The Keg called the Royal City home for nearly four decades, but it doesn’t have an appetite to return anytime soon.
In 1973, the Keg opened in a building in Hyack Square that was built as a train station for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1899. By 2013, the restaurant had closed so it could address structural issues with the building.
“It was a very old building,” said Doug Smith, chief operating officer and vice president of operations for the Keg. “We loved that building. We had a great history there and a great relationship with the community, but it was in really dire need of renovations. Given the weight of restaurant equipment and needs for hygiene and safety in the kitchen area, it was not feasible for us to do the work that was required.”
While it’s a beautiful building, Smith said the Keg closed its New Westminster restaurant as it didn’t see a long-term plan for that site.
The 1899 Canadian Pacific Railway Station is included in the city’s heritage register, which includes properties deemed to have heritage value. A statement of significance indicates the building is considered to be a “fine example” of the CPR’s signature chateau style of architecture.
Brock Rodgers, who co-owns the building with Ken Brookes, estimates it would take about half-a-million dollars to make repairs needed to make the space restaurant ready. He said Brookes is in the early stages of working on concepts for the space with architect Eric Pattison.
Rodgers and Brookes own businesses, including Billy Miner Pub in Maple Ridge, Witchcraft Beer Market and Bistro in Maple Ridge, Mission Springs Brewing Company in Mission and Hearthstone Brewery in North Vancouver. It’s possible they may look at a brew pub format for the local site.
“We really can’t do anything until the Keg’s lease is up. They are still renting,” he said of the lease that doesn’t expire for about 18 months. “We are taking advantage of this time to get plans together and talk with the city. We have some ideas about how we’d like to maintain the character of the building, but we want to make it a little more functional.”
One of the issues has been the lack of parking around the site, said Rodgers. If a restaurant opens on that site, he said a valet service may help on that front.
Rodgers, who worked at the Keg New Westminster when he was 18, said the owners have never listed the property, but they have had offers and inquiries for the space. He could see the owners using a big chunk of the space themselves, and perhaps renting out a portion of the “landmark location” to a coffee shop.
Joan Drabyk, the city’s permit coordinator, said the city had the owner do some work on floors to make them safer in 2013.
“Definitely before it gets reoccupied for whatever use, it is probably going to need permits,” she said. “I am thinking they would have to renovate so they would have to come in with proper plans.”
While Mr. Mikes Steakhouse Casual has expressed a desire to open in the Anvil Centre space, some folks on social media have suggested the Keg should move into that space. Smith said the Keg has no plans for a new site in New West, but that doesn’t mean something won’t show up on the radar screen in the future.
“New West is an up-and-coming area for restaurants and retail, condo development. There seems to be quite a few exciting things happen. As you know, we’ve got quite a few restaurants sort of in the vicinity. At this point we are not looking at New West as a site for us,” he said. “It (Anvil Centre) looks like a beautiful development, but not for us.”
Kitty corner from the old Keg, Anvil Centre has about 3,800 square feet set aside for a restaurant space. Smith said Keg restaurants are typically between 8,000 and 10,000 square feet, so the space in Anvil Centre doesn’t come close to meeting its needs for space.
