1. The NEW New West:
Strategic Approach to
Community Building
Lisa Spitale
Director of Development Services
City of New Westminster

2. The NEW New West: Strategic
Approach to Community Building
1. Rationale for the City’s Strategic Approach
2. Civic Leadership in Economic Development
3. Our Tangible Results
4. Next Phase of Growth and Economic
Development

3. A Small City and the Geographic Centre of Metro
Vancouver
Current City
Population:
65,975 (2011)
Land Area:
15 square kilometers

4. Investing in New
Westminster is about
joining a well
established, historic City,
steeped in tradition,
community spirit and a
small town charm.

5. We have lovely historic homes…

8. Character commercial streets …

9. Deep roots to the Fraser River

12. Home to some of British Columbia’s first
institutions …

13. And we are a high density, compact urban city …

16. The Mid – 1990’s
• 1996 – “the
Honduran Drug
Crisis”
• Brazen street level
drug dealing took
hold of the
Downtown

17. Challenges in the Downtown
• New Westminster is at
the cross roads of the
region
• 20,000 vehicles travel
through the Downtown
each day, on Columbia
Street
• People’s perception of
New Westminster started
to change due to
challenges faced in the
Downtown

18. City’s Strategic Approach
The drug problem gave the City and Police the impetus to get
creative.
City’s plan has been a three prong approach between,
enforcement, social planning and economic development:
• Hard position on criminal element, problematic housing,
problematic businesses
• Compassionate position on the root causes of poverty
• Civic leadership on economic development

19. Policing
• Police conducted special
undercover/drug operations
• Implemented bike and other
special patrols
• Worked with SkyTrain Police

20. Liquor Licensing
• Downtown’s history as a port – high concentration of liquor
seats
• Contributed to high police calls and unsavory image of the
Downtown

21. Problematic Housing and Businesses
• Criminals were living in the
problematic housing
• Police and staff developed new
bylaws and streamlined
enforcement processes to deal
with drug houses, derelict
buildings, unsafe buildings and
properties generating nuisance
activities
• Implemented Crime Free Multi Housing
Program - first implemented in Canada by
New Westminster

22. Homelessness
• Between 2002 and 2008, the
unsheltered homeless population
increased over two times in New
Westminster - 33 to 72
• City and community created New
Westminster Homelessness
Coalition
• The Homelessness Action Strategy
contains 32 actions in support of
the development of a continuum of
housing, income and support

23. Our Approach Worked …

24. Crime Reduction
Crime in New West dropped nearly 60% since 1996

25. Problematic Housing and Businesses
• Dealt with more than 400 properties
• Eliminate conditions that negatively impacted various
neighbourhoods
• Reduced calls for Police Service to problem properties
• Numerous derelict houses demolished
• Numerous unsafe houses repaired
• Management of many rental housing units improved
• 150 problematic rental units closed (includes grow ops)
between 2000 and 2011

26. Liquor Licensing
• Changed zoning bylaw
requiring a rezoning for
expansions and new
applications
• Closure of 3 nightclubs, 1
strip club and 2 beer parlours
between 1999 and 2008
• Reduction of 2800 liquor
seats in the Downtown
between 1999 and 2008

27. Addressing Homelessness
• City formed a strategic alliance with BC Housing and
worked closely with them in the provision of emergency
shelter beds, transitional housing and supportive housing

28. Addressing Homelessness
• For our size, New Westminster is considered one of the
best resourced municipalities for dealing with
homelessness in the Province
• Between 2008 and 2011, the unsheltered homeless
population decreased by 46% in New Westminster
(72 to 39)
The City now has 50 extreme
weather mats, 53 shelter beds and
134 longer-term transitional and
supported housing units.

29. Focus on Economic
Development

30. Growth and Employment
Five key areas:
1. Downtown as a high
density mixed use district
with amenities along the
Fraser River
2. Mixed use development
around Skytrain Stations
3. Built out of master planned
communities – Victoria Hill
and Port Royal

31. Growth and Employment
Five key areas:
4. Maximize partnerships
with key employers and
institutions
5. Intensification of industrial
land

32. Civic Leadership in Economic Development
Two key components:
1. Development and
business friendly mandate
at City Hall
2. Strategic City investments
aimed at promoting
economic development

33. Projected City Growth
The City’s population is projected to
increase by approximately 42%
between 2008 and 2031, with an
addition of 26,000 new residents.
New Westminster
120,000
100,000
98,000
80,000 88,000
76,000
60,000
61,800
40,000
20,000
-
2006 2021 2031 2041

34. Projected Employment Growth … 2041
• Overall: ~47,500 jobs (16,000 new jobs, 33% growth)
• Downtown SkyTrain Precincts – 80% to 160% growth
• Sapperton Station Area – 40% growth
• Braid Station Area – potential for 1000% growth
• Industrial Areas – up to 180% more employment

35. Growth in the Downtown

36. Downtown Community Plan 2010

37. Why Did We Need a Plan?
• Downtown is the City’s premier growth concentration
area – concern that amenities and services were lacking
• Misunderstanding about the ground rules - could you
build in the Historic District?
• Tower heights were controversial –
how high is too high?
• Severance issues between the
Downtown and the Waterfront –
what was the City’s vision for the
waterfront?

