The Editor:
Re: New West given highest target under B.C. housing requirement (July 30, 2024)
I found this recent article both concerning and thought provoking.
I even found myself agreeing with the mayor.
I would ask our provincial government and our three government MLA’s one simple question — where is the city to put these residential units?
Now, I’ve lived here for a while, and know a bit about real estate, so I suspect they may be considering these under-utilized areas:
Poplar Island
I can see it as I sit in my office typing this note — 27 acres of nothing but trees. It might be unserviced, undyked, an Indigenous burial ground, and a provincially designated “Nature Legacy Area,” but the city has its assignment to build.
Queens Park
There’s a small area east of Granville Street — again — nothing but trees. Should be able to squeeze a high-rise on there, eh?
Cemetery near 22nd Street Station
Appears to have a lot of expansion area.
Queensborough Shopping Centre
Underutilized with lots of vacancies — bet there of lots of developers looking forward to building fifty storey towers with these challenging soil conditions.
What’s left of our shrinking industrial areas
Who cares about the fact that industrial properties are (property) taxed about twice the rate of residential properties and provide jobs — our city has a mandate from the provincial government.
So, please tell us your MLAs, who will be asking us to re-elect you in a few months; are these the areas you expect the city to use to meet your mandate?
If not, what areas do you as provincial government representatives have in mind?
- Chris Dumfries, New Westminster
