New Westminster was the first incorporated city west of the Great Lakes and the first capital city of the United Colony of British Columbia. The city has the proud distinction of being named by Queen Victoria, herself, hence the name "The Royal City". It is situated in the centre of the Greater Vancouver Regional District overlooking the Fraser River. Bounded by the municipalities of Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey, Delta, and Richmond, New Westminster is easily accessible by road, SkyTrain, water and rail.

Excerpted from The Official Community Plan for the City of New Westminster, 1998. Italicized passages are direct quotes from materials supplied by the City.

The City of New Westminster has produced three documents which address the issues of community and downtown revitalization. These include:

Envision New Westminster
The Official Community Plan for the City of New Westminster
June 15, 1998

Queensborough Official Community Plan
Sustaining a Vital Riverfront Village Community, 1995

Downtown New Westminster - Action Plan
The Downtown Action Team, May 1996

City of New Westminster

New Westminster Chamber of Commerce

Downtown New Westminster Business Improvement Association

Envision New Westminster
The Official Community Plan for the City of New Westminster

The Official Community Plan for the City of New Westminster addresses the issues and concerns of the community in two parts:

• Planning Issues, Goals, Policies and Priorities
• Land Use Concept and Development Permit Areas

This information is supplemented with contextual text and appendices. In this particular community plan each development permit area is street specific in its application and intentions. The residential section lists the street names the community plan focuses on, as well as the applicable areas for commercial use, comprehensive developments, industrial use/business parks, and specific areas to address issues related to the natural features of the New Westminster area.

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Queensborough Official Community Plan
Sustaining a Vital Riverfront Village Community

In order to sustain the Queensborough as a riverfront village community. This Official Community plan addresses all facets of the community, from infrastructure concerns to demographic issues. The revitalization of the riverfront area is centred on the creation of a marine village theme (fishing, logging, boating) which is to incorporated into new developments. This riverfront plan also includes the inclusion of new civic art and heritage preservation.

Revitalization and planning strategies employed by this Official Community Plan included much public consultation through surveys and open houses.

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Downtown New Westminster - Action Plan
The Downtown Action Team

One of the primary tools to accelerate interest in the revitalization of New Westminster's downtown area is the visioning process. The Business Improvement Association office was converted into a Downtown "Visioning" storefront.

The Downtown New Westminster Action Plan is based on the visioning process, and is rooted in action. The downtown action plan was initiated by the business community who saw the need for a public process that would create a vision for the future growth and enhancement of the Downtown.

The two year community consultation process was developed through the formation of six committees:

• Core Values and Vision
  
• Social Environment
  
• Transportation
  
• Downtown and Waterfront Development
  
• Arts, Culture and Heritage
  
• Economic Development

Executive Summary - excerpts from the Downtown New Westminster Action Plan

The Downtown Vision
It is recommended that the Downtown become a special eighteen hour, destination neighbourhood, distinct from other neighbourhoods in New Westminster. This neighbourhood will be based on the commerce of the downtown economy and complemented by the growth of the residential sector. This vision foresees additional residents creating a customer base that sustains many of the Downtown's businesses. This increase in residents will also assist in creating a safer and more people-oriented downtown.

Social Vision
The social vision is for the Downtown to become a people place with a mix of businesses and activities that caters to all ages. The downtown is to be a friendly, pedestrian oriented place with arts and craft galleries, sidewalk cafes and specialty retail stores. Critical to achieving this vision is additional street level activities such as street entertainers and ongoing festivals. These activities will make the Downtown more vibrant and interesting and will create a safe and fun environment both in the day and at night. A greater police presence and a co-operative, working relationship with merchants, property owners and residents of the Downtown is being sought which should help deter nuisance behavior on the streets and welcome business practices. Everyone will work co-operatively with the City to ensure that adequate resources are available to assist those in need of social services and affordable housing.

Transportation
The transportation vision is for Downtown streets to be pedestrian friendly through the use of traffic calming techniques. Both Columbia and Front Streets are to be viewed as neighbourhood streets with signals that promote a "pedestrian first" attitude. The Downtown as several physical and topographic barriers such as the railway tracks, the Front Street Parkade, truck traffic on Front Street, high automobile volumes on Columbia Street and steep grades down to the Fraser River. Recommendations to improve the transportation network include the reconfiguration of the Parkade, with the possibility of parking over the railway racks and the enclosing of the truck lanes, thus mitigating noise and pollution for Front Street merchants, shoppers and visitors.

Downtown and Waterfront Development Vision
The Downtown and Waterfront Development Vision is to have zoning and building code regulations amended to encourage redevelopment activities in the Downtown, especially along Columbia Street. The Waterfront needs to be linked with the rest of the Downtown through the use of linear parks which would also provide the downtown with much needed green space. There is a need for a unifying theme and directional signage that will link the different sectors of the Downtown with the rest of the City. There is also a strong emphasis on the need for quality developments that are compatible with the unique character of the neighbourhood.

Arts, Culture and Heritage
The Arts, Culture and Heritage Vision calls for a greater role for the arts and cultural activities in the Downtown. Arts and cultural activities can be promoted as part of a tourism strategy to diversify the Downtown economy. A Performing Arts Centre to be located in the Downtown is a strong recommendation. The presence of heritage buildings and the celebration of cultural traditions gives the Downtown a sense of permanence and identity. Heritage preservation and historic interpretation strategies are recommended for the Downtown, especially along Columbia Street with its fine collection of Edwardian and Victorian architecture. The theme for the Downtown should be based on its heritage, and the close proximity and use of the Fraser River. Heritage conservation and the City's history related to the Fraser River should be key components to a tourism strategy for the Downtown. The addition of arts and cultural facilities will assist in broadening the Downtown's appeal to visitors.

Economic Development
The Downtown market itself as a destination retail and commercial centre. The marketing for the downtown should build on its strengths such as its business, educational, financial and institutional services. Promote and build on the strengths of the Fraser River, its central geographic location, telephone capacity and toll-free calling area advantages, easy accessibility and two Skytrain stations.

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