The Editor,
Re. “Best Western on North Rd. to close in ‘18” (The Tri-City News, March 15).
Way back in December 2007, The Tri-City News informed its readers of a proposed redevelopment of the Best Western property on North Road adjacent to Highway 1. At that time, the concept was two 24- to 28-storey towers with 248+ residential units, a 29-storey hotel (including 68 residential units), a 28-unit townhouse, and 42 live-work loft units, plus 6,000 sq. ft. of commercial space. At the time, the proponent was seeking rezoning to Transit Village Commercial even though the site is twice the preferred maximum walking distance to a rapid transit station.
The most recent report advises that the proponent wants five 23- to 46-storey condo towers, no hotel and 65,000 sq. ft. of commercial space. The project has mushroomed in size over the past decade.
The traffic impact assessment made for the earlier proposal was questionable for several reasons. Has a new, unbiased traffic impact assessment been made to recommend appropriate local road improvements and new links to handle the thousands of new trips that would be generated by this massive redevelopment? Will adequate off-street parking be provided?
Does Coquitlam Fire and Rescue’s Austin Heights hall on Nelson Avenue have the apparatus to deal with a major fire in a 46-storey tower?
D.B. Wilson, Port Moody
