’boro not happy with re-draw
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why men say ‘let me ask my wife’
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stay with your current boss?
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bob and linda cullen only see the funny side of Canadian politics. see page a14
wednesday
July 25 2012 www.newwestnewsleader.com
More cars, fewer gas stations Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
ImaGe courtesy cIty of new westmInster
Though residents could come out in enough force to stop the city from borrowing $59 million, the office tower project will proceed, the city says.
Referendum wouldn’t stop construction City would have to find other ways to pay for infrastructure projects Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
Even if a campaign to force a referendum on New Westminster’s $59 million borrowing bylaw is successful, and even if the bylaw is defeated in the referendum it wouldn’t stop construction of the office tower connected to the city’s new civic centre according to city officials. It would mean, however, the city
would have to look at other ways to pay for the infrastructure projects for which the bylaw authorizes borrowing for, said Coun. Jonathan Coté. “The project itself will still go ahead,” said Coté. That’s because construction on the civic centre and the office complex is already underway, said Coté. He pointed out most of the construction will be paid for through casino money and city reserves. If the city proceeds with its plan to borrow up to $59 million, it will
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be from the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA). The money will be for roads, parks and other infrastructure capital projects that would previously be paid for through city reserves. “Basically the city is committed to building the office tower,” said city finance manager Gary Holowatiuk. Former mayoral candidate James Crosty has launched a campaign calling for a referendum on whether the city should take the $59-million loan. At least 4,528 signatures, which represents 10 per cent of eligible voters in the 2011 civic
election, must be collected by Aug. 7 to force a referendum on the loan. “The city would have a couple of options, it could go to referendum, or we would have to find an alternative way for the financing to work,” said Coté of the consequences should enough signatures be submitted. “If there’s a problem with the bylaw we would definitely have to find alternate plans for some of those projects. A number of those are a number of years down the road.” please see ‘thIs Is typIcal’, a3
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There certainly are more cars on the road these days than there were two, three, four or more decades ago. The same can’t be said for gas stations. In fact, the trend has gone in the other direction. Jim Hurst, City of New Westminster planner, points to the big, busy PetroCan station at the foot of 12th Street where it connects to Stewardson Way. “It’s one of the largest grossing gas stations in Canada,” says Hurst. It’s that way for good reason, he continues. Head west from that station and a driver with the needle on E on that popular commuter route won’t see another place to buy gas until well into Vancouver on Marine Drive. Go east and there’s nothing along Columbia and Brunette almost all the way to the freeway. “It’s certainly well positioned,” says Hurst. The introduction of self-serve stations in the 1970s started the decline in numbers. please see plenty, a5