Burnaby council wants to build a new city hall in Metrotown.
After Mayor Mike Hurley hinted about the future of the aging facility in a speech to the Burnaby Board of Trade, the city has released an official statement from the mayor confirming the plan.
“The new city hall will be a significant investment in our community and will enhance the civic heart of Burnaby’s true downtown," said Hurley in the press release. “We are committed to building a new facility that reflects the diversity of our community – a place that is safe, inclusive and welcoming to people from all walks of life.”
The existing building at 4949 Canada Way was built in 1955, and the city says it “lacks sustainability and inclusivity provisions.”
It would cost $70 million to upgrade the current building to modern building code standards, according to the city.
Staff now are spread across “several buildings,” according to the release, and the new facility would allow all administrative staff to work in one location.
Council picked the Metrotown area as the preferred location for a new city hall as it was designated as Burnaby’s downtown in the 2017 Metrotown Downtown Plan and it’s a “regional city centre” in Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy.
The city plans to build a “modern environmentally sustainable, accessible, inclusive and resilient building,” according to the project website.
The project website also notes the new city hall would be funded from money in the Community Benefit Reserve fund, in which developers contribute cash (or other benefits) in order to permit more housing density.
📢 SOUND OFF: Do you think Burnaby needs a new city hall? What do you think of the proposed Metrotown location? Share your thoughts — send us a letter.
