Film’s premiere happening here
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Just try to resist the cruise buFFet
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local printer’s work on exhibit
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wednesday
March 6 2013 www.newwestnewsleader.com
Former mp paul Forseth will carry the mantle for the bc conservatives in new westminster on may 14. See Page a9
District budget a ‘moving target’ Ministry OK with approving shortfall for now: trustee Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
MarIO BarTEL/NEWSLEaDEr
danni liu and her king charles spaniel ben enjoy the sunshine from the lounger chairs at westminster pier park on monday.
Plans percolating for park’s east end City needs study before deciding what to do with portion of Pier Park Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
Decisions on what amenities should be added to the blank canvas of asphalt at the east end of Westminster Pier Park (WPP) can’t be made until a structural assessment of the wharf is completed. While that won’t be available until the end of April, according to the city, the parks and recreation
department would still like to have something up by the summer. “We were hoping to have some design plans worked out and back before the community in the spring, and begin to roll some of those things out sometime this summer,” said assistant parks director Jennifer Wilson. When WPP was built, a great deal of work was required to strengthen the structure that is rooted in the Fraser River. It is expected to last 75 years. The east end, however, has a structural life expectancy of 25 years.
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The full assessment, which is currently at the request for proposal stage, will help the city determine what can be placed there on an interim basis, how much the wharf will need to be strengthened to accommodate some transitional activity, how much it would cost and how much funding would be available for some longer-term visions for the site. “Once we have that piece of information then the next step is to obtain a design based on the community suggestions we received in the fall,” said Wilson.
That process identified a wish list of group sports, activities and social gathering places. “It’s such a great spot in terms of that whole connection to Westminster Pier Park and being on the waterfront. We want to provide another excuse for people to recreate together and be close to the water.” Last week, city council asked staff to proceed with detailed design and construction of a Fourth Street overpass connecting the Front Street parkade to WPP with stairs and an elevator for $1.85 million. please see ELEvaTOr, a12
Although it was supposed to submit a preliminary balanced budget by the end of February, the New Westminster board of education approved one with a $213,000 shortfall Thursday. Trustee MaryAnn Mortensen said she went to the board of education meeting expecting to discuss options to finally balance the budget after whittling it down from an anticipated deficit of $2.2 million for 2012-13 revealed in the fall. But assistant superintendent Al Balaniuk, who has been put in charge of the budget with secretary-treasurer Brian Sommerfeldt on sick leave, told the board the Ministry of Education is understanding of New Westminster’s predicament. Mortensen said it appears Victoria will be satisfied as long as the deficit is eliminated by the end of the school year, June 30. But she would have preferred to talk about options for cuts. please see ‘WE’rE’, a3