West Port Moody – Our Rip VanWinkle
The closure of the K. Y. Market will likely again remind some west Port Moody residents how time has passed them by.
As I blogged many times since 2009, it’s amazing how little has changed in this sleepy neighbourhood which has had no new supermarket, drug store, government liquor store, bank or community amenity for decades.
Inlet Centre and Klahanie residents by contrast have gained numerous shopping and recreation options that they can walk or cycle to – to see a show at the Inlet theatre, pick up a pint of milk, and return a book to the library or refill a prescription.
There are some folks of course who prefer things the way they were 30 years ago, but then we had no choice but to drive everywhere, and we had not yet recognized the environmental costs of suburban residential sprawl without convenient amenities.
Lack of anchor amenities and attractions is not just tedious for residents in Glenayre, East Hill and College Park, it’s downright tough for the Moody Centre Heritage District where many small businesses are trapped in this time warp, or have fallen by the wayside altogether.
The City’s own researchers diagnosed the problem over 10 years ago, a fact I shared again in a 2013 blog! “The area’s greatest potential,” the study said, “was strongly linked to an increase in the local population base through densification, beautification initiatives and the development of landmark or anchor retail projects.” Not only has none of this happened, now one of the last convenience stores that served West Port Moody is slated for residential redevelopment.
Rip Van Winkle snores on it seems, but there are optimistic signs on the horizon, which I will soon cover in another post.