Some of New Westminster’s prominent business people and citizens were tasked with peering into their crystal balls back in 1989 and predicting the changes to come in the Royal City. Just how did they do?
A time capsule sealed on Feb. 14, 1989 as part of the opening celebrations for the Inn at the Quay asked people to predict the social, economic or political changes that would occur in 25 years’ time. It was intended to be opened 25 years later on Feb. 14, 2014, but it remained sealed until last month after being taken off the wall during a 2009 renovation at the hotel and placed in storage.
“In the year 2014, New Westminster will be a major regional administrative centre that is home to 55,000 residents,” predicted Betty Toporowski, who was New Westminster’s mayor from 1988 to 1996. “The heritage nature of the community will emphasize the strong community spirit and commitment to balanced social objectives.”
Several common themes emerged among the dozens of entries in the time capsule, with many predicting a reduction in the city’s “excessive” crime rate (clearly an issue of the day), redevelopment of the waterfront, retention of heritage buildings on Columbia Street and cruise ships on the Fraser River.
“A fashionable place to live and work in one area. Many highrise condos with young demographics, twice the population and a highly capitalistic ideology,” wrote Greg Ericson, who worked at a Burnaby-based distribution company. “Robots everywhere!”
Ald. Mal Hughes was pretty bang on with his predictions, envisioning a convention centre in New West, women working in the fire department, and parks continuing to be a showcase for the city.
“New Westminster will be a bedroom city for Vancouver, with a population exceeding 65,000,” said Gunter Edel, the city’s parks director. “Houses in the Queen’s Park area and condos at the Quay will sell for exceeding $500,000.”
Ian Carter, principal at Waisman Dewar Grout Carter, was on the money with his prediction for the site next to the hotel, where two towers are currently under construction.“Two tall towers will be built on the Westwater site.”
Several entries in the time capsule suggested the city’s population would be between 60,000 and 65,000 in 2014, the year it was intended to be opened. (It was 65,976 in the 2011 census.)
More than a few downtown and Quayside residents probably wish some train-related predictions had come true. Well-known local businessman Bill Lewis wrote “the railway tracks should be enclosed in the core area” while C.E. Hibbert of the Royal Bank predicted the waterfront would be developed from the Pen site to Burnaby and “all tracks removed.”
“The forestry industry mills will disappear. Queensborough will be a garden city. Crime will be reduced through television cameras located in key areas. The waterfront will be a major tourist attraction with riverboat cruises,” said Tom Baker, who was New Westminster’s mayor from 1982 to 1988. “The age of our citizens will lower, with more young executive families settling in the city. The NDP will lose control due to higher income residents. McBride will be redeveloped and traffic flow improved.”
Like Baker, several people predicted the city’s political leanings would move from left-leaning NDP representation to the right side of the spectrum in the decades ahead – including the Social Credit Party provincially and the Progressive Conservatives federally. Wishful thinking by some, perhaps?
Rita Knight, an office manager at the Vancouver Auto Auction in Queensborough, had high hopes for women in politics.
“With extension of SkyTrain, I predict that New Westminster will become a very busy shopping/dining/entertainment centre,” she wrote. “I also believe that the ladies in government will have a positive effect on the once capital city of New Westminster.”
Dawn Black, who was New Westminster’s member of Parliament in 1988, had big dreams for New West.
“New Westminster will become, once again, the capital city of British Columbia,” she predicted. (For the record, a couple other time capsule entries also predicted capital city status would return to the Royal City by 2014.)
On the sports front, Tim Enno, executive director of the Hyack Festival Association, correctly (and sadly) predicted the Vancouver Canucks would not yet have won a Stanley Cup, but he was off base by suggesting B.C. would have an NFL franchise. Peter Armstrong, then the executive vice-president of Gray Line of Vancouver, felt the B.C. Lions would win the Grey Cup or the Super Bowl – depending on what happens to the CFL.
