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1.1 Background
On November 16th 1995, Simon Fraser
University transferred 332 hectares of land outside the Ring Road to
the City of Burnaby.
This exchange resulted in the creation of the Burnaby Mountain Conservation
Area, the most significant parkland reserve in the Lower Mainland, and
gave the University the right to develop land inside the ring road for
a mix of residential and commercial uses, as well as to create facilities
to support academic and non-academic needs. In addition to the development
rights exchanged, Simon Fraser
University was also given a one-time payment of $15 million for its
332 hectares of land. This $15 million forms the basis for the Burnaby
Mountain Endowment Fund, which will be used as the initial development
costs and provide a lasting legacy of funding stability for primary University
programs for many years.
The primary directives behind development on Burnaby Mountain are outlined
in the 1995 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by both Simon
Fraser University and the City
of Burnaby. The document calls for the following,
-
a new dedicated park and conservation
area for the City
of Burnaby, offering outstanding natural beauty, environmental value
and recreational opportunities for residents of the City
of Burnaby,
-
new opportunities for academic enhancement
and campus development focused on Simon
Fraser University, through establishment of an integrated and balanced
community with a complementary mix of land uses that will continue the
University's record of combining environmental integrity with internationally
recognized design excellence.
The Burnaby Mountain Community Corporation (BMCC)
was established soon after the signing of the MOU to oversee the planning
and development of a community on Burnaby Mountain. Its mandate includes
the following,
-
to establish a complete model community
that will complement existing University Development and provide a showcase
for design excellence in combination with environmental considerations,
-
to establish and maintain the Burnaby
Mountain Endowment Fund, and develop other sources of revenue to support
University purposes. Funding sources will come from the sale of 99-year
leases on land within the Ring Road.
The BMCC is committed
to ensure that development on the 200 acres of land within the Ring Road
occurs in a manner complementing the natural beauty of the Mountaintop,
protecting fragile ecosystems and ecological functions in a manner consistent
with the high standards expected of a University community. In twenty years
time, an additional 10,000 people may well be living and working on Burnaby
Mountain. This is in addition to the 15,000 Full Time Equivalents who already
attend the University, and the expected increase in 10,000 students over
the next twenty years.
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