CROSSWALK SAFETY QUESTIONED
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CHRISTMAS PARADE SEES THE LIGHT
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UNTANGLING OIL PIPELINE POLITICS
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WEDNESDAY
NOVEMBER 13 2013 www.newwestnewsleader.com
A local photographer got special mention in a wildlife photography contest for this shot. See Page A9
Seeking ways to save heritage homes City forming group for Queen’s Park neighbourhood Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
GRANT GRANGER/NEWSLEADER
Members of city council expressed their dismay with a proposal for a 40-storey rental tower that would include units as small as 312 square feet.
‘Nothing like an iconic building’ Council rejects changes to Plaza 88’s proposal for a fourth tower Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
Changes made by the developer to Plaza 88’s proposed fourth tower have done little to appease New Westminster council. The Degelder Group wants to build a 40-storey highrise with 500 rental units—235 studios and 265 one bedrooms ranging from 312 to 570 square feet—at 900 Carnarvon
St. The structure would also include for me. I can’t see myself supporting six floors of above-ground parking. this. Just because they say they can “When I saw this I was really sell those units today doesn’t mean upset. I can understand why they’re going to be what we when Plaza 88 was originally want 10 to 15 years from now. developed and built there were I have real problems with this seven floors of above-ground whole process.” parking, but at the same token Plaza 88 is the three towers I don’t think that is needed above New Westminster here. They’re also asking for SkyTrain Station, which HARPER 40 floors which is huge,” said Degelder also developed. Coun. Bill Harper, who also In February, council told slammed the small size of the units, Degelder to go back to the drawing at the Nov. 4 council meeting. board when the proposal for the “The whole thing is problematic fourth tower was first brought to
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them. Just like then, they asked staff to continue to work with the developer to resolve the outstanding issues, of which there are many. A staff report to council from senior planner Barry Waitt said Plaza 88 wants to build smaller units because in the first three towers it built those were easier to rent. The report said the Downtown Community Plan calls for a range of housing options, giving flexibility when the market changes and larger units are in demand. Please see TOWER, A3
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Queen’s Park is a haven for heritage homes and there’s a lot of people that want to keep it that way. So the city has decided to bring them all together to work on ways to ensure the neighbourhood’s old treasures don’t disappear by forming a working group involving several stakeholders. The move is in response to the furore sparked when a demolition permit was issued for 221 Third Ave. in June. That prompted delegations from the New Westminster Heritage Preservation Society (NWHPS) and the Queen’s Park Residents Association (QPRA) to appear before council wanting more teeth for preserving heritage homes. The neighbourhood working group would have a mandate of determining what existing houses are at risk, identifying the legal framework to encourage retention of heritage houses, Please see STORY, A4