Horgan launcHes campaign in nW
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nDp’s survival on tHe line
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saving a little piece of robson
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WeDnesDay
March 26 2014 www.newwestnewsleader.com
eva markvoort would have turned 30 this month. Her legacy, though, carries on, as her father gears up to cycle from vancouver to banff. See Page a13
Walmart confirms its plans at mall Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
MarIO BarTEL/NEWSLEaDEr
robyn murrell is getting ready to open her Zhoosh fitness garage in part of an old car dealership and auto mechanics building on 11th street, one of several new businesses moving into the building.
Is this how Lower 12th gets kicking? City seeing more creative approaches to where businesses locate Mario Bartel
photo@newwestnewsleader.com
Last October’s devastating fire on Columbia Street displaced dozens of businesses. It also left a rubbled gap in the middle of Downtown’s historic strip. But it may have also created an opportunity for another part of the city to blossom. Robyn Murrell had been considering a spot on Front Street
as a permanent home for her mobile In April she’s opening Zhoosh personal training business, Zhoosh Fitness Garage in a service bay Fitness. of an old car dealership and auto The space on Front seemed mechanics shop at 131 11th St. perfect for her needs. The building, It was urban, constructed in 1946, with heritage is owned by Mark Jackie Teed, city planner character—a Ahrabi-Asli. it’s a neighbourhood that we fitting backdrop He’d been see a lot of potential that for her “old-school can be unique in its own way. unsuccessful renting style” workouts it out as one large that involve punching heavy bags, unit since he first acquired it two hoisting tires, skipping ropes. years ago. But October’s fire, which also But when the city asked him affected businesses along Front about providing space to burnedStreet, gave her pause. out businesses looking for new digs
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Downtown, he liked the idea of dividing the massive garage into smaller units. “Not many people want to rent 5,000 square feet,” says Ahrabi-Asli. One of those units was snapped up by Victoria Lambert for her Fat Paint specialty shop. Her first location was irreparably damaged by October’s fire. A photographer is opening a studio in another unit. And Ahrabi-Asli says he’s in negotiations with tenants for the remaining spaces. please see 12Th STrEET, a4
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Mayor Wayne Wright was right. It just took 10 months for it to become official. Walmart Canada public relations manager Rosalyn Carneiro confirmed the chain will have a store in the Royal City Centre. Wright let the cat out of the shopping bag at a New Westminster Chamber of Commerce gathering last May. However, there was no confirmation until last week. Carneiro told the NewsLeader it will be a 90,000 square foot Supercentre. It will span two levels and include a supermarket and fullservice bakery along with its regular retail lines. “We know that it’s the right choice for our customers,” said Carneiro. Demolition has already begun at the Sixth Avenue and Eighth Street end of the mall. It will make way for an entrance into the new Walmart expected to open in the fall of 2015. Carneiro said Walmart does have other stores in shopping malls. But one with parking below it is not typical for the retail giant. please see BOOM, a3