New Westminster – The City of New Westminster is pleased to announce that the Front Street Mews project is now complete. The public is invited to the official grand opening of the Mews which will take place at the New Westminster Downtown Business Improvement Association’s first Fridays on Front event on July 7th, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. The official Front Street Mews opening will feature public art, heritage walking tours, and a new parklet at Mackenzie and Front Street.

“The Front Street Mews is a key part of the City of New Westminster’s Riverfront vision to connect our neighbourhoods with the Fraser River,” stated Mayor Jonathan X. Coté. “This is an exciting and unique destination in New Westminster’s historic downtown. We are proud that we have been able to return Front Street to a pedestrian-friendly retail space with historic storefronts.”

During the opening, residents and visitors will have an opportunity to take a public art and heritage walking tour to learn about newly acquired public art as well as the historic canneries, manufacturing plants, restaurants, hotels, and banks that once served the residents of the area.

The unveiling of a new public art installation will also take place during the event. Birds on a Branch, by Jacqueline Metz and Nancy Chew, depicts songbirds resting on branches, and is woven into the chain-link façade of the parkade. Birds on a Branch, is one of the largest public art installations in the region.

“We’d like to extend our appreciation to the local businesses and residents for their patience during the construction process,” stated City of New Westminster Director of Engineering, Jim Lowrie. “The end result speaks for itself and I encourage residents and visitors to come by to see for themselves.”

The construction project began in May 2015, with the rehabilitation and demolition of the Front Street parkade. The Front Street Mews is a pedestrian-friendly space and features widened sidewalks, traffic calming, new street furniture, lighting, planters, and angled parking for local businesses. A continuous paving treatment for the street and sidewalk reinforces the idea of a ‘shared street’ (i.e. designed to facilitate a wide range of activities including local access, pedestrian and bicycle movement, social interaction, commercial and restaurant activity).

To learn more about the Front Street Mews and New Westminster’s Riverfront Vision please visit newwestcity.ca

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Contact:

Blair Fryer
Communications and Economic Development Manager
City of New Westminster
Tel. 604-527-4688
bfryer@newwestcity.ca