a eee page 6 the other press October 3, 1977 analysis fate. Principal George Wooton (at right) contemplates college’s by BRIAN JONES The B.C. Development Corporation unveiled this week a massive re-devlopm- ent scheme for the downtown core of New Westminster. The plan‘s success depends on the decision of Douglas College to relocate onto a permanent site in the city‘s core. If an affirmative decision is reached by the College Coun- cil, New Westminster as it is now between Royal Avenue and the waterfront, and boun- ded by 4th St. and 8th Ave will be no more. ‘ modern plans presented by BCDC. The development plan 1s called the ‘‘First Capital City $150 million over a period of twenty years. Because of the magnitude of the project, and the definite effects it will have on Douglas College, and New Westmins- ter, we feel it is our responsi- bility to present you. with the details 4 the plan. The plan was unveiled Mon- day night to a highly enthusi- council, with all BCDC’s plans and goals explained by the plans director Bob McIntyre. The plans sketched out the future city, and briefly explai- ned the financing responsibil- ities of each of the participat- ing parties; Douglas College, Bob MacIntyre of BCDC- ““We are not involved in| education. Just building.’ ial government, businesses and private land owners. What the move to the city centre means to Douglas Col- lege is all that it is important to those who have to make the decision to relocate or not. A diagonal pedestrian walk- way will run from the college down to 4th Street and Colu- mbia where a new 3,000 seat performing arts centre will be built by David Y. H. Lui. The performing arts centre will service the college‘s music and drama programs, as well as being the city's cultural centre. Further development will take place in the area down the hill from the college site, as well as filling in the remaining non-developed “areas from Royal to Columbia all the way to 4th Street. Along the waterfront the BCDC plan calls for the buil- ding of townhouses from the foot of 8th Street to 4th Street. At present BCDC predicts the cost of purchasing a unit will be $80,000 to $250,000. Plans for a permanent cam- pus in New Westminster have been part of the college‘s future plans from the time of its inception. And a recent land feasibility study conducted by architects Garlsberg and Jackson, show- ed that a permanent college campus could be constructed on the McBride site. Up until this week‘s release of the redevelopment plan of New Westminster, Douglas College had not investigated the possibilities of locating on a downtown site. However, at the College Council meeting Tuesday night the BCDC offered the results of a study they commi- ssioned on locating the college in downtown.New Westmins- ter. In its place will rise an ultra| ‘collegetown’’, acc- | ording to the development! Development’’, and will cost | astic New Westminster city , College Council being seduced by BCDC Consultant in Boardroom. . Federal government, Provinc-" But to fully understand the ramifications of the choice that has to be made, some time must be spent on what the ‘‘New’’ New Westminster will be, and then what the move means to Douglas Col- lege will be examined. If BCDC‘s plan is accepted, Douglas College will build a permanent college on a vacant Royal Avenue lot bounded on one side by 8th Street and on the other by 7th Street. It will stretch down the hill one block to Agnes Avenue.(the site is close to the Royal Towers Hotel). In the immediate area of the college a courthouse and off- ice complex will be construct- ed. Moving along Agnes and towards 4th Street, a college mall will be built with a combination of commercial buildings, shops and lands- caped areas ‘‘to gather and eat lunch’’. Also, a hotel, park/marina and Federal office building complex will be extablished at the foot of 8th Street, in the vicinity of the King Neptune restaurant. The business district along Columbia Street is also in line for a face-lift, with the pe ility of a covered mall being built, and a mono-rail system to travel the length of the New Westminster downtown core, and up the 6th Street hill to Royal. The parkade will be expand- ed to accomodate the increase demand for parking. The only other major ec: of construction will be done on the site which Douglas Coll- ege was considering prior to BCDC'‘s plan. The plan calls for major construction of con- dominiums and townhouses on the 42 acre site across from the Canada Games pool. The assessment, conducted by Graham Brawn and Assoc- iates Ltd., contrasted the McBride Avenue site, with the city core. The results favoured the downtown site. city core contrasted What follows is the findings of the GBA assessment. In May, 1977, BCDC project director, Bob McIntyre, met with college council to explain their development proposals. At the time of the meetin the council was concerne with the answers to six quest- ions: Could the college be built within the existing time frame “ or sooner? Could requirements for fut- ure growth and change be met? BCDC: ‘If Douglas says no... decision needed in two weeks Could the college’s parking demand be met? Could the college project and maintain its image in the city without generating conflicts with the business community? Will the cost of cous on the downtown site excee the cost of development on the McBride site? What affect will the down- town location have on the recreational facilities of the college? It is important to note that when Douglas College first purchased the McBride site property, there was no oppor- tunity for them to locate in the city centre. This possibility only became available to them in the Fall of 1976, when ICBC pulled out of their commitment to construct a regional head office on the site. The survey conducted by GBA showed that a perman- ent campus could be const- ructed on either site within the college's time trame. The land fpasibitey studies for each site are as follows: The land feasibility studies were carried out with the floor space required for each cam- pus,500,000 square feet.. The Royal Avenue site has 4.05 acres at its immediate disposal, and would require the initial building to be four storeys high, if 75 percent ot the available land is to be used; if 50 percent of the acreage is used 6 storeys would be required. A low building averaging 2.5 storeys, would be built on the McBride site using approxi- mately 30 percent of the land space. Both buildings would be built so that extensions could be added on. The downtown site would look at constructing overhead causeways to adjacent build- ings to create larger facilities, while the McBride Avenue . site would be required to expand either vertically or horizontally. Mayor Evers-‘‘If Douglas College does not move downtown | don’t know what is wrong with them.”’