City asks for more public feedback to inform finalized designs
By Bex Peterson, Editor-in-Chief
New West residents have until April 5 to add their two cents to the City’s designs for a proposed new riverfront park on Quayside Drive.
Located next to the River Market along the Fraser River waterfront, the City of New Westminster is planning to expand the current Westminster Pier Park as well as add more park facilities and amenities to the area. The current plan calls for two new park sites resulting in an approximate two acres of total park space. The project has been in its planning stages since the project initiation last summer, with several open houses held for the public to discuss the development.
According to the most recent open house document, public feedback has included requests for a large open lawn, a dog park, added seating areas, and a performance space.
The park is being planned as part of what the City is calling its “Riverfront Vision,” which also includes plans to build two large residential towers in the same area. The Pier West towers, a project headed by property development company Bosa, looks to be an ambitious one according to Bosa’s website: “The groundbreaking development includes two residential towers, including the tallest building on Metro Vancouver’s waterfront, plus a variety of services that add to the community.”
Other proposed changes to the riverfront include a 6th Street overpass, a renovation of the existing children’s play area in Westminster Pier Park, an entry plaza for the tower developments, and private outdoor patios for ground-level units of the residential towers.
The City has certainly been making an effort to make full use of that choice waterfront property. Last year’s experimental Q to Q ferry service connecting the River Market to Queensborough Landing has been extended to May of this year, allowing residents from the Queensborough Port Royal community easy access to the market and the New West core.
Approval of the final concept designs for the new park space by mayor and council is expected to occur sometime this spring.
