Friends of Jackson Farm

Press Release

Contacts: Beryl Eales, Bonnie Allan

June 30, 2006

For Immediate Release

Green Zone Land Grab Attempt

Could it be that development pressure is spurring Maple Ridge Council to conceal the removal of a park-zoned historic farm inside a package of properties that will be forwarded to the GVRD for removal from the Green Zone? If not, then what is the motivation?
"Jackson Farm is a well-known historic landmark. Its removal from the Liveable Region Strategic Plan Green Zone would be one more nail in a coffin condemning it to development as another high-density housing development outside Maple Ridge's current urban boundary" says Beryl Eales, spokesperson for a citizen group advocating its retention as farmland or park. "It will add to urban sprawl."
Councillor Craig Speirs recalls "the Jackson Farm was zoned as future parkland through an extensive public process in consultation with then owner Vin Jackson." Now it appears as though someone is trying to remove it surreptitiously from that designation by removing it from the Parks & Recreation Plan and by forwarding it to the GVRD for removal from the Green Zone.
The 39-acre parcel was removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve in 2003 at the request of the two numbered companies that own it. Rolling green pastures, wetlands, a creek and a grove of black locust trees make the property a charming contrast to the car-lined streets of the neighbouring Albion compact housing development.
Recent Council decisions have removed the Jackson Farm from the Parks & Recreation Plan, although the property is still shown as parkland on the draft Generalized Future Land Use Map prominently displayed at the Municipal Hall.
Eales recounts "Maple Ridge needs a 'gathering place' where we can relax in the sunshine, have a picnic, enjoy nature, be entertained, listen to music, watch a play and stroll over a network of rural trails. Imagine having parkland that is open not densely treed, 39 acres with a scenic view of the west!"
Fellow advocate Bonnie Allan said "We are expecting a large delegation to turn out at the Council Committee of the Whole on July 10 and the Council Meeting on July 11 to express our concern with the process being used to remove this property from the Green Zone and to oppose its removal. We are contemplating a local petition and can use all of the support possible to ensure that this landmark, settled in 1901, is kept in its best use: parkland."
The Jackson Farm and several other properties totalling 78 acres are included in Council's application to the Greater Vancouver Regional District to amend the Liveable Region Strategic Plan. Maple Ridge will be the first Council to seek removal of lands from the Green Zone, which requires the consent of all GVRD member municipalities. There is no plan or requirement that Council add land to the Green Zone to compensate this loss.

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Background Information

The Future of Maple Ridge?

Green Heritage Farm Park Today……Urban High Density Housing Tomorrow….

Background:   Historic Jackson Farm , Albion, Maple Ridge, British Columbia

A well known historic landmark in Maple Ridge, the Jackson Farm, settled in 1901, will be removed from the Liveable Region Strategic Plan Green Zone and be included in the Urban Area Boundary as part of the revised Official Community Plan. The approx. 40-acre farm located at 24554 102 nd Avenue in the Historic Community of Albion is still shown as park on the current Generalized Future Land Use Map prominently displayed at Maple Ridge Municipal Hall. The Green Zone designation is all that stands between this treasured piece of history (that includes rolling green pastures, wetlands, a creek, and a grove of black locust trees) and another high density housing development. A previous Maple Ridge Council designated the Jackson Farm and some adjacent properties as park and as a heritage site worth preserving. More recent Council decisions have paved the way for housing development by removing Jackson Farm from the Parks & Recreation Plan, and supported its removal from the Agricultural Land Reserve in 2004. The Jackson Farm and several other properties totalling 78 acres are included in Council's application to the Greater Vancouver Regional District to amend the Liveable Region Strategic Plan.   Maple Ridge will be the first Council to seek removal of lands from the Green Zone, which requires the consent of all GVRD member municipalities. There is no plan or requirement that Council add land to the Green Zone to compensate this loss.  

History

John Jackson bought 80 acres of land in Albion from William Wales in 1901. John Jackson cleared the farm with a team of heavy horses and built a larger house circa 1910.   The home and property was occupied and farmed by various members of the Jackson family (there were seven children) until John's son Vin Jackson died December 21, 1996, at 92 years of age.  

Following Vin's death there was a legal dispute that continued until 2000 because of a second will.   Apparently it was during this period that a court-appointed administrator arranged to have the homes, barn and outbuildings demolished and the cattle sold and slaughtered.

The Jackson farm was included in the Heritage inventory prepared by Donald Luxton and Associates for the District of Maple Ridge in 1997-1998.   It was also placed on the park acquisition list through a public process. Since then it has somehow lost this status without public notice.  

The Jackson Farm was sold by the beneficiaries of the estate to a housing development company in 2003 at the same time it was removed from the ALR.   At that time local residents and district staff opposed council's decision to forward the removal application to the Agricultural Land Commission. The land was removed from the ALR based on its agricultural potential and its impact on neighbouring agricultural land.   Apparently, the proposal put forth to the ALR offered to preserve approximately one half of the land as park.

Current Context

Presently, Council's application, if accepted by the GVRD, will remove all of the Jackson Farm from the Green Zone and include it within the Urban Area Boundary.   This significant land use change proposal, from heritage farm and park to urban development, is bundled together with several other properties located on the edge of the Urban Area Boundary, and has been described as a minor change to correct a mapping error.

It appears that Council is attempting to quietly remove this land from the Green Zone and expand the Urban Area Boundary within the larger context of revising the Official Community Plan.    

A group of concerned citizens has formed a group to help raise public awareness about this potential loss of historic green space in the Maple Ridge Community.   This group wants to explore options to acquire the Jackson Farm and retain its magnificent beauty and historic values for all present and future residents of Maple Ridge. Interested citizens may contact spokesperson Beryl Eales at 604-462-8554.