38. Five Neighbourhood Precincts

39. Transit Oriented Development

40. City’s Transit Oriented Development Policy
Each TOD must:
• be within 200 meters of a SkyTrain Station and must have
ease of access to a SkyTrain station for pedestrians
• provide a mix of land uses
• de-emphasize the use of the
automobile (e.g. through traffic
calming)
• be place oriented and pedestrian
friendly
• be bicycle friendly

41. The City’s TOD Policy
• Increased mobility choices for the users of the
development
• The development is making a contribution to the goal of
achieving complete communities
• Improved access to community
facilities
• Contributing to a diversity of
housing types and / or affordable
housing options in the area
• A well designed TOD should aim
to reduce the necessary parking
required by at least 20%

42. New Westminster Station
Plaza 88
Uses: 900 residential units
180,000ft2 commercial
Features: 10 theatres, retail
next to Skytrain

43. New Westminster Station

44. Projects in the Downtown
The InterUrban
Uses: Retail and 158
residential units

45. Projects in the Downtown
Quantum
Uses: 90 residential units,
retail & live/work

46. Projects in the Downtown
The Point
Uses: 90 residential
units &
commercial

47. Projects in the Downtown
Trapp + Holbrook
Uses: 180 residential units
& 8,800 square feet of
commercial

48. Sapperton Station

49. Sapperton Station and Brewery District

50. Strategic Civic Investments

51. Westminster Pier Park
McBride Boulevard
Queens Avenue
Royal Avenue Royal Avenue
Tenth Street
Eighth Street
Elliot Street
Sixth Street
Fourth Street
Columbia Street
Front Street

52. Westminster Pier Park
• 2008 City purchased 9 acre parcel
• City awarded $16.6M Build Canada Fund infrastructure
grant funding for the development of the park
• 1/3 cost sharing between Federal, Provincial and
Municipal governments

53. Westminster Pier Park
• Waterfront development
needed for economic
development
• Help promote office
development – office
employees need lunch time
amenities
• Park helping changing image
and perception of the
Downtown
• Helping to create a family
friendly neighbourhood

54. 1. Promote Employment by Creating a
Waterfront Amenity
• Esplanade extension
• Recreational opportunities
for employees
• Activities that are free

56. 2. Promote a Family Oriented Downtown by
Creating Intergenerational Places
• Children’s adventure playground
• Youth sports courts, beach volleyball
• Active lawn area
• Walkway/bikeway
• Strolling looping trail
• Picnic areas

59. 3. Promote Tourism by Creating a Unique
Experience
• Space for festivals
• Creating east-west connections
with Fraser River Discover
Centre and River Market
• Space planned for future
restaurant

60. Sixth
Street
Fourth
Street
Front Street
The Festival Lawn
Elliot
Street

63. Multi Use Civic Facility and Office
Tower

64. Multi Use Civic Facility and Office Tower
• Site on Columbia
Street bounded by
Begbie and 8th
Streets
• Site size: 35,000 ft2

65. Multi Use Civic Facility and Office Tower

66. Multi Use Civic Facility and Office Tower
The MUCF will include the following:
• Conference and Meeting Facilities with room for a 500-
seat reception
• City’s Museum, Archives and Gift Shop
• Flexible 350-seat Non-Proscenium Theatre
• Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame
• Art Gallery
• Multi-Purpose Meeting Rooms
• Multi-Purpose Art Studios
• Tourism New Westminster’s Visitor Information Centre

72. Office Tower
• City is building and then
selling LEED Gold
Class A office tower
over the Civic Centre
• Projected approximately
400 employees
• Office employment
integral to meeting the
City’s goals for
economic development
in the Downtown

75. Numbers Don’t Lie …
Our Results

76. Population Growth
• Between 2006 and 2011
New Westminster
population grow by 13% -
one of the highest rates of
growth in Metro Vancouver

77. Number of Building Permits are Up
• Since 2003, the number of building permits issued has
risen steadily
• 581 permits were issued in 2011, a 97% increase since
1996

78. Building Permit Values Back on the Increase

79. Residential Growth
• Vast majority of the City’s
growth has been in the
residential sector
• Since 2002, the City has
added 6.5 million square
feet of residential
development
• In 2011, $125 million of
residential development was
added in the City

80. Commercial Growth
• For first time in a decade, in
2011,commercial development
has started to keep pace with
residential
• Between 2010 and 2011, both
commercial and residential
development grew by 500,000
square feet
• In 2011, $116 million of
commercial development was
added in the City

81. Total Permit Value – Commercial vs. Residential

82. Mixed Use Growth Concentrated Along the
SkyTrain Corridor

83. Mixed Use Growth Concentrated Along the
SkyTrain Corridor
• Between 2006 – 2011, $320
million of investment was
built within 200 m of a
SkyTrain Station
• Equates to 50% of commercial
and multi-family investment
during a six year period ($320
million/$643 million)
• 2012 - $182 million of
in-stream developments

84. Business License Growth
• Since 2004 business licenses have risen steadily
• 3,944 licenses were issued in 2011, a 220% increase since
2004

85. The Next Phase of Growth
and Economic Development

86. New Official Community Plan

87. Braid Station Master Plan

88. 22nd Street Station Master Plan

89. Queensborough

90. Queensborough

91. Intensification of Industrial Land

92. Downtown

93. Family Oriented Housing

94. Affordable Housing

95. Attracting the Creative Class

96. Partnerships with Our Major Institutions and
Major Employers –
Royal Columbian Hospital
• Trauma, heart and
neurosciences centre for
the Region and Province
• UBC teaching hospital
• Plans to expand

97. The Justice Institute of BC
• Canada’s leading post secondary
institution for justice and public safety
• Police, fire, ambulance service training

98. Douglas College
• Approximately 9,000 students
at three campuses
• Major institutional anchor in
Downtown

99. Provincial Law Courts
• Core institution in City
since 1859
• Provides anchor for
professional offices in
adjacent buildings