From: "Ralph Drew" <[email protected]> To: "Deb Walters" <[email protected]> Cc: "COUNCIL (Inc Mayor & CAO)" <COUNCIL.Inc.Mayor&[email protected]> Subject: Admiralty Point Federal Lands -- Belcarra Regional Park Mayor Walters & Pitt Meadows Council, I write seeking the assistance of Pitt Meadows Council regarding conveyance of the Admiralty Point Federal Lands to Metro Vancouver such that this key component of Belcarra Regional Park is preserved for the on-going use and enjoyment by the citizens of both the North East Sector and Metro Vancouver. Belcarra Council passed a resolution on March 11th and has sent a letter to Environment Canada Minister Peter Kent (Minister responsible for Parks Canada) --- see attached letter --- and has written to all of the MV Councils requesting their support on transfer of the Admiralty Point Federal Lands to MV for park-use by future generations of Metro Vancouver’s citizens --- letter also attached. We have thus far received media coverage by both the Tri-City News and the Vancouver Sun --- see attached newspaper articles. To assist you in addressing this subject, I have prepared the following briefing points for you regarding the 185-acre (75-ha) Admiralty Point Federal Lands: 1. The Admiralty Point Military Reserve was established in 1860 by Colonel R.C. Moody, RE, and today is located within the City of Port Moody’s boundaries; 2. For the past 100 years these federal lands have been used for park purposes by the citizens of Metro Vancouver (MV); 3. In 1972 the 99-year federal lease was assigned to the Greater Vancouver Regional District, and for the last 41 years the Admiralty Point Federal Lands have been under the stewardship of the GVRD (MV) as part of Belcarra Regional Park; 4. The 99-year lease for the Admiralty Point Federal Lands expired in April 2011, and the lease to MV has been renewed on a year-to-year basis for the past two years; 5. MV staff prepared a report (attached) regarding the importance of the Admiralty Point lands to the Northeast Sector’s Belcarra Regional Park, and that report went before the MV Environment & Parks Committee on Thursday, April 12th, and will go before the MV Board of Directors on Friday, April 26th; 6. It is exceedingly important that other MV Councils also pass the resolution and write to the Federal Government (Minister Peter Kent, Environment Canada) to underscore the importance of preserving the Admiralty Point Federal Lands for park-use by future generations of Metro Vancouver’s citizens; 7. The wording of Belcarra’s resolution is: - 50 - “WHEREAS the 99-year lease for the Admiralty Point Federal Lands expired in 2011, and these lands are surplus to the needs of Parks Canada; AND WHEREAS the Admiralty Point Federal Lands comprise a key component of Belcarra Regional Park which is the ‘Stanley Park’ of Metro Vancouver’s Northeast Sector; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Federal Government be requested to transfer the Admiralty Point Federal Lands in fee simple to Metro Vancouver, or lease the lands in perpetuity, to ensure the preservation of these lands for park-use by future generations of Metro Vancouver’s citizens.” Regards, Ralph Ralph Drew, Mayor Village of Belcarra 4084 Bedwell Bay Road Belcarra, BC V3H 4P8 Website: www.belcarra.ca<http://www.belcarra.ca/> Email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Home: (604) 937-0143 Office: (604) 937-4100 Cell: (778) 868-5378 Please consider the environment before printing this email. This message and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and destroy any copies. Any dissemination or use of this information by a person other than the intended recipient is unauthorized and may be illegal. Thank you. - 51 - From: Ralph Drew <[email protected]> Date: 17 April, 2013 8:18:49 PM PDT To: Deb Walters <[email protected]> Subject: Admiralty Point Federal Lands -- Belcarra Regional Park Hi Deb, FYI, below is an updated list of MV Councils thus far supporting Belcarra’s resolution regarding the transfer of the Admiralty Point Federal Lands to Metro Vancouver… Municipal Councils that have passed supporting resolutions: Anmore Belcarra Bowen Island Coquitlam Delta Langley township Lions Bay New Westminster Port Moody White Rock Municipal Councils that have indicated support and will be considering resolutions next week: Burnaby Langley City Maple Ridge Port Coquitlam Richmond Surrey West Vancouver Regards, Ralph Ralph Drew, Mayor Village of Belcarra 4084 Bedwell Bay Road Belcarra, BC, V3H 4P8 Website: www.belcarra.ca Email: [email protected] - 52 - Home: (604) 937-0143 Office: (604) 937-4100 Cell: (778) 868-5378 Please consider the environment before printing this email. This message and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and destroy any copies. Any dissemination or use of this information by a person other than the intended recipient is unauthorized and may be illegal. Thank you. - 53 - March 12, 2013. The Honourable