An orca whale sculpture will find a new home at the Moody Park Outdoor Pool.
The city received an offer from a community member who had acquired an orca whale sculpture from the 2010 Winter Olympics and wanted to donate it to the city.
Although the owner had requested that the sculpture be placed in the future Westminster Pier Park, council approved a recommendation from the city's public arts advisory committee to give it a home at the Moody Park Outdoor Pool.
SMOKING BYLAW UNDER REVIEW
Fraser Health is asking the City of New Westminster to enhance its smoking control bylaw.
Tim Shum, regional director of Fraser Health, has written to the city asking that it enhance its current smoking control bylaw by banning smoking in these areas: within 7.5 metres of doors, windows and air intakes; on restaurant and pub patios; in parks and on beaches and trails; in public places where people gather - such as outdoor playgrounds, playing fields, as well as outdoor or partially enclosed sports venues, stadiums, sports facilities, and where people wait to board public transportation.
Shum has offered to meet with city staff to help develop a "seamless" implementation policy.
Council referred the letter to staff for an update on the bylaw.
BREWERY DISTRICT IS MOVING ON UP
Wesgroup Properties has received the city's support to add an eighth floor to a building under construction at the Brewery District.
An eighth floor will be added to a building that's currently under construction and will provide the head office for TransLink.
Council has approved an amendment to the development permit to allow for the development of the eighth floor on Parcel 1B in the district.
A staff report stated that it was noted at the time that the development permit was issued in March 2011 and that the existing site zoning would allow an additional floor with up to 29,000 square feet of office space in the future.
GOING FOR GRANTS
The Royal City is applying for funding that would help it offer special celebrations.
The city's arts commission recommended that council approve in principle an application to the department of Canadian Heritage for designation as a Cultural Capital of Canada in 2014, and commit $250,000 in cash and in-kind services if the city's application is successful.
Coun. Bill Harper said the city's contribution would be $250,000, but it could receive $750,000 to supplement arts and cultural events in the city.
"This would be a huge infusion of funding into the arts community," he said.
The Canadian Heritage website states that the federal government created the national program in 2002 to recognize and support Canadian municipalities for special activities that harness the many benefits of arts and culture in community life.
HELP CITY PLAN TRANSPORTATION
The first open house about New Westminster's master transportation plan attracted quite a crowd.
The Jan. 26 open house kicked off the transportation planning process and gave residents a chance to offer input on the challenges and opportunities for transportation in New Westminster. A second open house is taking place on Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 2: 30 to 4: 30 p.m. at Century House.
Coun. Bill Harper said the attendance at the first open house reinforced the fact that transportation is the number 1 issue in New Westminster.
"Hopefully that whole process over the next two years is going to address some serious problems," he said.
The city's long-range master transportation plan was prepared in 1998, so many aspects are in need of updating.
Staff anticipates that the plan will take about 16 months to prepare.
TAKING ON CHILD CARE
New Westminster is pleased with the accomplishments made by its child-care strategy.
According to a progress report about the 2008 strategy, there has been a net increase of 324 licensed and registered license not required child-care spaces, which is a 27 per cent increase.
The staff report states that 197 of the 324 new spaces were created as a result of a direct city action, such as development variance permit, lease of city owned land or rezoning.
"Significant progress has been made in implementing the strategy and this has translated into a substantial increase in the number of licensed child care spaces," stated the report. "In fact, of the 21 recommended actions in Years one to three, 18 or 85.7 per cent have been fully implemented."
