Canadian Pacific warns Arbutus corridor residents of coming train traffic

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      Canadian Pacific has sent a letter to Arbutus corridor residents warning of upcoming train traffic on its controversial railway line.

      The 11-kilometre line, formerly bordered by a series of long-term community gardens (Maple, Pine Street, and Cypress) that CP ripped out in March this year, lay dormant for 13 years before purchase negotiations between the City of Vancouver and CP broke off near the end of summer last year.

      CP was accused by critics, including Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, of "bullying tactics" in the garden demolitions in order to pressure the city into upping its purchase offer, which was flatly rejected by CP.

      Robertson said the city offered "fair market value" and that CP wanted a price in the range of $100 million, which included development value. CPR CEO Hunter Harrison has estimated that the corridor is worth at least $400 million.

      The letter states that the tracks and 18.8 hectares of land, for which CP paid about $40,000 in taxes in 2013, are now "ready for commencement of operations".

      "We will commence transporting and storing rail cars on the tracks in the coming weeks," the notice says. 

      It goes on to warn residents that it is now "illegal to walk, drive or cycle on or alongside the railway line".

      The notice states that anyone who has "questions about our work along the Arbutus corridor" should call its "Community Connect team" at 1-800-766-7912 or email to community_connect@cpr.ca.

      CPR's Harrison earned $17.6 million in 2014, according to CP.

      Comments

      4 Comments

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      Jun 30, 2015 at 4:06pm

      It's their land, they can do what they want. Of course, that won't stop the whining.

      What's wrong with this picture?

      Jun 30, 2015 at 4:21pm

      So if the property is worth $400,000,000 and as Vancouver taxpayers are assessed at one percent property tax then the CPR should therefore be paying $4,000,000 in tax to the city of Vancouver and not $40,000.

      Trains rolling thru EastVan

      Jun 30, 2015 at 4:39pm

      The sounds of passing rail cars are a fact of life in a port city.

      Trains roll thru many neighbourhoods in EastVan, including Grandview-Woodland, Hastings-Sunrise and Killarney. It's a fact of life if you live near a rail corridor.

      A word of advice to Westsiders: Get over it.

      JackBeNimble

      Jun 30, 2015 at 9:04pm

      Spin so people don't know how bad things really are, Soon coming to you coal by the freight load