A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday to signal the start of construction on New Westminster's future civic centre.
The City of New Westminster is building a $35-million multi-use civic facility with casino funds known as development assistance compensation. The fourway agreement was signed by the City of New Westminster, the B.C. Lotteries Corporation, the provincial government and Starlight Casino.
"The new facility will spur economic development in New Westminster's downtown while providing a range of amenities to local citizens and visitors alike," said Ida Chong, the province's minister of community, sport and cultural development, in a press release. "Our government is pleased to play a part in the developing of this great project for the Royal City."
The city's portion of the building at Eighth and Columbia will include a 350seat theatre with flexible seating to accommodate a variety of productions, conference and meeting facilities, multipurpose rooms, art studios, an art gallery, tourist information centre, the city's museum and archives, a restaurant and the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
"We're very proud of this project and the role it will play in the revitalization of our historic downtown business district," said Mayor Wayne Wright. "It's projects and partnerships like this that provide the new amenities our citizens deserve while generating the economic development we need for the future."
Because the site at the corner of Eighth and Columbia streets is an active construction site, the ceremony took place across the street at Hyack Square. Armed with shovels, officials conducted a ceremonial groundbreaking in a portable dirt pile placed at Hyack Square.
"We have tendered the first stage of construction. That will include some underground site servicing and excavation of the underground parkade," said Jim Lowrie, the city's director of engineering. "That involves shoring of the excavation walls."
Lowrie said the excavation work will probably be finished in a few months and construction of the civic centre building will begin in the new year.
The City of New Westminster has partnered with the Uptown Property Group to build an office tower on top of the civic centre at the corner of Columbia and Eighth streets.