The late Mac Tyler, a lawyer and an inductee in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, predicted the New Westminster Salmonbellies would win the Mann Cup in 2014.
While many locals wish that had come true, they’re likely pleased that other predictions were quite a ways off base.
D.E. Alexander, a marketing manager based on Howe Street in Vancouver, predicted (tongue in cheek?) that New Westminster would be annexed by the City of Vancouver, while Brenda Jean Stubbs, a secretary with Westwater Industries, feared the city would be recovering from a major earthquake.
“Much of the downtown’s older buildings will be ruined and new ones will take their place with a heritage theme,” she said. “Socially the people of New West will be pulled together by this event and a real sense of community will prevail. Economically the city will have achieved its place as a major shopping centre with new boutiques on Columbia and the number of people on the waterfront to support them. Queen’s Park will continue to be ‘the’ place to live in New West although the waterfront and old Pen site following close behind.”
David Cooper, general manager of Cooper Yachts in Maple Ridge, didn’t hold out much hope for New Westminster, considering it to be mostly “impervious to change," while H&C Koechl of Martina Enterprises Ltd. in Surrey had lofty aspirations for the Royal City.
“New Westminster will be like the jewel on the Nile, the jewel on the Fraser, with Vancouver as its suburb. NW will be the hub of everything worthwhile happening,” wrote H&C Koechl. “It will be the actual Royal City, placing London, England in its shade.”
Here’s what some of the folks who contributed to the Feb. 14, 1989 time capsule predicted for New Westminster in 2014:
Joe Francis, alderman
“We will once again be a thriving centre for the Lower Mainland – a tourist centre with our waterfront developments and esplanade and our heritage buildings, as well as a health-medical centre and financial legal centre.
Robert Crawford, a lawyer with McQuarrie Hunter who went on to be a Justice of the Supreme Court
“Mayor Betty (Toporowski) will have just retired. The waterfront will be fully developed. Columbia Street will have been rebuilt. And the Salmonbellies will win the WLA, but will they win the Mann Cup? Ask my friend (Mac) Tyler.
H.S. Wilson, manager Chelsea Gift Shop on Elliot Street
“ALRT to Abbotsford. Revitalized downtown with royal heritage theme. Socred member in Victoria. Tourist attractions on the river.”
Bill Lewis , president of E.L. Lewis Insurance Agencies Ltd. on Columbia Street
“Downtown New Westminster should be totally rebuilt. The railway tracks should be enclosed in the core area. There should be more bridges across the river and much more residential living.”
Archie Miller, then the curator of the Irving House
“How am I supposed to choose a few items? The power of local history will finally be realized and this city will be rightfully booming with a strong combination of old and new. There will be a number of new museum facilities, especially along the waterfront. Columbia Street will be revitalized with a combination of old and new and with many residents actually living in suites in the upper floors of the older buildings. A river walk will go all the way form the area of Scott Paper to the front of the B.C. Pen redevelopment which has now become a major residential area of great character. This walk will, at this point, leave the river and go up through the new Glen Ravine Park and eventually end up in Queen’s Park, thus completing an extensive and well used circle tour of the Royal City. New Westminster will be the focal point of the study and enjoyment of the Fraser River which will link all the towns along the river from Mission to the mouth – maybe even up as far as Yale and Hope.”
Tom Baker, New Westminster’s mayor from 1982 to 1988
“The centre of the downtown will be west of Eighth Street. Colombia Street will be reconstructed with more highrises on the south side of Columbia. Woodward’s will be reconstructed and linked to the mall. More highrises will be built Sixth to 10th and south of Sixth Avenue. Queens Park will remain as it is. Commercial activity will increase due to regional town centre and SkyTrain. The forestry industry mills will disappear. Queensborough will be a garden city. Crime will be reduced through television cameras located in key areas. The waterfront will be a major tourist attraction with riverboat cruises. The age o0f our citizens will lower, with more young executive families settling in the city. The NDP will lose control due to higher income residents. McBride will be redeveloped and traffic flow improved.”
