The Editor:
An open letter to Mayor Mike Hurley and Burnaby city council regarding the proposal to move Burnaby City Hall to Metrotown:
I am writing to you as a concerned citizen who is opposed to city council's proposal to move the Burnaby City Hall campus from Deer Lake Park to 6100 Willingdon Ave.
I feel this proposal goes against the best interests of the City of Burnaby when it comes to the overwhelming overall cost of this project, as well as on a civic level when it comes to the city's immediate priorities and city hall's geographic location.
Much like you, I am greatly concerned for the future of this city for the present generation and the many generations to come. I feel one of the best legacies and assets we can provide this city is a healthy reserve fund which will generate revenue and will be sufficient to help this municipality through tough times in the coming decades such as recession, war and future pandemics.
As I'm sure you are aware, the large amount of construction projects in this region, coupled with supply chain issues and the lack of available labour in the Lower Mainland, is driving up construction costs of infrastructure at a staggering rate, and causing delays on projects that are proposed or already underway. These projects (such as the delayed Rosemary Brown Arena, the pedestrian bridge over Highway 1 and Burnaby Aquatic Centre) are draining the city's coffers while three proposed community centres and city infrastructure sit in the queue to be started.
Moving forward on a mega project like constructing Burnaby City Hall at Metrotown would be like pouring gasoline on an out-of-control fire when it comes to exponential increases of construction costs and materials, and would be detrimental to Burnaby's financial well-being. As our coffers drain, we then start depending on long-term lending, which causes these kinds of projects to become even more expensive.
I feel the more financially prudent path is to renovate the current city hall building starting when the current RCMP precinct is vacated when they move to their new facility up Norland Avenue. That building, coupled with other temporary facilities in the Deer Lake Park area, will allow a window where city hall can be vacated and extensively remodelled to become an iconic architectural jewel in the Lower Mainland while minimizing environmental impact. A refurbished Burnaby City Hall could be the cornerstone for an amazing urban village in the Deer Lake area that could gently densify and reinvigorate the region, as well as solidify the municipality with a geographically central location.
I feel this city must focus immediately on providing large quantities of affordable and accessible housing to take care of its growing population, and fast-track infrastructure that will lessen vehicle dependence, such as a robust network of separated mobility lanes and accelerating the construction of sidewalks for our aging population.
If this proposal to relocate city hall to Metrotown is to proceed, I ask that city council and city staff are transparent and forthcoming about the scale and impact of this mega project, as well as how the city plans to finance the cost that could easily surpass one billion dollars based on current economic trends.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.
Martin Kendell
