When Burnaby resident Ethan Zhang saw city workers circling cracks on the sidewalks in his neighbourhood, he thought they were just doing scheduled repairs.
Then he saw the orange spray paint carving out a trapezoidal chunk of his front lawn.
The lines mark the spot where the city plans to build a “letdown” sidewalk for a pedestrian crossing right in front of Zhang’s property at the intersection of Parkwood and Pinewood Crescent.
While he noted the city had sent out a letter about the sidewalk improvements a few months earlier, the letter didn’t mention what he described as an expected six-by-fifteen-foot concrete slab rolling out on the lawn.
Zhang said when he realized last Thursday the letdown would be built next to his property, he and his wife became “very stressed.”
“They’re just going to do something like this and totally destroy the look of the lawn,” Zhang told the Burnaby NOW.
“In our entire neighbourhood, there’s no such design like this, this big cutting of the existing, perfectly square lawn.”
He said his No. 1 concern is not being given proper notice about the project.
“At the last minute, they add this mark-up to my lawn. … There’s no time for me to show I don’t want to do it. It gives the residents no time to think and ask for a second opinion.”
He said his family has treated the front yard as if it was their own, as he and his wife maintain it diligently.
He’s concerned about the safety for his four- and six-year-old children during the construction of the letdown and for the additional traffic he expects will come when the project is finished.
Zhang is also worried about his property value decreasing.
“It looks like a huge bus stop. Who’s going to want to buy a house (that has) a bus-stop-shaped whatever-it-is in your front lawn?”
He said, while he understands he can see the pedestrian use for the letdown, there are other intersections nearby, and the design seems too large for the site.
The letdown will also mean fewer parking spots for his family and their tenants on the property.
Further, Zhang said he doesn’t see that many people who cross the street at his property.
The City of Burnaby says the sidewalk project is set to improve accessibility in the Garden Village neighbourhood.
Cole Wagner, public affairs officer, said the property is located directly at an intersection which does not currently have a formal pedestrian crossing.
“This project will establish the crossing and improve walkability and safety in the neighbourhood,” Wagner said in an emailed statement.
“We can confirm that all of the work is being done within the city’s right of way and not on private property. Additionally, all residents in the area received notification about the project two weeks prior to construction starting.”
While construction has begun, Zhang still wants to see a change in the design, or even a relocation of the concrete pad.
He said, while the city might insist the impact to his property is “very small,” he plans to fight until there are changes made.
“It’s their property, technically, they can do anything they want. But also, the value should be beneficial to the residents.”
“You don’t have to put it there.”
