Big Things in Little New West

We moved here in 1996. When we chose to buy property in downtown New Westminster, the year was 1998. It was much more of a gamble in those days as things were a bit derelict. It would not have been difficult to find oneself face to face with a drug dealer around the SkyTrain stations. We knew the area had potential though. It's location in the centre of the Lower Mainland is most definitely a positive point. The whole area seemed about ready for some welcomed growth. It has been steadily arriving, piece by piece.

We bought property and the place became fabulous. Well, this certainly did not occur overnight. We do see the increasing condominium towers as a positive. There's also a growing inclusiveness felt here. The changes around the New Westminster SkyTrain Station have been somewhat staggering. For just the last two years, the Westminster Pier Park has re-connected the city to a big chunk of its riverfront. Cranes have not been an uncommon sight in the past decade.



Today, I have decided to show two examples of my bustling downtown. The complex puzzle of liveability continues to be put together. First, the Fourth-Street pedestrian walkway to the Pier Park showed noticeable progress overnight. A section of metal now sits over the rail tracks from the downtown parkade. That meant Front Street was closed off due to the heavy equipment. Further along Columbia, traffic was diverted around the brand-new Anvil Centre, the city's civic centre. Today was the grand opening for public viewing. What a nice place for a boutique convention centre! I was impressed with the theatre space and inspiring architectural design of the building.

My little city is growing smartly. It is a hell of a lot nicer today than when we first called New Westminster, BC home.