The City of New Westminster will consider whether the grandstands at Queen's Park Stadium should be demolished in the years to come.
Consultants hired to develop the Queen's Park master plan presented city council with some of their findings on Oct. 1. The recommendations include upgrading Queen's Park Arena and adding a second ice sheet next to the arena, creating new trails and interpretive features in the park, upgrading Rainbow Playland, the main entry road, sports fields and parking areas - and considering whether Queen's Park Stadium should be upgraded or removed.
Jana Zelenski, a senior landscape architect and the project manager for the master plan process, said people love Queen's Park, value what it is today and want to build on that. She said the master plan will set the tone and vision for decades to come.
Zelenski said the master plan recommends enhancements to Queen's Park Arena that would focus on the building's history. She said there was "a lot of support" for creating a second ice sheet, which would provide benefits in terms of holding tournaments and meeting the city's needs for a third ice sheet in the city in future years.
Although Queen's Park Stadium isn't a heritage facility, Zelenski said residents have fond memories of events they've attended in the stadium, including May Day.
"People are very attached to the structure," she said. "We heard that very clearly throughout the process."
The study's recommendations will direct the city to decide about the future investment or removal of the grandstands in Queen's Park Stadium.
Zelenski said the fate of Queen's Park Stadium resulted in "the most divided feedback" of the planning process.
Built in 1950, she said the stadium seats about 2,00 people. Although the field is in "good condition" she said the grandstand is in "poor condition" and requires significant upgrades.
According to Zelenski, the stadium has about 3,000 fewer seats than Nat Bailey Stadium, which hinders its ability to attract a higher level of baseball.
Coun. Jonathan Cote believes that any decisions about the stadium need to be done in conjunction with the city's overall capital plans for city facilities and parks. He's not convinced that the "value is there" to put money into a facility that isn't used to capacity at this time.
"I would definitely be leaning in the direction of moving forward without it," he said.
Coun. Bill Harper said he'd hate to knock down a structure of this type and believes more information is needed about potential uses for the stadium before a decision is made on its fate.
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr said other communities are "crying out" for infrastructure like the stadium.
"I can't support eliminating the stadium," he said. "I would like to have staff give me more information about the cost of refurbishing the stadium."
Cote said communities' needs evolve over time and cities need to consider the use of their sites and the cost implications. If money were no object, he said he'd have no trouble retaining the stadium, but it's going to need significant capital investment in the years to come.
"I haven't made up my mind about the stadium," said Coun. Lorrie Williams. "I am still looking at it. I love having May Day there, but that is one day."
Coun. Betty McIntosh said she's married to a "baseball fanatic" and believes there may be missed opportunities for Queen's Park Stadium. She said there has been interest in the stadium in the past from different leagues, but alcohol service was an obstacle at that time.
Don Crockett, a principal with HB Lanarc, said he anticipated the stadium proposal would generate a "fairly lively" discussion, as there are varied opinions on the topic.
The draft master plan, a 156-page document, has been 10 months in the making and includes participation from hundreds of residents. The plan is intended to help the city prepare and plan for growth in the next 10 to 15 years.
Crockett said the "highly collaborative and consultative" process has provided more than 35 initiatives for the city's consideration. He said the recommendations for capital and operating initiatives, in the short-, medium-and long-term.
Other proposals in the master plan would see the rose garden relocated to a site next to Centennial Lodge (and allow for parking and a second ice sheet near the arena) and a Celebration Plaza built at the tennis courts/reservoir site, located near the stadium. An indoor training facility had also been proposed at the site of the tennis courts closest to the south fields/stadium/ Bernie Legge Theatre.
"It has the best fit with the vision," Zelenski said about a plaza. "It has the opportunity to create a heart to Queen's Park."
Cote said he particularly likes what's proposed for the Third Avenue entrance to the park, noting it currently doesn't look like much more than a mall parking lot when people enter the park.
Although he wasn't expecting a second ice sheet to be among the recommendations coming out of the plan, he said it makes sense.
Cote believes it would be worthwhile to get more information about the possibility of having an indoor training facility, as it would provide council more information when it comes to evaluating options for that site. Harper said he'd like more information about a sports facility at the site of the current tennis courts. He noted that other municipalities are creating multiuse facilities on one site, and New Westminster has a pool and sport facilities located nearby at Sixth and McBride.
"It makes sense," Harper said about locating a second ice sheet in Queen's Park. "I think that's a good proposal."
Puchmayr said he wouldn't be opposed to developing the tennis court as a passive park at this time, but wouldn't want to spend much money on it because he'd like the city to be able to entertain other uses for the site in the future.
Coun. Jaimie McEvoy said the park needs to better address pedestrian net-works and way-finding signage.
Noting that a water feature was once part of the park, he said that's something he'd like to be considered.
Williams said any plans to relocate the rose garden from its current site to a site next to Centennial Lodge need to consider noise.
As a marriage commissioner who has attended weddings at the rose garden, she said the noise from McBride Boulevard could negatively impact weddings and other events that are held in the rose garden.
