Right from the start I saw the potential of our waterfront for the enjoyment of our citizens and tourism. I made it my goal to buy back as much of the waterfront for public use as possible.
A recent Royal City Record article reports “Wright firmly believes that Westminster Pier Park, which is set to open in early 2012, will be an amenity that the public will welcome but will also become an economic driver for the city. One of Wright’s first goals upon becoming mayor was to reclaim the waterfront, so he couldn’t be prouder than when people refer to Westminster Pier Park as Wayne’s Wharf.”
Problem Statement
A big problem is that waterfront property is scarce and desirable so it tends to be expensive. Many of the properties on our waterfront were heavily polluted after years of industrial use.
Part Of The Green Way
Discussion
With careful negotiation and by using external funding, we have managed to acquire most/all of the waterfront.We now have a green way running along the river all the way from our border with Richmond to the Sapperton Landing Park on the other end.The Quay with the River Market and Fraser River Discovery Centre form the hub of our waterfront development. And don’t forget my favorite big addition – the Tallest Tin Soldier.I have not been successful in all my endeavours though. For example, we had an opportunity to get a marina at the Quay. However, it was opposed by local residents. I was disappointed but that is democracy – I listened. I was also sorry to see the Royal Casino paddlewheeler leave New West.
The Result
The waterfront has already become an integral part of life in New West. It is the venue for many events and festivals like Artists on the River and the Multicultural Festival. I can only see it increase as the Westminster Pier Park is completed.
Allow me to digress a little here. I am fed up with the negativity of some candidates in this campaign. They headline “Pier Park not on time, not on budget”! But do they mention the design award that the project has won? No! Guess it is easier to criticise than to be constructive.
An exciting future development is to connect the Quay and Queensborough for pedestrians and cyclists. The challenge is that we still have to allow shipping to pass. That could easily cause a bridge to be so high that people will be scared to use it. The City is exploring several options including a gondola system and the expansion of the existing rail bridge.
Conclusion
As a city we are truly blessed to have an asset as the Fraser River and I am proud of what we have achieved with our waterfront development. It is sometimes, somewhat disparagingly, referred to as “Wayne’s Wharf” by people who lack vision – but I don’t really mind as I did play a part in bringing it to fruition.
Be sure to read the City’s report on the economic potential of the Pier Park.
