Coquitlam's oldest and newest main drags are getting makeovers.
This week, city staff showed council plans for Brunette Avenue in Maillardville and Pinetree Way in City Centre to make way for projected growth.
Under the Maillardville streetscape guidelines, which city council has yet to formally endorse, Brunette Avenue will be transformed into a processional route, from the clock tower at Lougheed Highway to Laval Square, the heart of the historically French-Canadian enclave.
More than a century ago, Brunette Avenue was used for parades for special events and holidays by pioneering families.
City staff propose to dress up Brunette with black heritage-style street lamps, ceremonial street banners, hanging flower baskets, decorative street furnishings and festive lighting.
Carl Johannsen, Coquitlam's manager of community planning, said at Monday's council-in-committee meeting that his staff will talk about the streetscape guidelines this or next month with stakeholders and the public.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, plans for Pinetree Way are underway as Evergreen Line work continues and the area's three stations are built.
Tracy Kyle, Coquitlam's manager of special projects, told council a proposed $14-million renovation of the road includes special lighting under the rapid-transit guideways, public art and a new entrance/exit for the Coquitlam Centre mall parking lot.
City staff want to move the current northbound access to the mall to the lighted Anson Avenue intersection to shorten the traffic waits heading west and to make it safer for commuters and pedestrians.
That upgrade alone would cost the city $500,000, Kyle said.
"It is a big-ticket item but with the coming of the Evergreen Line, the thoughts are, 'Go ahead. Get it done," because the public will not want to see this [street] torn up anymore," Kyle said, noting discussions with the mall's management, Morguard Investments, are ongoing.
Kyle also said the city is looking at public washrooms along Pinetree, a "pedestrian scramble" - criss-crossing diagonal crosswalks - at Northern Avenue and access upgrades to Burlington Drive, between city hall and the Spirit Square.
As well, trees will be planted along Pinetree "to make sure there's a nice green corridor," she said, referring to recent concerns about trees being cut down for the Evergreen Line construction.
Kyle said the city plans to meet with stakeholders and gauge public feedback before the final designs are complete. Most of the Pinetree roadworks are expected to be done by opening day for the Evergreen Line, in the summer of 2016.
