A review of ‘The Plaza’
By Dominic Dutt, Contributor
The New Westminster SkyTrain Station is no longer just an ordinary place where passengers simply board and exit trains. Since early 2012, this station has been transformed into a services and entertainment centre known as “The Plaza,” which serves passengers and the New Westminster community.
Mere steps away from the station, the Old Spaghetti Factory offers affordable, fine dining. If you have an urge for a beer, just around the corner is Hops, a Northwest Pub. There will also be a new Tim Horton’s opening soon.
On the main platform, the new and spacious Safeway offers busy students a quick snack or errand run. The main platform also includes a convenience store, Wind’s mobile services, and West Land Insurance. Alongside these are Extreme Pita, Royal Bank, Dollar Tree, Flight Centre, and Subway.
The Pizza Garden offers delicious Wood Stove Fired Neapolitan Style Pizza. Their prices are decent, with two pizzas and a pop for under $5. Japanese fast food, “Togo Sushi,” has prepared sushi for those on-the-go.
For students who need to relax after school, there’s The Lumina Beauty Lounge & Spa. Membership costs $29, and members are given discounts. Lumina Beauty provides skin care, massages, bridal services, and other aesthetic treatments.
For coffee lovers, there’s Starbucks Coffee. Shefield & Sons Tobacconists specializes in cigars and collector’s items, while The Euro Stitch provides clothing alteration services.
Also, upstairs on the eastbound side of the platform, there is a Fido store, a Shoe & Repair, the Nestlé Tollhouse, Ardene, Fresh Slice for hungry pizza lovers, and Shefield Express for all your daily news. The highlight here is Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
Rocky Mountain is pretty famous for their fudge, which is made directly in their store. Their ice cream cones are handmade and dipped in chocolate. Anything they can dip into chocolate, they will—including various candies! They have a variety of ice creams, all freshly made in their store too. None of their products are imported—in fact, they are all Canadian-made.
But wait, you can’t leave New Westminster Station without going to the cinema first! Landmark Cinemas offers reserved seating, and tickets can be purchased online. Movies are played in digital surround sound, and some have real 3-D picture. After the movie, visitors can board the train for a hassle-free ride home.
Whatever a person’s passion may be, the New Westminster Station seems ready to provide services for all your basic needs, from entertainment to grocery shopping. Come for a visit—you may be in for a surprise!
