The Arts Council of New Westminster is taking a hit from the ongoing construction at the New West waterfront – but they’re not about to let that stop the fun.
The newest challenge? The removal of Tugger and the construction of a new playground in its place.
Tugger (the popular tugboat structure from Expo 86 that offers a play space for kids between River Market and the Fraser River Discovery Centre) is being removed this month after the city determined it had reached the end of its life. The process of building a replacement play structure will also include significant structural work on the pier deck itself.
For the arts council, that means no more access to electricity on the site – specifically, the 220-volt hookup for its sound systems to offer up live performances during summer events such as the New West Craft night market.
Stephen O’Shea, the arts council’s executive director, noted the group is already working with River Market to find a backup for the electricity issue – although he said it will likely mean making do with 110-volt hookup rather than 220, so the usual performances will need to be scaled back.
It’s just one more challenge facing O’Shea and his team as they grapple with planning events in the face of massive construction along the waterfront. With two major developments underway at either end of River Market – RiverSky at 1000 Quayside Dr. and Pier West at 660 Quayside Dr. – the arts council has already found that space for its outdoor markets and other events is at a premium.
“We’ve already suffered a significant reduction in the amount of artists and vendors,” O’Shea said. “Now we’re seeing an additional few tents being removed.”
He said the timing is unfortunate for the arts council, since summer is prime time for outdoor programming, but he accepts that the work can’t wait.
“It wouldn’t make sense to delay this project till the winter,” he said.
But O’Shea also cautioned it’s not just about one project, or one summer. Though he said he’s excited about the revitalization of the waterfront and the city's riverfront vision, he knows it’s going to come with its share of headaches for the arts council.
For instance, he’s been told by the city that attendance at Westminster Pier Park is down about 15 per cent this spring over last, despite it having been one of the driest and sunniest Marches on record. If the hassles connected to waterfront construction – such as parking limitations – continue, it may mean fewer people heading down to enjoy the arts council’s Music by the River concert series.
Then there’s the issue of access for the arts council. As of this moment, O’Shea still doesn’t know whether his group will have vehicle access to Pier Park to transport in its equipment for Music by the River events.
He said the city has been working closely with the arts council and is sharing as much information as it can, but the ever-changing nature of construction projects means O’Shea doesn’t have a lot of certainty about what will or will not be possible – not only this summer, but in 2020 and beyond.
“We’re going to see challenges in the river district over the next two to three years,” he said. “I think we’re going to have to go through a few years of pain in order to get to a much better place.”
Nonetheless, O’Shea is feeling optimistic about the arts council’s programming and the support it’s getting from the community. He noted the arts council will still have a presence at the Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Festival and Fridays on Front, and it will continue with its Uptown Unplugged series and a youth-focused Open Stage series at the Queen’s Park bandshell.
And if anybody has any other ideas, O’Shea is all ears.
“We’re certainly open to new partnerships,” he said.
Though he’s already working to come to grips with event planning for August 2021 in the face of rapid change on the waterfront, he’s philosophical about the challenge.
“This is what happens with cities that are going through growth,” O’Shea said. “There are interruptions, and that is to be expected.”
*
To keep an eye on all the arts council happenings, see www.acnw.ca or check out @ArtsCouncilNW on Facebook.
