METRO VANCOUVER, July 16, 2013: The City of Surrey has rejected a controversial proposal by a Hindu temple and a Sikh gurdwara to pave over a part of Bear Creek Park for a 100-stall parking lot.

Owen Croy, manager of parks, said the city isn't prepared to provide a licence agreement for the Laxmi Narayan Mandir and Gurdwara Sahib Brookside to construct a lot on city parkland - even though the temples agreed to cover the estimated $400,000 cost and make it a public lot.

"We've made a decision to not proceed with a licence agreement at this time," Croy said. "We want to preserve the parkland we have and expand our inventory of parks, and this would be contrary to it."

Members of the temples in the 8300-block of 140th Street brought their proposal to the city after a series of special events highlighted a parking shortage between the places of worship. The proposal was hotly debated at a well-attended open house in May, and staff took concerns raised by residents at that meeting into consideration with their decision.

Croy noted that from the city's observations, there is already sufficient parking for park patrons - with a 56-stall lot already in place between the temples - and that it's rare for both temples and the next-door Bear Creek Community Church to have events at the same time.

"As the individual religious institutions seldom ever have big events all at the same time on the same day, (we ask that) the Christian church, the Sikh gurdwara and the Hindu mandir all co-operate to share parking as best they can when special events are scheduled," said Croy.

He also said the temples could organize shuttle buses to pick up temple-goers from nearby parking lots at schools or other parts of the park. According to Croy, there is an undeveloped area of the community church that could be expanded for more parking, but it's up to the owners of that land to strike a deal with the temples.

Parshotam Goel, president of the Vedic Hindu Cultural Society, acknowledged that there is considerable opposition from the neighbourhood over environmental concerns, though he claims there is a portion of parkland that isn't a habitat for any animals. He stressed that the society will get a private assessment of the land after they look through the city's reports.

As for the private land at the church, Goel said he doesn't think it will be workable.

"It would be right behind the church and it would be too far from the temple," he said.

Source: The Vancouver Sun, DT. July 16, 2013.