New Westminster Royal City Christian Centre For All

NEW WESTMINSTER HERITAGE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
ROYAL CITY CHRISTIAN CENTRE LANDS
COMMUNITY / MUSEUM / ART FACILITY LAND USE PETITION

The New Westminster Heritage Preservation Society needs your help. Your community may change dramatically as a result of proposed redevelopment on the New Westminster High School and Royal City Christian Centre lands. It is vital that you participate in this petition and make your views known to our City Council.

The land bordered by 8th Avenue, 8th Street, 6th Street and 10th Avenue is the site of the Royal City Christian Centre, Moody Park Arena, Massey Theatre, New Westminster Secondary School, Mercer Stadium and the Skateboard Park. The City owns part of the land; the New Westminster School District owns another part. A section is owned by the Royal City Christian Centre.

There is one key development proposal coming to City Council on November 2nd for a decision:

The Royal City Christian Centre, a designated heritage site, is for sale. A developer wishes to buy the site but first is applying to the City to rezone the land. Once rezoned the developer would purchase the site and build a four story congregate care facility on the eastern half of the site and lease back the church building to the present group.

The Royal City Christian Centre is steeped in historical importance. The City Of New Westminster helped with the original purchase of the site for use as an orphanage. The plantings on the site came from the Essondale ( Riverview ) Hospital for the mentally impaired. The heritage structure is in outstanding condition. The lands and building are presently heritage designated.

An outside consultant, in the Fall of 2003, rated the Royal City Christian Centre site as #1 for reuse as a community arts / museum / or library facility. New Westminster city councillors corresponded with the owners and visited the site but declined to purchase the Royal City Christian Centre for community use.

IF YOU WISH THAT THE ROYAL CITY CHRISTIAN CENTRE BUILDING AND LANDS BE PURCHASED FOR THE CITIZENS OF NEW WESTMINSTER YOU MUST ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING ON NOVEMBER 2ND, 2OO4 AND MAKE YOUR VIEWS KNOWN.


We the undersigned;

Are united in our belief that our New Westminster City Council should have asked for community wide input prior to making their decision not to purchase the Royal City Christian Centre for the use by all of New Westminster citizens.

Are united in our belief that New Westminster City Council must not approve the proposed private-for-profit congregate care facility on the Royal City Christian Centre lands.

Are united in our belief that New Westminster City Council work in partnership with the Provincial and Federal Governments to purchase the Royal City Christian Centre site for use as a community facility such as a fine arts centre, library or museum.