An additional 20 hectares has been added to the Kanaka Creek Regional Park in Maple Ridge according to Thursday’s Metro Vancouver announcement.
The forested land purchased by the city is an addition to the north side of the Kanaka Creek Regional Park. It’s being described as a “mature and healthy” block of land.
Read: Our guide to the best parks in Ridge Meadows
“These large forested areas are increasingly important refuges for people and wildlife as the impacts of a changing climate grow more evident in our region,” said John McEwen, chair of Metro Vancouver’s regional parks committee.
The scenic and ecologically sensitive area is a unique addition. It will help maintain water quality of McFadden and Kanaka creeks.
It will add to the existing scenic views of the popular South Martin trail.
The acquired land is located between 116th Dewdney Trunk Road east of 264th Street. The location is perfect to connect hikers and horseback riders to other trails across the park.
“It’s so rare to find an intact piece of forest of this size [that is] close to a rapidly developing area,” said Maple Ridge Mayor Mike Morden.
The addition is worth celebrating as it’s the largest addition to the park in recent years, Morden added.
Over a decade, the city has added 62 hectares to the park which currently ranges over 13 kilometres.
In 2021, more than 673,000 people visited the park, according to Metro Vancouver. And on our Ridge Meadows parks guide, Kanaka Creek ranked at number two, highlighting the importance of this park.
The city bought the land for $2.68 million through Regional Park Find. The investment is part of Metro Vancouver’s initiative to protect sensitive ecosystems by sensitive ecosystems by incorporation into regional parks.
