A coalition working to save New Westminster's downtown parkade is demanding Mayor Jonathan Cote hold a public forum this Saturday to explain what Front Street will look like once the structure comes down.
"He's telling us he wants to spend close to $6 million on this plan. We'd like to see why and how," said committee member Doug Whicker.
City officials are just weeks away from awarding the demolition contract for the western portion of the parkade, which stretches from Begbie to Sixth Street.
Cote has previously said the demolition will "daylight" Front Street and connect the downtown core to the waterfront. Once the concrete structure is no more, the city has proposed building mews as a way of making the area more pedestrian-friendly.
But Whicker told the Record early sketches of what Front Street will look like are "misleading" because they don't illustrate the rail line and the heavy traffic running up and down the road.
"We don't believe his vision for the mews is a workable vision," he said. "Short of closing Front Street and moving all the trucks onto Columbia Street or Royal Avenue, there's no way that the city's mews will be pedestrian-friendly, located beside one of the busiest truck routes in Greater Vancouver."
In an interview with the Record, Cote said he has no plans to attend the weekend gathering.
"The city has been consulting on the issue for almost five years now," he said. "We're at the very tail end of the project. The city's position is that we're moving ahead as planned."
The mayor anticipates information about the tender process to come before council "very soon."
Cote added if residents want additional information, he'd be more than happy to provide answers.
The coalition, meanwhile, still plans to hold a rally that day at noon. Supporters are asked to meet at the corner of Front and McKenzie streets.
