A marketing firm that specializes in the sales of new residential housing for B.C. developers has branded Port Coquitlam in its mail-out as the "Eastern Tri-Cities."
But the moniker isn't going down well with PoCo city council nor, according to social media comments, Coquitlam and Port Moody residents who are standing up for municipality.
The name — as described in the mailer by Fifth Avenue Real Estate Marketing Ltd., of Surrey — drew the ire of several council members at Tuesday's meeting, who criticized the company for its broad labelling and failing to identify where its Parc East condo project would be built.
"I'm just going to go out of a limb and say when people are looking for a home to buy, they're kind of interested to know what city it's located in," Coun. Brad West told The Tri-City News yesterday. "It's the biggest purchase you're ever going to make in your life."
West said he has fielded dozens of calls and emails about the lack of information on Fifth Avenue's leaflet, which was sent out to Tri-City homes this and last week.
On his Facebook page, West didn't hold back his anger about his hometown being called the "Eastern Tri-Cities." The subject even drew a comment from Port Moody resident — and former Canadian industry minister — James Moore, who piped in with: "Solidarity from Western Tri-Cities."
At the council meeting, West requested the city's smart growth committee look at the mailer and make recommendations to developers about future marketing campaigns in PoCo. "Obviously, I don't think the city should tell people what they're allowed to write in their brochures," he said, "but I think it's more than fair for the city to say to developers, 'Look, if you want to build here, that's great but you need to say it's in Port Coquitlam.'"
Fifth Avenue spokesperson Jamie Squires told The Tri-City News the company wasn't trying to ruffle any feathers. And she said no one from city hall has contacted the firm about the missing municipality name on the leaflet.
She said the marketing approach — done before pre-sales — is "to create a mystery that you want more information so you register."
Currently, Squires said, the Tri-Cities has nothing to offer in terms of new low-rise residential developments and, by creating a buzz around the housing project, they're pushing Parc East to the region and beyond.
"We're selling the entire Tri-Cities as opposed to just one city of the Tri-Cities," she said. "If there was a lot of supply and there was a lot of low-rise condos selling everywhere, that would be a different case because, then, you want to own your neighbourhood. But, right now, there's such limited supply on the market."
She added, "We are bigger than just Port Coquitlam and, in fact, this will help Port Coquitlam and elevate Port Coquitlam."
Laura Lee Richard, PoCo's director of development services, said Parc East is a 57-unit condo building that's being built by Trillium Projects for its site on Atkins Avenue; the downtown property is already zoned for apartment use and a development permit has been issued, she said.
Squires said she expects VIP sales of Parc East to start next week. And she said in her 15 years in the industry, she's never seen interest so strong for a single housing project. "It's more than 1,000 [inquiries]," she said.
It's not the first time in the Tri-Cities' history a company has avoided using the municipality's name: The Jim Pattison Group labelled its Volvo dealership in PoCo as "Volvo Coquitlam" and the Hard Rock Casino ends with "Vancouver" — not "Coquitlam."
West said he understands companies want to cater to a bigger audience. Still, broad-brushing PoCo as Eastern Tri-Cities "is a very out-of-touch approach. Any builder who knows our community knows the people who live here are fiercely Port Coquitlam proud and our hometown pride is one of the huge advantages."
"I think people rightly thought this [mailer] was a slap in the face."
jcleugh@tricitynews.com
