gravel playing field, not a particularly good one, and we would be putting in a new playing field with the appropriate sight lines from the school.”
Trustee Terry Allen said earlier the District won’t approve any construction unless the field is replaced.
The city plan is to build a new three kilometer road connecting 150th Street in Guildford to Whalley Boulevard.
WATCH: Plans for new road irk Surrey residents
The 105 Avenue Connector would cut through a park, school grounds and some homes’ front yards.
The new two-lane road would include separated bicycle lanes and run parallel to 104 Avenue one block to the north.
The city says the need for an east-west connector has been on the books since Surrey’s 1986 Official Community Plan.
It says with the anticipated 2018 start date for Surrey’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) construction the road will be needed to ensure access to Guildford and Surrey City Centre.