A Walnut Grove resident living near a proposed oil pipeline route isn’t happy about the idea.
Eric Bickle lives in the 8880 block of 216th Street, near the Redwoods Golf Course.
At the Feb. 3 Township council meeting, he said he and his family are concerned about the possible impacts of the proposed Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline project.
The existing pipeline was built in the 1950s and runs under parts of Walnut Grove. Kinder Morgan has suggested several possible alternate routes as they apply to almost triple the capacity of the pipeline, which runs between Alberta and a Burnaby oil refinery.
One of those routes would go directly under the farmlands of the Salmon River floodplain to the west of the village of Fort Langley. That route has already drawn opposition from farm owners.
The other routes would go under the Redwoods Golf Course, a property that is destined to eventually become a Township park.
“The route being studied would have a direct impact on the quality of life for the affected homeowners,†Bickle said. “Property values will decrease, and many homes could be as close as 20 metres to the pipeline.â€
There could be tree removal, slope reconstruction, and landscape changes, Bickles aid.
A loss of trees might have privacy implications for residents near the golf course, he said.
He also pointed to nearby elementary schools.
“I would like to request that the Township work with Kinder Morgan to ensure that any pipeline through the golf course is routed well away from Walnut Grove homeowners, he said.
The National Energy Board is to oversee hearings into the entire pipeline route.
Langley Township and the provincial government have already signed up as intervenors in the hearing process, meaning they can present evidence and opinions about the proposed pipeline and its route.