The city is still working on plans to provide a pedestrian connection from the Quay to Queensborough.
Last October, the city announced a pedestrian/cyclist crossing from Queensborough to the Quay would cost $39.1 million – far exceeding the $11 million available for the project.
“We are still actively pursuing a pilot ferry service that we are hoping to be able to initiate in the spring/summer of 2017,” said Mayor Jonathan Cote. “I would anticipate a full public council report will be coming sometime over the next few months.”
As part of its decision to allow a destination casino in New Westminster, the City of New Westminster negotiated $10 million for a pedestrian crossing between the Quay and Queensborough neighbourhoods. The city later reallocated $8 million from the pedestrian crossing and dock improvement projects to the Anvil Centre project, but $6 million still hasn’t been spent.
“We are definitely going to be having discussions with the lottery corporation because we want to make sure that we are still able to utilize that funding,” Cote said. “We may be able to use that funding for some of the docking areas for a ferry service.”
Cote said there may also be an opportunity to reallocate some of the funds toward other initiatives on the waterfront.
“There’s no doubt the city is going to be working hard to make sure that we don’t lose that funding,” he said. “We just need to find the appropriate ways that funding can be reallocated.”
Lisa Spitale, the city’s chief administrative officer, said staff is currently considering the feasibility of using those funds for some of the physical improvements required on land in the downtown and Queensborough to operate the ferry service and greenway improvements in the downtown, and the cost of those projects. She’s optimistic the city can convince the province that the projects are in keeping with the original core principles of the DAC funding, which centred around initiatives supporting tourism and economic development in the two neighbourhoods where the casino operated.
“I suspect within the next two months we will have a lot more details that we are able to report back on,” she said.
Spitale hasn’t given up hope that the city will one day be able to build a pedestrian/cyclist crossing between the Queensborough and Quayside neighbourhoods. Along with the project’s cost, she said the timeline for spending the DAC funding made the project challenging for the city.
“I always thought it was a wonderful project – for all the right reasons. I am still hopeful that we can find a way. Maybe it’s working a bit more closely with TransLink and others that are in the field on finding a different solution, and isn’t a solution that’s dictated by certain timelines,” she said. “When you are walking down there, it feels close and it feels like the right thing to do. I hope we actually find a way.”
Fast facts: DAC
Where’s the money coming from?
In 2007, the city signed the destination casino project development agreement that detailed projects that would be eligible for destination casino gaming funds known as development assistance compensation – DAC. In addition to the city, the provincial government, the B.C. Lottery Corporation and the casino operator signed the four-party agreement.
How much did the city get?
The city negotiated up to $60.5 million for five priority projects in the downtown and Queensborough neighbourhoods – the two areas where the casino has been located.
Is there a deadline for use of the DAC funds?
The original agreement outlined the dates each of the five priority projects must be completed by, with the final project slated to be complete by 2017. The city, however, has successfully negotiated extensions for some of the projects, including Anvil Centre.
What are the five priority projects and how much was allocated to each project?
* $5 million for parkland improvements in Queensborough (Dec. 31, 2010 deadline)
* $35 million for a multi-use downtown civic facility – Anvil Centre (Dec. 31, 2015 deadline)
* $6.2 million for facilities at Queensborough Community Centre (Dec. 31, 2013 deadline)
* $10 million for a Queensborough/waterfront pedestrian crossing (Dec. 31, 2016 deadline)
* $4 million for riverfront dock and facility improvements (Dec. 31, 2017 deadline)
