Burquitlam Station is a no-brainer when it comes to naming new stops along the future Evergreen Line. But what about monikers for Coquitlam's other three stations?
This fall, city council will submit a formal list of station names for the $1.4-billion rapid transit system, due to be running from Burnaby's Lougheed Town Centre to Coquitlam City Centre by the summer of 2016.
On Monday, TransLink's Jeff Busby made a few recommendations to the city's council-in-committee about station name options, which are intended to be "simple, logical, self-locating and durable," he said. They are:
Douglas College Station: The working name for the Evergreen Line terminus - located at the corner of Pinetree and Guildford ways and surrounded by civic, institutional and recreation facilities - isn't a good fit, Busby said, as the college could, one day, become a university; as well, it could be confused with the college's New Westminster campus.
SUGGESTED: Lafarge Lake Station, Evergreen Station, Evergreen Park Station or Guildford Station.
Lincoln Station: This city-owned station - to be funded by developers building highrises in close proximity as well as a $7-million grant from the federal government - was announced last month. It will be built on Coquitlam Centre property, between Lincoln and Northern avenues, and will be the closest point to the mall, with no direct access to Lincoln Avenue.
SUGGESTED: Northern Avenue Station, Lincoln Station, Coquitlam Centre Station or Coquitlam City Centre Station.
Coquitlam Central Station: This working name matches the existing stop for the West Coast Express station and bus loop. Busby said it's preferred to have a reflective title for the busy hub when the Evergreen Line runs through it. Still, he said, the name isn't entirely appropriate because it implies the area is the city centre, which is more to the north.
SUGGESTED: Coquitlam Station, Mariner Way Station or Ranch Park Station.
During the committee's discussion, councillors each gave their recommended station names, with Lafarge Lake, Lincoln, Coquitlam Central and Burquitlam at the top.
But councillors Linda Reimer and Mae Reid said they would like to see "Coquitlam Exchange Station" for the West Coast Express stop; Coun. Craig Hodge said he'd prefer "Evergreen Station" for the terminus as the city owns land in the area for potential residential/commercial growth. "Evergreen Station" was Coun. Lou Sekora's pick for the West Coast Express hub while Coun. Selina Robinson said most people wouldn't know where "Lincoln Station" is located.
Meanwhile, Coun. Terry O'Neill said he wants to see the entire route renamed to the Evergreen-Millennium Line as it will be a continuous link when it opens in four years.
And Mayor Richard Stewart said "Evergreen Line" makes no sense to him. He made the same comment about the other SkyTrain lines - Expo, Millennium and Canada - in Metro Vancouver, which he said do not identify their destination. Instead, the mayor said, he would like to have more "wayfinding names" for rapid transit alignments, as in Asia.
The TransLink board is expected to make its final decision on the Evergreen Line station names after reviewing Coquitlam council's recommendations this fall; Port Moody is also undergoing the same exercise for its two stations.