Rosemarie Chorney of Crème De La Crème shop
“Tourist area surrounding residential area. Shops, restaurants, river cruises, brightly lit, possibly casinos and more fine restaurants on ships docking.”
Laila Graham, sale manager of NOW Times Newspapers
“New Westminster NOW will be the only daily newspaper in New Westminster.”
Maggie Leech, editor of the Royal City Record
“Socially – New Westminster will be a ‘bedroom community’, predominantly senior citizens, living in highrise apartments. The city will be economically sound, but in cooperation with the neighbouring region. Downtown will be a business-related core. Politically, there will be increased Metro government at the municipal level. Canada will have a two-party system and the city will move to the “Conservative/Liberal” side of politics
Steve Houston, publisher of the Royal City Record
“The development of the Fraser River Discovery Centre and the redevelopment of Columbia Street will make New Westminster an exciting and vibrant place to live and to visit in the 21st century.”
Kenneth Williams, president of the Hyack Festival Association
“Sapperton SkyTrain station to Coquitlam. McBride Boulevard ‘separated’ through city to #1 Highway. Queensborough fully developed (including sewers). Waterfront – fully developed east and West. Train/Truck traffic separated on Front Street. Will become part of ‘downtown’ Lower Mainland. Will become community of older residents (less children).
Ethel Field, a New West resident and proprietor of the Royal City Dollhouse
“I’ll be 70 and both the city and I will be young at heart and a going concern.”
Col. Bill McKinney
“Population – 65,000. 20 per cent single family homes, 80 per cent co-op-condo apartments. Columbia Street – partially enclosed mall. Tourism and industry in city. Cruise ships – on river.”
Benno Friesen, who was a Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament in Surrey-White Rock in 1988
“PM Mulroney will be starting his ninth term of office.”
Dawn Black, New Westminster’s Member of Parliament
“New Westminster will become, once again, the capital city of British Columbia.”
D.R. Duncan of Cooper Yachts Ltd. in Maple Ridge
“The capital of B.C. will return to the Royal City by 2014.”
Gunter Edel, parks director
“The Westminster Quay and esplanade and housing developments and Columbia Street, the downtown New Westminster will be known to Canadians. New Westminster will be a bedroom city for Vancouver, with a population exceeding 65,000. House in the Queen’s Park area and condos at the Quay will sell for exceeding $500,000. Scott Paper will have no more smoke emissions and will have a pollution controlled operation.”
Bert Price, a salesman with Gray Beverage Inc.
“Total growth. An older city renewing itself as started at the waterfront. The new buildings will continue to go up and many older ones kept as heritage sites.”
Shirley Sweet, senior secretary at PACCAR Parts in Surrey
“New Westminster will be a thriving downtown area when ALRT is finished, with new stores and new industry.”
Barbara Hwang, president of Royal York Business Services in Delta
“This hotel will be the centre of activity for professional and business functions. ‘The Canada Place’ of New Westminster.”
Steven Iker, principal with Quadra Pacific Consultants:
“A tremendous economic boom with a major consideration to ecology along the Fraser shores.”
Gerry Barteluk, general manager of Inn at Westminster Quay
“The inn will be expanded to over 600 rooms plus a convention centre and will be the centre of the Lower Mainland for conventions.”
David C. Bentall, executive vice-president of the Dominion Company
“New Westminster will grow up around the LRT station like Sheppard Ave stop on Yonge St subway line in Toronto.”
K.L. Cusack president of Traditional Inns Ltd. in Vancouver
“Greater Vancouver population reaches 3,100,000 in 2014.” (In 2016, the population was just shy of 2.5 million.)
Sharon Bortolotto, principal at BBA Design Consultants in Vancouver
“New Westminster will become the second largest city in the Lower Mainland. 25 per cent of New Westminster’s population will be from the Pacific Rim.”
