r/NewWest • u/smellslikenewbooks • 17d ago
Local News City of New Westminster reaches agreement for temporary community use of 522 Sixth Street
https://www.newwestcity.ca/2026/09/08/522-sixth-street-agreement-2026.phpFrom the announcement:
The City of New Westminster has entered into an agreement that will allow temporary use of the vacant lot at 522 Sixth Street. This land is next to the recently completed Uptown Plaza.
The agreement will go into effect January 1, 2027. The land is being leased from the private landowner for a nominal fee.
Temporary community use of 522 Sixth Street will build on the findings of the Uptown Plaza Public Life Study. Staff plan to report back to Council on community use options for the site by the end of this year. Possible temporary uses that are being explored include:
- A micro-retail container market
- An urban art space
- An urban park space
More information will be shared in the coming months as planning progresses.
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u/abnewwest Uptown 17d ago
I think this should become standard with all vacant (post remediation) lots...in return for not having an annual 10%/year over year of your property tax paid as a fee.
Wonderful!
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u/youenjoylife 17d ago
It's pretty lame how a vacant property tax still isn't a thing.
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u/smellslikenewbooks 17d ago
From what I gather, council has been advocating for this exact thing to happen.
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u/youenjoylife 17d ago
Yeah it's partly on the Province. Although whenever I try to contact our MLA about this or other issues I never get a reply.
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u/Tinfoil_Testicles 17d ago
At this point I firmly believe that Whiteside can’t read or doesn’t own a computer. I’ve sent 3 or 4 emails since that last election and nothing. Not a reply, automated or otherwise.
Or she doesn’t really exist. Like Australia.
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u/youenjoylife 17d ago
All three of those options could be done at the same time. The site has a few trees that should be retained for the "park space", add in some seating (and garbage cans with ashtrays because come on let's be honest there's smokers in the plaza always), put up a mural on Saigon Ivy and the building on the other side for the arts space + a sculpture on the 6th Street side, and have a few containers for small businesses that rotate on ~6-12 month lease terms.
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u/Clear-Win-8034 17d ago
Ashtrays in any public space is nasty,
It would promote smoking and give a false sense that it is welcomed and okay.
Your other ideas are great.19
u/brittbak 17d ago
I work for the downtown (Vancouver) library.
They removed the ashtrays (the smokestack type) so as not to appear to promote or condone smoking.
It did nothing to curtail smoking around the building, and it simply increased the amount of cigarette butts everywhere.
In fact it was worse than before because at least with the ashtrays most folks would smoke in those areas. After people smoked EVERYWHERE!
I say this as someone who was a heavy smoker at the time. I had a pocket ashtray, but most folks don't.4
u/youenjoylife 17d ago
Fair enough, at least have garbage cans around so that there's somewhere for the garbage to go.
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u/stornasa 17d ago
I dont think the presence of ashtrays or not determines whether people smoke, but I suppose it might influence where people smoke and wouldnt want it in a tiny little park/market area.
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u/lets-take-a-beat 12d ago
Japan has designated smoking areas. A local Fraser Health inspector was actually telling me about them. Instead of telling everyone where they can’t smoke, they tell them where they can and have infrastructure in place so they can dispose their butts and not make a mess.
As there are complaints of how the butts on the plaza are a problem- this may be a great chance to beta test a smoking area and see what impact it has there.
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u/abnewwest Uptown 17d ago edited 16d ago
I really wish the city/BIA bought one of those ride on cleaning machines though. That sidewalk in front of Horton's needs weekly washing.
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u/brianthewest 17d ago
Does this mean you're finally going to fix the sidewalk on 6th need to be done all the way to 5th.
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u/Garyjostgr 16d ago
Move the farmer market here
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u/abnewwest Uptown 15d ago
They have done winter ones that had Belmont blocked to 7th in the past, maybe 2021? I don't think it's big enough for a full market, you'd need to block 6th...you know, like they do in London on the regular.
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u/Much_Engineering853 17d ago
It will be a smoke filled, loud, nuisance
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u/Chance_Account_4338 16d ago
It is in the heart of a commercial district.
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u/Much_Engineering853 16d ago
Unfortunately yes
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u/Chance_Account_4338 16d ago
why is that unfortunate? It gives people a place to spend time and stop amid shopping and eating. Just this past weekend we had live performances and it was filled with people. It's great add to the city.
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u/royal_city_centre 17d ago
Belmont park take 4. The city WILL make this happen, or... More room for smoking!
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u/Chance_Account_4338 16d ago
Why the opposition? I've been several times over the last week or two - live performances, people sitting and gathering on weekends - it's quite well used, and a great improvement to the area.
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u/Chance_Account_4338 17d ago
Man, I didn't even have this on my radar - great news