Construction begins on Port Haney multi-use pathway

Construction is set to begin this week on Maple Ridge’s Port Haney Multi-Use Pathway, a riverfront active-transportation route from Port Haney Wharf to Kanaka Creek Regional Park. The path will accommodate walking, cycling, running and rolling in a setting separated from vehicle traffic.

The five-acre former log-sort site was acquired by the City in 2021. It lies between the CPKC rail tracks and Haney Bypass to the north and the Fraser River to the south. Mayor Dan Ruimy said the project responds to longstanding requests for waterfront access. Funding comes from the City’s 2022-2026 Capital Plan and British Columbia’s Growing Communities Fund.

The project includes visitor parking, lighting and entrance upgrades. It is intended to improve links to parks, trails and destinations; support recreation, wellness, tourism, local economic activity and environmental sustainability; and provide an accessible public space. It also forms part of the long-term Experience the Fraser vision for a trail network from the Salish Sea to Hope.

Public engagement in October 2023 included a survey and open house. Eighty-three per cent of respondents loved or liked the concept, while 80 per cent said they use the City’s existing multi-use pathway network. Construction is expected to take about nine months, with an anticipated spring 2027 opening. Local film-production staging will continue in the gravel lot along the route. The path will reach the edge of Kanaka Creek Regional Park; Metro Vancouver recently announced a 3.5-hectare park expansion. Details and updates are available at Engage.MapleRidge.ca/PortHaneyMUP.