Dear Editor:
We as taxpayers like to complain that no one is listening. I would like to report that in my instance that they (city hall) not only listened, but acted. I have watched Begbie Square, located by the courthouse on Carnarvon Street, fall into disrepair since I moved to New Westminster almost five years ago. The planters have been neglected, when they once held beautiful flowers. The benches were rotting. Graffiti adorned surfaces, and roots were poking up through the concrete, creating hazards. The fountain has not been active for several years until last summer, when it ran for several months, but only during working hours weekdays. (The logic of that escapes me, given that it is a public space.) To be frank, it had once again become a haven for drug use and sales.
I found it distressing, as I live nearby. After participating on the citizens' advisory council for the Official Community Plan, it became clear that my concerns for quality public spaces in the downtown area were shared by others citizens.
I felt compelled to write to the city but felt like my concerns would go in the "circular file." I was visited a few days later by the head of New West's gardening team. We took a walk through the square to see what my actual concerns were. He was, as I, saddened by its state, but added that the infrastructure was not on the gardening's division's mandate nor were the planters, but that these concerns would be passed on to the appropriate staff.
In a few days, a city team arrived and cleaned up the branches and leaves and trimmed the rhododendrons. I was pretty happy to see the response. The planters remained empty, so I bought a bunch of wildflower packets at a local dollar store and sowed them prior to leaving on a vacation. Please don't uproot the sunflowers, forget-me-nots and calendulas!
I returned to a pressure washed Begbie Square with new benches, levelled concrete and, as of today, painted railings. My seedlings aren't doing as well as I had hoped, but a dose of fertilizer will hopefully help the sunflowers!
As much as I would like to see the floral grandeur of the Quay, I am pleased that someone actually listened. This small jewel in our city needs protection and preservation. In a sea of concrete, it is a small respite for families with toddlers, workers in the downtown area and neighbours like me that like to get outside in a safe and attractive environment without the trek to Pier Park. Thank you, City of New West, for listening and responding. Those of us that live downtown appreciate it!
Marli Wakeling, New Westminster
