January 4th, 1976

the City which is considerably higher than elsewhere in the Regional
District, and the inadequate amount of land which is subdivided and
serviced and ready for immediate building use and he urged the Council
to take another look at the possibility of the City becoming involved

in the development of industrial land. Several large projects which

eC will be of benefit to the City will be progressing early in 1976, i.e.
g

Viam Construction, Clar-For Holdings, and Record Chemicals, and will
increase the tax base of the City upon their completion. With respect to

general community development, the Major concern of the development of

the Marathon project ~ now some 4-yearsa in the planning - is tied in
with the decisions of the Greater Vancouver Regional District with
respect to the Regional Town Centre location. This is a fourth level of
government, noted Alderman Laking, and he expressed concern as to the
continually increasing numbers of governments and suggested that it is
always the government that is closest to the people (i.e. the Municipal
government) that has to be the most demanding and indicated that there
must be a complete change in the sharing of finances within the various
government levels so that it is not always necessary to go back to the
municipal taxpayer. In.cciclusion, Alderman Laking noted that this year
many capital projects will be reduced in scope or eliminated in order
that other more pressing projects may be carried out and he stated that
every effort will be made to keep the tax increase as low as possible.
Alderman Mabbett addressed the meeting and extended thanks for his Ald. Mabbett
election to serve another two years on Council and he expressed a hope
that it will be possible to bring bigger and better things to each
individual as well as to the City. The great increase in Recreation
Facilities and programming during the past year and in particular within
the Hyde Creek Centre has been accomplished and the facility now offers
programmes to nearly every age group in the community. Additional
concerns noted by Alderman Mabbett were those respecting dyking and
flood control, the development of the Marathon project, and completion
of the highway improvements in the vicinity of the Coquitlam River
wridge. The problem of rising policing costs was noted and Alderman
’ Mabbett suggested that Federal restraints on spending were simply transferring
the cost burden to the City and hence the individual municipal taxpayer.

Recreation costs continue to escalate and Alderman Mabbett suggested

that the Council continue its policy of making user groups pick-up some