Charles Dillingham, director with Consolidate Bathhurst Inc. in Montreal
“New Westminster will regain prominence it lost when Van Horne put the CP Rail line into Vancouver in the late 1800s. Will not be destroyed by a tidal wave!”
Kenneth Mahon, a partner in Wolrige Mahon Chartered Accountants in Vancouver
“Population will double. Columbia Street will be revitalized. Waterfront development will extend to the Burnaby/Vancouver border. Dan Fritz will be mayor.”
Jim McLean, a Vancouver based developer
“1. Population of region 3.5 million. 2. Quay stretches to Vancouver and includes Queensborough. 3. Free Trade disappears.”
Diane Van Dyke, Kamyr Construction in Richmond
“New Westminster will be the hub of the Lower Mainland.”
Jack Whittaker, investment manager for the Operating Engineers Pension
“It will become tone of the most popular tourist waterfront attractions in the Lower Mainland.”
Mayor Betty Toporowski
“In the year 2014, New Westminster will be a major regional administrative centre that is home to 55,000 residents. The heritage nature of the community will emphasize the strong community spirit and commitment to balanced social objectives.”
Ald. Mal Hughes
“Convention centre. Parks still a city showpiece. Women on fire department.”
Alan Woodland, the city librarian
“The city will remain a good place to live in. It will thrive economically and become a centre for the study of river and estuary management. The waterfront development will be known throughout the world.”
Ian Carter, principal Waisman Dewar Grout Carter
“Two tall towers will be built on the Westwater site.”
Michael LeFevre, then manager of commercial services at the Toronto Dominion Bank in North Burnaby
“Total redevelopment of downtown and river shore, with considerable emphasis away from industrial development and more emphasis to residential and service-oriented businesses.”
Rita Knight, an office manager at the Vancouver Auto Auction in Queensborough
“With extension of SkyTrain, I predict that New Westminster will become a very busy shopping/dining/entertainment centre. I also believe that the ladies in government will have a positive effect on the once capital city of New Westminster.”
Mac Tyler, lawyer with McQuarrie Hunter
“The Salmonbellies will win the Mann Cup in 2014.”
Robert Crawford, a lawyer with McQuarrie Hunter
“Mayor Betty (Toporowski) will have just retired. The waterfront will be fully developed. Columbia Street will have been rebuilt. And the Salmonbellies will win the WLA, but will they win the Mann Cup? Ask my friend (Mac) Tyler.
Tim Enno, executive director of the Hyack Festival Association
“The Vancouver Canucks will not yet have won a Stanley Cup. B.C. will have an NFL franchise.”
James Strath, president of Westminster Boiler and Tank Co. Ltd. on 11th Street
“Population – 60,000. City will become the hub of the Lower Mainland and will be a residential city. New Westminster will be a desirable place to live.”
Alan Riches, ventures manager for Scott Paper Ltd.
“Population – 65,000. Total redevelopment from Royal Avenues downtown waterfront, and from Pattullo Bridge to Brow of the Hill above Stewardson Way. Galleria covered downtown mall from Fourth to 10th and Front Street to Carnarvon. Heritage facades maintained as theme. Truck route along Royal.”
Dr. Pauline Hughes, chair of the Douglas College board
“Waterfront population – 10,000. Riverboat cruises from New Westminster. Douglas College a model education facility – still with waiting lists.”
Greg Ericson, employee of a Burnaby-based distribution company
“A fashionable place to live and work in one area. Many highrise condos with young demographics, twice the population and a highly capitalistic ideology. Robots everywhere!”
James Greenwood, a partner in Greenwood Roberts and Sell in Vancouver
“New Westminster will become a hub city again. The weather will warm. Dan Fritz will be rich, famous and probably a freeman in New Westminster for spearheading this terrific (hotel) development.”
