Lougheed area redevelopments
met with speed bumps

> Future plans receive mixed reactions from Burnaby and Coquitlam residents

Aaron Guillen
Staff Reporter

 

f everything goes according

to plan for shareholder Shape
Properties, Lougheed Town
Centre will be completely
unrecognizable in the next 30
years. Shape Properties, one
of the companies known for
their colossal redevelopment
strategies for The Amazing
Brentwood (Brentwood Town
Centre), are adding the 29.1
hectare area, situated on the
Burnaby/Coquitlam border,
to their list of to-do’s.

According to Shape’s website,
“Lougheed Town Centre is to
undergo a redevelopment and
densification plan that calls for
approximately 1.2-million square
feet of retail, 1-million square
feet of office space and on-site
residential units.

“The completion of
Lougheed’s redevelopment
will result in a signature urban
destination that is an attractive
home for residents, workers, and
businesses, and a draw for the
residents of Burnaby, Coquitlam,
Port Moody, New Westminster,
and beyond.”

The development is bordered
by North Road on the east side,
Cameron Street to the north, the
Cameron Recreation Complex to
the west, and Lougheed Highway
to the south. The current plan
is to intertwine seven unique
neighbourhoods, spread around
the Lougheed area, through
walkways, bike lanes, and large
open spaces.

The redeveloped land is
expected to resemble a sufficient

 

 

city within its own borders.
The hope is for the land to find
a cohesive balance between
flourishing trees dotting the
landscape, low- and high-rises
to accommodate the city’s
population growth, and diverse
shops and services to boost local
businesses. Tri-City News adds
that “..an additional 25,000 people
could move into the surrounding
area within 30 years.”

Last month, the Lougheed
Town Centre Core Area Master

Ma

ctl aie a 8

Plan was presented for a public
hearing at Burnaby City Hall.
Throughout the meeting, Square
Properties, alongside the City of
Burnaby, received mixed reviews.
While multiple business owners
eagerly supported the project,
in hopes for financial benefits
thanks to a bold new look, local
citizens voiced their concern and
dissatisfaction.

Many occupants are worried
about potential 65-storey
apartment buildings blocking

The new face of TransLink

> New permanent CEO brings years of experience to job

Mercedes Deutscher
News Editor

 

arch 21 will mark the
first day on the job
for Kevin Desmond as the
new CEO of TransLink.
Desmond will be the fourth
person to hold the position in
the past 16 months. Former CEO
lan Jarvis resigned during the
2015 plebiscite, and was followed
by two interim CEO’s while the
TransLink board of directors
sought a new, permanent CEO.
Desmond has 12 years’
experience in managing King
County Metro Transit (KCMT) in
Seattle. In his time with KCMT, he
oversaw four public transportation
referendums. Three out of four

  

Kevin Desmond via www.kingcounty.gov

succeeded. He also oversaw

the installation of the ORCA
Smart Card in 2009 (the KCMT
equivalent of the Compass Card.)
Prior to KCMT, Desmond
served as the chief of operations

for the New York City Transit
system.

The first task that Desmond
will be undertaking upon his
commencement will be trying to
restore public trust in TransLink.
He plans to accomplish this via an
inquiry that will have him talking
with those most pragmatically
involved in operating TransLink.

“T understand TransLink has
suffered a bruise to its brand and
the last couple of years have been
challenging ...,” said Desmond
during a news conference covered
by the Vancouver Sun. “Restoring
the public trust and confidence in
the transportation system I believe
to be number one.”

One of the largest public
criticisms of TransLink regarded

 

their beautiful views while
increasing traffic and noise in

the vicinity. Some residents

held nothing back with their
outwardly hot-tempered letters to
publication editors.

Brian Robinson, a Coquitlam
resident, wrote to the editor at
Tri-City News suggesting that the
developers have Burnaby council
“by the nose,” controlling every
move.

Meanwhile, Frank Mesich
noted to Burnaby Now that

the high salaries earned by
executives. Arguably, this led
to the failure of the plebiscite,
which would have introduced a
0.5 per cent sales tax in the Lower
Mainland had it succeeded.
Desmond will be receiving
an annual salary of $365,000,
significantly less than the salary of
Jarvis, who made $468,000 in 2013.
“TransLink needs both
a new leadership team and a
new organizational culture,”
said Jordan Bateman—who
campaigned against last year’s
plebiscite on behalf of the
Canadian Taxpayer's Federation—
to the Globe and Mail. “TransLink
needs to be more customer-
service focused but also aware of
the fact that its shareholders—the

 

 

 

 

he doesn’t think the council is
respecting citizens viewpoints,
thus letting many people down.
“The rationale for their
actions are that they are fulfilling
a plan developed 20 years ago
that ‘we all determined’ would
be the creation of Metrotown,
Lougheed Town Centre, and
Brentwood redevelopment.
The redevelopment encroaches
into and sacrifices single family
neighbourhoods.

taxpayers—are unhappy with the
way it’s been run for a long time.”

Desmond’s arrival has been
met with optimism from both
municipal and the provincial
government. Vancouver mayor
Gregor Robertson expressed
his excitement for Desmond’s
assistance in obtaining
provincial and federal funding
to build much-needed transit
infrastructure in the Lower
Mainland.

“T have confidence in the
CEO and the team he has around
him, and we are going to see the
transportation needs for our
communities and for each of
us individually met,” said Peter
Fassbender, transportation
minister, to the Vancouver Sun.

Image via www.vancouvermarket.ca