A local business fears it will be upstaged by a new development in downtown New Westminster.
Domus Homes’ project for 813 to 823 Carnarvon St. includes 204 market condominiums in a 32-storey building and 66 non-market rental units in an eight-storey building, as well as commercial space facing Carnarvon Street. The developer is building the non-market housing for Performing Arts Lodges (PAL) Vancouver, a non-profit that will provide affordable housing for veterans of the performing arts industry.
Stefanie Swinnard founded The Stage New West, a youth and family-centred performing arts studio, in 2013. While she believes the PAL program will be a much-needed service in the community, she’s concerned about the project’s name – Stage New Westminster.
“Having to rebrand my entire company to retain a unique identity would essentially be starting over after five years, and this would have catastrophic consequences for the health and sustainability of my studio. I do not have the resources financially nor time wise to achieve this within a reasonable timeline,” she told council at Monday night’s public hearing. “I would like the council to consider the response other businesses may have if the proposed name was The Columbia or The Massey, or even El Santo or Piva. I believe there would be pushback.”
Swinnard understands the developer’s desire to want to an arts-related name for the project, but feels other options could be entertained. She noted the project was previously called Carnarvon Garden.
Because Stage New West has a location at Carnarvon and Lorne streets, which isn’t far from the development site, Swinnard said it could be confusing to potential clients looking for her business. She fears the similarity of the names could also impact her online presence.
Several members of the local performing arts community expressed support for the project at Monday night’s public hearing, where city council considered a zoning amendment bylaw that would allow the project to proceed.
Russell Roberts, an actor who has lived in New Westminster for 28 years, said many people in the performing arts have annual incomes of less than $12,000 a year.
“As actors get older and people in the business get older, our earnings drop to less than $10,000 a year,” he said. “There are a number of performing artists already living in New Westminster….. This is where we live. This is where we have formed our families. This is where we have our friends. This is where we have our connections. We contribute constantly to the wellbeing and the growth of New Westminster.”
New Westminster resident Christine Lowther told council she was surprised to learn the non-market housing component of the project was for people who worked in the performing arts. Having lived in apartments in New Westminster where seniors have been forced to leave because of renovictions, she said some of those people would be prepared to “sing and dance” for the chance to get non-market housing.
Roberts said people in the performing arts will get first dibs on the units, but the PAL building isn’t exclusive to people who have worked in the performing arts. He noted seniors from all walks of life reside in PAL projects in Vancouver and Toronto.
Richard Wittstock, a managing partner of Domus Homes, said the company went through a naming and branding exercise and deemed Stage New Westminster to be the strongest name and have the best identity for the project, but other names were considered.
“I’ve got no interest in creating any challenges for an established business in New Westminster. I do agree that it could cause some problems,” he said. “I am hoping some variation of the name that still uses the word stage, and the design and branding that we have used.”
Council supported third reading of the application. Before the bylaw is adopted, council wants the developer to provide the city with a letter indicating a mutual resolution had been found with the affected business owner regarding the project’s name.
Coun. Patrick Johnstone said the city should take advantage of developments that address specific housing needs.
“This is definitely not the solution to all affordable housing needs. No single project is. There is a wide diversity of affordable housing needs, but this does identify one area where affordable housing is needed. It does fill one gap,” he said. “There are many, many gaps we have to fill as a city and a region.”
