news // no. 4

theotherpress.ca

New West in final concept design
stages for new riverfront park

» City asks for more public feedback to inform finalized designs

Bex Peterson
Editor-in-Chief

 

N“ West residents have until April

5 to add their two cents to the City’s
designs for a proposed new riverfront park
on Quayside Drive.

Located next to the River Market
along the Fraser River waterfront, the City
of New Westminster is planning to expand
the current Westminster Pier Park as well
as add more park facilities and amenities
to the area. The current plan calls for two
new park sites resulting in an approximate
two acres of total park space. The project

has been in its planning stages since
the project initiation last summer, with
several open houses held for the public to

discuss the development.

According to the most recent open
house document, public feedback has
included requests for a large open lawn,
a dog park, added seating areas, anda

performance space.

The park is being planned as part
of what the City is calling its “Riverfront
Vision,” which also includes plans to
build two large residential towers in
the same area. The Pier West towers, a

project headed by property development
company Bosa, looks to be an ambitious
one according to Bosa’s website: “The
groundbreaking development includes
two residential towers, including the
tallest building on Metro Vancouver's
waterfront, plus a variety of services that

add to the community.”

Other proposed changes to the
riverfront include a 6th Street overpass, a
renovation of the existing children’s play
area in Westminster Pier Park, an entry
plaza for the tower developments, and
private outdoor patios for ground-level

  

From American and French
Revolutions to #MeToo

>» Last Coffee House of the semester talks about women in revolution

 

units of the residential towers.

The City has certainly been
making an effort to make full use
of that choice waterfront property.
Last year’s experimental Q to Q ferry
service connecting the River Market
to Queensborough Landing has been
extended to May of this year, allowing
residents from the Queensborough Port
Royal community easy access to the

market and the New West core.

Approval of the final concept designs
for the new park space by mayor and
council is expected to occur sometime this

spring.

Illustration from plans

Tania Arora
Staff Reporter

 

istory is filled with women

who have had significant roles
in great revolutionary movements
including the French Revolution,
American abolitionist movement,
Civil Rights movement, Idle No
More, #MeToo, and many more. To
recognize the importance of their role
and how have they been able to make
changes, Douglas Students’ Union
organized the last Coffee House of the
semester around the theme Women
in Revolutions.

The discussion began with
everyone present being asked to
name one woman in the major
revolutionary movements around the
world. The question was met with
complete silence, which shows the
unrecognized contribution made by
women in history.

In order to end slavery in the
US, the American abolitionist
movement took place in the 18th
and 19th centuries—a movement in
which women were prominent and

outspoken members.

In an article for the National
Women's History Museum, Allison
Lange, Ph.D., said, “In 1829 British-
born reformer Frances Wright toured
the United States and lectured against
slavery. The same year, an artist
published this cartoon making fun of
Wright. The cartoon depicts Wright
standing near a table and giving a
lecture, but she has the head of a
goose. The title says Wright ‘deserves
to be hissed’ According to this artist
and many others, women should not
speak in public, and the public should
not care what she has to say.”

Yet in the face of these oppressive
norms, women became equipped
with leadership, organizational,
literary, and many other skills to mark
their presence and contributions.

One of the most recent feminist
movements is the #MeToo movement
where one can easily see the power of
organization and listen to the voices
of women. Gone are the days when
women were expected to stay quiet
indoors.

Bhavika Gaba, an international
student at Douglas, said in an

interview with the Other Press, “I am
glad that this [#¥MeToo movement]
took place. Women are finally coming
out and speaking for themselves and
seeking justice. It is heartbreaking
to listen to what they have been
through. Hundreds or thousands of
cases might have been reported till
now, but millions of stories are still
hiding inside the walls of bricks.”

The French Revolution was also
a part of the Coffee House discussion.
The participation of women in the
movement sparked controversies
at the time, given the French
Revolution’s emphasis on equality
and liberty for all citizens—but not
for women. Aahelee Bandyopadhyay,
the DSU Women’s Representative
and the moderator for the event, said,
“Female figures in revolution are often
suppressed and history has been a
crucial instrument to depict that.”

Hopefully we have more such
coffee houses coming up next
semester because it is important for
students to come together and share
and gain knowledge about such social
issues.