Stephen Rees's blog

Come out and support your neighbours–

It’s time to tell the Province:

NO TRUCKIN’ FREEWAYS!

Attention all! The time has come to bring the Gateway Project crashing down.

WHERE IS GATEWAY NOW?

The government of BC is trying to tell us that the Gateway Project is a done deal. They are doing preliminary work to prepare for the twinning of the Port Mann bridge and are taking steps towards building the massively destructive South Fraser Perimeter Road. The environmental, social and economic effects of these measures would be tragic and irreversible…for residents north and south of the Fraser, through the Valley, and throughout the region.

However, the Province still does not have federal approval for either of these projects, and no contracts have been signed with the companies that will actually do the work. With the Provincial election months away,and federal and municipal elections happening as we speak, politicians are trying to paint themselves “green” and hoping that Gateway will NOT become a big smelly public election issue, so that they can move ahead on it after the elections. So, NOW is the perfect time to bring Gateway back to the front pages – to draw attention to how disgusting the idea really is and to show the region that ALL of our communities, along with environmental groups, economists, decisions-makers and especially VOTERS, stand together to say NO TO GATEWAY.

Citizen action has stopped freeways here before. We can do it again.

NO TRUCKIN’ FREEWAYS!

On Saturday September 27 there will be a giant rally in a park at the foot of the Port Mann bridge, at the point where the SFPR and an expanded highway #1 would intersect. This symbolic location will be a staging ground for bringing together people concerned about all the aspects of the foolish and backward proposal we call Gateway.

The Rally is at Robin Park in Birdland, in Surrey. Birdland, at the foot of the Port Mann Bridge,  is one of the communities that stands to be most devastated by the proposed 80km and hour, 6-lane SFPR highway to accommodate all the new the diesel trucks coming off the expanded Delta Port. Robin Park would be paved over by the SFPR if allowed to proceed and the highway would drastically reduce the quality of life in this neighbourhood immediately.

THE RALLY

Saturday September 27, 1pm
Robin Park, Birdland, Surrey

Featuring inspiration by community leaders, environmental activists, elected officials, and YOU.
Bring signs and banners and drums, tell your neighbours, bring your family and friends! Together WE CAN STOP THIS.
Download a flyer at www.gatewaytowhat.org, to copy and distribute to your neighbours – and check that site for more details.
There will be a FREE SHUTTLE BUS from the Gateway SkyTrain Station to the rally. Please carpool, take transit, or organize buses to the rally if you can!
MAP: http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=robin+park+surrey+bc&ie=…

LAWN SIGNS

Concerned citizens in Surrey and Delta have joined forces to produce lawn signs (see www.gatewaytowhat.org) to illustrate their frustration. The signs say WE DON’T WANT THESE TRUCKIN’ FREEWAYS!  These will be available by donation at the Rally, or feel free to make your own and start distributing them to your neighbours. For more information about Lawn Signs contact ben (at) wildernesscommittee.org.

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT GATEWAY AND ACTIONS TO STOP IT

www.gatewaytowhat.org
www.gatewaysucks.org
www.wildernesscommittee/gateway
www.bridgeviewmatters.com
www.bolivarheights.ca

See you all out on Saturday, September 27, to witness the historic beginning of THE END OF GATEWAY!
…pass it on…

FOR RALLY INFO CONTACT

Ben West | Healthy Communities Campaigner
Wilderness Committee | Canada’s largest membership-based wilderness preservation organization
ben (at) wildernesscommittee.org
w: 604-683-8220 | c: 604-710-5340 | www.wildernesscommittee.org