A six-storey affordable housing project is proposed on the site of the longtime home of Queen’s Avenue United Church.
At a May 12 workshop, council will receive a preliminary application review (PAR) detailing the latest redevelopment proposal for the site at the corner of Sixth Street and Queens Avenue, a building now known as Sanctuary on 6th. A report to council said a pre-application review has been submitted to the city on behalf of an affiliate of the United Church of Canada, Qayqayt First Nation and the North Fraser Metis Association.
According to the report, a six-storey affordable housing apartment building containing 91 units is proposed.
“Project affordability is set to meet BC Housing Indigenous Housing Fund requirements, with 100 per cent of units provided at rent geared to income rates,” said the report. “The project would provide housing for urban Indigenous middle- and low-income families, elders and individuals.”
At Monday’s meeting, staff will be seeking council’s feedback on several items: support in principle for a future zoning bylaw amendment to facilitate the proposed affordable housing project; heritage considerations for the church; child-care considerations; Sixth Street urban design considerations; and transportation demand management measures.
“Council and staff feedback would be formally provided to the application in a PAR letter,” noted the report. “This feedback would inform the applicant’s forthcoming application to BC Housing’s Indigenous Housing Fund.”
Queens Avenue United Church and its annex (which has a gymnasium and multipurpose spaces) were built in 1958 but are excluded from the Queen’s Park heritage conservation area because of its institutional use.
“Demolition of the church and annex would be required to facilitate this proposed form of development,” said the staff report.
The report stated the annex has “little heritage value,” and staff support its demolition. Staff also believe it would be “very challenging” to retain the existing church as part of an affordable housing project.
“A heritage assessment was conducted for the main church, which was determined to have some heritage value (especially related to its mid-century modern architecture). However, similar values and stories are already well represented in New Westminster heritage building stock,” said the report. “Given this, and that the proposal is intended to provide alternative and much-needed community benefits, staff recommend not pursuing any heritage retention as part of this project.”
According to the staff report, the site is located within the Columbia Street SkyTrain station transit-oriented development (TOD) area, as it’s within 800 metres of a designated transit hub. Under the new provincial legislation, municipalities cannot requirement vehicle parking, with the exception of accessible parking, for residential projects in TOD areas.
What’s being proposed?
A May 12 staff report outlines what’s proposed as part of the preliminary application review process:
- Preliminary drawings show a six-storey building that steps down to four storeys on the eastern side of the site. A single storey amenity building is also proposed.
- 91 units are proposed, with 55 per cent having two and three bedrooms.
- The amenity building would be about 297.3 square metres (3,200 square feet). It would include a large meetings space, small meeting rooms, washrooms and a commercial kitchen. It would be used for faith-based, community and ceremonial purposes and would be shared by the project’s three partners.
- 40 off-street resident and five visitor parking spaces are being proposed.
- 115 long-term bicycle and six short-term bicycle spots are proposed.
According to a staff report, Frog Hollow Montessori currently provides care to children aged 30 months to school age. (The staff report states it is a a for-profit child-care centre, but the centre emailed the Record to say it's a not-for-profit.)
“The applicant as expressed interest in expanding the proposed amenity building to accommodate on-site childcare, however child-care-specific construction and operating funding would be required to do so,” said the report. “The city continues to pursue options for development of not-for-profit child-care facilities.”
Queens Avenue Daycare closed in June 2022 after 51 years – a decision due in part to uncertainty related to a previous redevelopment proposal for the site.
A different plan
The preliminary application review being considered by city council on Monday isn’t the first time a redevelopment plan has been proposed on this site.
In the spring of 2021, the United Property Resource Corporation applied to the City of New Westminster for a preliminary application review for an official community plan amendment, a heritage revitalization agreement, a rezoning and a development permit for the site. City officials voiced some concerns about that proposal.
At that time, the applicant proposed building a 12-storey residential rental building. That proposal called for retaining and revitalizing the church’s sanctuary space that fronts onto Sixth Street, providing a new non-profit childcare facility for approximately 79 spaces and including a small-scale commercial space such as a coffee shop.