Gerry and Anne Heys of Heys and Co. in Langley
“New Westminster will see a rebirth as the downtown core of Vancouver shifts to New West. The Fraser River will be used more to transport people and provide an alternate route to Vancouver.”
C.E. Hibbert of the Royal Bank of Canada
“The waterfront will be developed from the Pen site to Burnaby – and all tracks removed.”
Debbie Horth of Haida Trading Inc.
“New West will reduce its current excessive crime level and will be the hub of the Lower Mainland.”
C.G. Burgess of Burgess Austin and Associates in Vancouver
“Fourth largest commercial and residential population in the GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District). Waterfront housing will stretch westwards across to Queensborough. New West will be the hub of the region and will regain much of its former prominence.”
Richard Coulter, with Westwater Industries Ltd.
“Politically – no longer NDP but right of centre (Socred); Socially – established family and retirement community; Economically – emphasis on service commercial due to the increased residential development.”
E.R. Matheson, present of Argus Estates Ltd. in New Westminster
“Socially: population in excess of 65,000/entertainment centre for surrounding communities. Economically: largest service, business and government centre outside of downtown Vancouver. Politically: will have a free enterprise representatives both provincially and federally, and both will be male.”
D.E. Alexander, a marketing manager based on Howe Street in Vancouver
“NW will be annexed by the City of Vancouver.”
Brenda Jean Stubbs, a secretary with Westwater Industries.
“By the year 2014, New Westminster will be recovering from a major earthquake. Much of the downtown’s older buildings will be ruined and new ones will take their place with a heritage theme. Socially the people of New West will be pulled together by this event and a real sense of community will prevail. Economically the city will have achieved its place as a major shopping centre with new boutiques on Columbia and the number of people on the waterfront to support them. Queen’s Park will continue to be “the” place to live in New West although the waterfront and old Pen site following close behind. The education system will put more emphasis on children from the ages of three to 10, i.e. ‘that’s where attitudes are formed’. The Samson V will have been moved to a location on-ground and the New Westminster Museum will be located somewhere in the downtown (Columbia Street???). All in all, New Westminster will be the hub of activity in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. “
Patrick J. Julian, a lawyer with a Vancouver law firm
“After the great earthquake of 2008 AD destroys Vancouver Island, New Westminster will regain its potion as the capital of … not British Columbia, but Columbia, the 53r d state of the USA!!”
E. Robert Stromberg, a Saskatchewan lawyer
“Due to the cultural invasion of Vancouver Island by Quebec and the mandatory sue of French throughout Vancouver Island, I predict that New Westminster will become the capital of British Columbia and that the lieutenant governor of British Columbia will occupy the top four floors of your hotel.”
David Cooper, general manager of Cooper Yachts in Maple Ridge
“I unfortunately believe that New Westminster for the most part is impervious to change.”
H & C Koechl of Martina Enterprises Ltd. in Surrey
“New Westminster will be like the jewel on the Nile, the jewel on the Fraser, with Vancouver as its suburb. NW will be the hub of everything worthwhile happening. It will be the actual Royal City, placing London, England in its shade.”
Laird O’Connor, a sales manager with Broadway Refrigeration in Vancouver
“The Social Credit will be in power. The ionosphere will be worsened and Vancouver will be a hot tropical paradise.”
Peter Armstrong, vice president of Gray Line of Vancouver
“Inn at Westminster Quay will have expanded to over 500 rooms. B.C. will be the best province economically in Canada. Vancouver will have a population of three million. The price of a single copy of the Sun will be $3. House prices will be a bit higher than now at an average $2.5 million for a single, detached house in East Vancouver. The B.C. Lions will win the Grey Cup or the Super Bowl, depending on what happens to the CFL. Gray Lines of Vancouver will be the premier tourist company in B.C.”
Ian Carter, principal Waisman Dewar Grout Carter
“Two tall towers will be built on the Westwater site.”
