Both sides now

The big issue in the Lower Mainland this week in real estate and agricultural circles alike is the fate of Barnston Island, a 1,300-acre tract of land east of Vancouver in the Fraser River. An application by the island’s largest landowners (not necessarily the majority of residents), proposes developing industrial space on 85 per cent of the island that lies outside the local First Nations reserve. First, however, the proponents have to get permission to remove the land from British Columbia’s Agricultural Land Reserve. Applications for exclusion always provoke strong feelings, and it was no surprise to see about 250 people show up for a public information meeting last night. There were many familiar faces. The gathering lasted well into the evening; after I got home at 11:30pm, I read a radio report indicating that the meeting continued past midnight.

In other news, I wrote story this week on development opportunities at local airports for Business in Vancouver and completed a package of stories from last week’s Festival of Architecture for the Journal of Commerce. Working to the strains of a CD of organ works attributed to J.S. Bach, discovered this past weekend at the annual CD sale of the Early Music Vancouver society, has been pleasant.