RACETRACK TALE The future of Colony Farm became a quiat issue until October 24 1990 when the Ministry of the Solicitor General gave a news release to the press (see App. 3.-). Soliciter General Russell Fraser gave the green light to the British Columbia Racing Commission to call for specific proposals for a one-mile racetrack to be located in the Lower Mainland. The Provincial Government agreed to assist in servicing the debt of the developer by foregoing two percentage points on its share of the thoroughbred handie for ten tears. The deadline for these proposals is March 1, 1991 (APP. BS. & 3.4). This announcement brought back all the fears of Coquitlam and Fort Coquitlam residents about an unsuitable development being located im Colony Farm. They argued that the problems created by excessive traffic, naise pollution, soil and air pollution, and increased crime all made Colony Farm the wrong place for a racetrack. Mr. Gary Newman, the Fresident of Colony Farm Ltd. s immediately began to claim that the placement of the track at Colony Carm was "a done deal." (see APP. 3.5) A working map of the plans for Colony Farm by this developer (see App. 2) reveals that Colony Farm Ltd. would totally occupy the Wilson Farm with parking lots (1/3 or about 100 acres of the land), with barns and buildings for the horses (again 1/3 ar about 100 acres), and finally with two tracks Located at the narth end (1/3 or more of the land, same 100+ acres). Surprisingly, and despite the fact that it would be difficult to find much beyond asphalt and buildings at the site, the developers claim that the land would remain in the Agricultural Land Reserve. The Mayor of Caquitlam immediately wrote to Mr. Robert E. follis, Executive Director of the B.C. Racing Commission, that Caquitlam remained uninterested in a racetrack at Colony Farm (App. 3.4). In the municipal election held in mid-November 1990 in Fort Coquitlam Colony Farm became according to a number of the candidates and reporters a central issue, and one that influenced the outcome of the election as many Foco residents expressed themselves at the polls. Residents clearly expressed their displeasure at the thought of a ractrack in their community and overwhelmingly expressed the desire to elect candidates who would work towards a reasonable solution of the Colony Farm issue. AS with the residents meeting held in October 1989, they once again made it clear that they wanted Colony Farm to remain green and they looked to candidates who would speak on their behalf. What has in addition changed since 1989 is the ongoing construction af the Westview subdivision. Hundreds of new residents are pouring into Fort Coquitlam and buying properties that overlook Colony Farm. One of the developers indeed has posted a sign that advertises "View Lots For a Lifetime!" These new residents are shocked to learn that the conditions under which they purchased their properties might be arbitrarily changed by politicians and developers. Mary Hill residents are reminded of the outcome of th (Tea Delta and Richmond elections and think that they played their own gmall part in keeping the Lower Fraser Valley green. 4