New Westminster should focus on becoming a boutique city, says mayoral candidate Vance McFadyen.
"We have proven we are not a city that supports malls. It has been proven. What we have already started on Columbia Street is what I call Bridal Row, or maybe you call it something else. But it is a boutique city and I want to press very hard to bring boutiques into the city of New Westminster so that I can buy a decent suit in New Westminster and you can buy a decent evening gown somewhere and maybe a pair of proper shoes," he told a recent all-candidates meeting. "A boutique city is what we need to have. A boutique city will bring tourists in from around the region and will help improve our economy greatly. It will help us a whole lot."
CANDIDATES WADE INTO POOL DEBATE
New Westminster city council candidates waded into the debate on the fate of the Canada Games Pool at a recent all-candidates meeting.
Council candidate Gerry Liu said he supports keeping the current facility if its pipes are in good shape, otherwise the city would need a new facility.
Incumbent councillor Jonathan Cote said the pool is an important issue. "Although I do believe a brand-new facility would be great, I think the more responsible thing is rehabilitating the facility and seeing what improvements can be done. I think it's a great opportunity to combine the Canada Games Pool with the community centre next door to add new facilities, new gym facilities and modernize the Canada Games Pool so it can continue to serve our residents in the future."
First-time city council candidate David Noshad believes the city needs to hire a consultant to get scientific information about the condition of Canada Games Pool. He'd personally like to see a new sports facility built at the site that would include space for various athletic groups.
"If it's up to me, I will invest in a new sports complex in New Westminster after consulting with a consultant's firm about that," he said.
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ATTENTION
The City of New Westminster's infrastructure continues to be an issue in the 2011 election campaign.
"The biggest challenge the city faces is our aging infrastructure. We are a very old town," said incumbent councillor Jonathan Cote. "We have a lot of great infrastructure, a lot of great facilities that the our community enjoy."
"I think our infrastructure needs a lot of attention," said incumbent councillor Lorrie Williams. "Civilization is not based on art and culture and things like this. It is based on water and sewer and garbage. You take care of those, and the rest of the stuff will follow."
Mayoral candidate Vance McFadyen said infrastructure is a top issue facing the city.
HELPING OUT LOCAL BUSINESSES
Two council candidates have different experiences in doing business in the city and different ideas about how to help businesses out.
At a recent all-candidates meeting, council candidate John Ashdown was asked what steps he would take to reduce the tax burden on small businesses in New Westminster.
"I think the tax base is very high in the small business sector," said Ashdown, who operated the Village Coffee Lounge on 12th Street. "I would be prepared to suggest to a new council or an existing council that we do something fiscally responsible for the businesses in this city and help them out when they want loading zones, when they want special preference in parking, 15-minute limits and stuff like that. Anything we can do to promote the businesses."
Chuck Puchmayr said his partner recently opened a business on 12th Street. He believes the city helps business by creating a street that's safe and inviting to people.
"She is doing extremely well," he said. "She is paying a living wage, and she has two people employed. The one thing about 12th Street, I've always said I've worked hard to get 12th Street improved since the '80s is you get rid of the crime."
Puchmayr also said his partner's business licence for the café is more reasonable than what she pays in Vancouver, where she manufactures an organic product but has no storefront.
"Her business licence there is $600 a year. In New Westminster where she retails her business and her products, it's one-quarter of that," he said. "I think we are doing good on the business licence part. Let's look at making our community cleaner and safer so people want to come to our business. Businesses have to be creative."
PARK PREFERABLE TO HIGHRISES
Jonathan Cote stands by the City of New Westminster's decision to build Westminster Pier Park on the waterfront.
In a press release, Cote said Westminster Pier Park is due to be completed in the spring of 2012 but has become one of the most divisive issues in the 2011 campaign.
"I have not met one resident who would have preferred a wall of highrises on that site, as opposed to the park which is currently being developed," he said.
"My vision for the waterfront is one that allows residents to access and enjoy our city's waterfront."
When the park opens early next year, Cote said it will be an "incredible asset" for all residents. In addition to purchasing the site for $8 million and contributing $8.3 million toward construction costs, the city also received a $16.5 million grant for the project, which made it the second largest Build Canada infrastructure grant in the province.
Cote said the site was zoned for eight highrise towers before the city decided to buy the site for a park. He would like to see the city work on connecting Westminster Pier Park with Columbia Street and Sapperton Landing.
"I think providing connections to the park are a greater priority than expanding the park," he stated in a press release.
