SCHOOL EXPANSION RAISES CONCERNS
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NISGA’A PROVE THEIR CRITICS WRONG
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Wednesday, December 3, 2014 NewsLeader A1
DECORATED HOMES TOUR
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WEDNESDAY
DECEMBER 3 2014 www.newwestnewsleader.com
Guess who’s coming to town on Saturday? See Page A13
Coté takes a seat in mayor’s chair New council sworn in Monday Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
BILLARD ARCHITECTURE
Architect and New West resident Robert Billard has worked on 21 school projects across the country, and has pitched a design for the new school that he believes does an effective job of addressing the many constraints on the site.
How about this for a new high school? Local architect presents design aimed to solve safety and site issues Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
A local architect is proposing what some might consider a piein-the-sky solution to the New Westminster secondary quandary. Connaught Heights resident Robert Billard suggests the problem can be solved by scrapping the
traditional sprawling design and meetings were consumed with the instead building a school that rises site restrictions,” says Billard, who above it all. has worked on 21 school projects When proposals in Nova Scotia, for designing Nunavut and a replacement British Columbia. Robert Billard Massey Theatre in “But I didn’t think This is going to be a difficult any of them were conjunction with project... Going up could be a new NWSS were hurdles for going a solution. called for, Billard sat up.” in on the information sessions the Those constraints centred on the city put on for potential bidders. issues of a cemetery on the site, soil “I found it interesting most of the contamination and the need to build
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the new school while continuing to operate the current school. Every project, he says, has site constraints. Though he admits the fact there’s an historic cemetery on the Mercer site is both an unusual and sensitive one. When Billard was looking to compete for the design-build replacement of Burnaby Central, the property’s topography created complications for designers. Please see ‘WITH THIS CONCEPT’, A3
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Transportation, collaboration and economic development are high on the city’s to-do list for the next four years, said new Mayor Jonathan Coté in his inaugural speech Monday night. Coté, who defeated four-term incumbent Wayne Wright in the Nov. 15 civic election after serving three terms on council himself, was sworn into office Monday. He took his oath along with incumbents Bill Harper, Jaimie McEvoy, Chuck Puchmayr and Lorrie Wiliams, and newcomers Patrick Johnstone and Mary Trentadue. “In the months ahead, I look forward to working with everyone in our city to harness our assets and ensure our community continues to thrive and grow,” said Coté during his speech. Coté listed many of the city’s “investments” in the past decade or more that he believes have paid dividends, and will continue to do so, for the livability and quality of life in New Westminster. Please see CITY, A3