I’m puzzled by recent criticisms of North Delta’s appearance. Everywhere I look, I see huge improvements over what it was like when I moved here in 1986:
• Several completely refurbished streets, including 115 and116, portions of 82 and 83 Avenues, and much of Scott Road south of 70 Avenue (how quickly we forget what Scott Road was like well into the 1980s);
• Extensive new sidewalks where there were gravel shoulders not long ago;
• Far more street trees, creating beauty, bird habitat and better air quality;
• Stunning plantings in boulevards, medians and traffic circles;
• Great lampposts, landscaping and hanging baskets in the “Social Heart” along 84 Avenue; I love the library’s floral messages “READ” and “PLAY”;
• Lots of attractive new housing at Delsom;
• Refurbished Sungod Arena;
• Refurbished entrance to the Delta Nature Reserve trail system, from Westview Drive just south of 72 Avenue;
• Attractive parking area beside Watershed Park, on Kitson Parkway, where formerly there was just an ugly road shoulder;
• Burns Bog boardwalk (thank you, Bog Conservation Society volunteers);
• Numerous rain gardens and infiltration swales – Delta is a Metro Vancouver leader in using these landscaping features to reduce pollution of local creeks and replenish groundwater;
• New corner plantings in the Punjabi Bazaar stretch of Scott Road;
• Numerous less-visible improvements such as water main upgrades and left-turn lanes;
• Friendly new cattail-logo signage on major roads entering North Delta – until recently there was no signage whatsoever, as if the community didn’t even exist.
I’m not a partisan of any particular civic faction, but I do feel we all owe a big vote of thanks to our civic leaders and employees of the past 20-25 years who have managed to keep our property taxes relatively reasonable, while accomplishing so many physical improvements to North Delta.
As for individual rundown properties, all communities have them. Some residents can’t afford major upkeep, and others don’t want to spend money on an older home that will soon be replaced with a new one.
However, there’s absolutely no excuse for trash and litter anywhere in North Delta.
Deborah Jones