Coquitlam proposes wildlife corridor along Partington Creek

Coquitlam is proposing a wildlife corridor along Partington Creek on Burke Mountain to preserve a connection between Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, Minnekhada Regional Park and nearby green spaces. The area includes a salmon-bearing creek and habitat for a range of wildlife.

A 15-month City-commissioned monitoring study collected more than 400,000 images from motion-activated cameras and documented 57 species, including provincially and federally listed species at risk. It also recorded more than 31,000 black-bear images across more than 2,600 independent events.

The first phase would be secured between Cedar Drive and Victoria Drive as part of a proposed townhouse development. It includes a 50-metre-wide corridor along the creek, expanding to 100 metres at a wildlife hot spot identified in the study. Lands surrounding the creek would be transferred to City ownership and designated as parkland, while Knoll Park would also be expanded.

The corridor is being secured through three development projects that include more than 400 townhouse units, transportation improvements and additional park dedication. The first proposal received first reading May 25 and second and third readings after a June 22 public hearing. If it proceeds, the City says about 30 per cent of the identified corridor will be protected.