Buchanan Square outside of the Coquitlam RCMP detachment is slated for an upgrade and the city wants residents to weigh-in on their preferred option.
Planning staff want to improve the plaza, which sits between the police station and city hall, making it “a public gathering space focused on people and reflecting the city’s identity.”
An open house will be held on Thursday (May 30) between 5 and 8 p.m. at city hall and residents can also provide feedback through an online survey at www.coquitlam.ca/buchanansquare until June 5.
The lower level of the square doubles as a roof for the Coquitlam RCMP parkade. When it was built in 1996, a single-ply modified rubber asphalt membrane was installed over the parkade’s concrete roof.
The membrane was expected to last 15 to 20 years and there have been numerous leaks in the last five years. The leaking is so extensive in some areas many stalls are unusable.
A staff report presented to council last February said replacing the roof, which will cost $2.5 million, is an opportunity to make the space above more inviting.
“Generally, today the design of the existing Buchanan Square does not function well as a welcoming, people-oriented, public space that creates a unique sense of place and facilitates good access to the buildings,” said the report.