Peter Kent Minister of the Environment Les Terrasses de la Chaudière 10 Wellington Street, 28th Floor Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0H3 Dear Minister Kent: Re: Admiralty Point Federal Lands — Preservation For Future Generations I write to bring to your attention a matter of great importance to the citizens of Metro Vancouver. The Admiralty Point Military Reserve was established in 1860 by Colonel R.C. Moody, RE, and for the past 100 years these federal lands have been used for park purposes by the citizens of this region. In 1969 the 99-year federal lease was assigned to the Greater Vancouver Regional District (Metro Vancouver), and for the last 44 years the Admiralty Point Federal Lands have been under the stewardship of Metro Vancouver as part of Belcarra Regional Park. The 99-year lease has now expired, and Belcarra Council is concerned about the preservation of the Admiralty Point Federal Lands for park-use by future generations of Metro Vancouver’s citizens. Accordingly, the following resolution was passed by Belcarra Council at its regularly scheduled meeting on March 11th, 2013: WHEREAS the 99-year lease for the Admiralty Point Federal Lands expired in 2011, and these lands are surplus to the needs of Parks Canada; AND WHEREAS the Admiralty Point Federal Lands comprise a key component of Belcarra Regional Park which is the “Stanley Park” of Metro Vancouver’s Northeast Sector; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Federal Government be requested to transfer the Admiralty Point Federal Lands in fee simple to Metro Vancouver, or lease the lands in perpetuity, to ensure the preservation of these lands for park-use by future generations of Metro Vancouver’s citizens. Your attention to this important matter would be greatly appreciated by both Belcarra Council and the citizens of Metro Vancouver. Sincerely, Ralph Drew, Mayor Village of Belcarra cc: Hon. James Moore, MP, Port Moody – Westwood – Port Coquitlam Board of Directors, Metro Vancouver Mayors and Councillors, Metro Vancouver Municipalities - 54 - March 12, 2013 File: 3020-01 Metro Vancouver Member Municipalities Dear Mayor and Councillors: Re: Admiralty Point Federal Lands — Preservation For Future Generations I write to bring to your attention a matter of great importance to the citizens of Metro Vancouver. The Admiralty Point Military Reserve was established in 1860 by Colonel R.C. Moody, RE, and for the past 100 years these federal lands have been used for park purposes by the citizens of this region. In 1969 the 99-year federal lease was assigned to the Greater Vancouver Regional District (Metro Vancouver), and for the last 44 years the Admiralty Point Federal Lands have been under the stewardship of Metro Vancouver as part of Belcarra Regional Park. The 99-year lease has now expired, and Belcarra Council is concerned about the preservation of the Admiralty Point Federal Lands for park-use by future generations of Metro Vancouver’s citizens. Accordingly, the following resolution was passed by Belcarra Council at its regularly scheduled meeting on March 11th, 2013: “WHEREAS the 99-year lease for the Admiralty Point Federal Lands expired in 2011, and these lands are surplus to the needs of Parks Canada; AND WHEREAS the Admiralty Point Federal Lands comprise a key component of Belcarra Regional Park which is the “Stanley Park” of Metro Vancouver’s Northeast Sector; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Federal Government be requested to transfer the Admiralty Point Federal Lands in fee simple to Metro Vancouver, or lease the lands in perpetuity, to ensure the preservation of these lands for park- use by future generations of Metro Vancouver’s citizens.” This matter needs the support of your Council. I ask that your Council adopt a similar resolution and write to the Honourable Peter Kent, Minister of Environment Canada, urging the Federal Government to transfer the Admiralty Point Federal Lands to Metro Vancouver. Your attention to this important matter would be greatly appreciated by all of the citizens of Metro Vancouver. Sincerely, Ralph Drew, Mayor Village of Belcarra - 55 - Fate of popular Belcarra waterfront area in limbo after lease expires Fate of popular Belcarra waterfront area in limbo after lease expires By Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun, March 14th, 2013. The federal government, which owns Admiralty Point, has dubbed the 75- hectare parcel at the junction of Indian Arm, Port Moody Arm and Burrard Inlet as ‘surplus park lands.’ - 56 - The fate of Admiralty Point at Belcarra Regional Park is in limbo following the expiration of a 99-year lease with Metro Vancouver that puts the waterfront parcel at risk of First Nations land claims. The federal government, which owns the land, has dubbed the 75-hectare parcel at the junction of Indian Arm, Port Moody Arm and Burrard Inlet as “surplus park lands” after its lease with Metro Vancouver expired in 2011.