The future of New West's Queen's Park Farm site

We’re starting to get a sense of what the Queen’s Park Farm site could look like, after various engagement opportunities with the public. A report was presented on Monday to mayor and council—that report included mock-ups and potential plans created by MOTIV Architects, Inc.

Between the two options: a “habitat” scheme and a “grow” scheme, the “habitat” scheme, according to city staff, was the more popular option. Opportunities by which the public were able to provide feedback came through New Westminster’s Be Heard website, as well as through surveys in Queen’s Park, a virtual community workshop—held over Zoom—and an idea jam wall at the farm.

The habitat scheme would include spaces like a pollinator meadow, a shrub and understory transition, and an infiltration or wetland area; the grow option would have spaces for long table and large group gatherings while focusing on a shade-tolerant edible landscape—some berries are given as an example.

A few years ago, staff presented a report to the then-council, noting that the petting farm that used to be there was “well-used and loved,” but that there were some “mixed reactions” to whether to keep the farm. Adding to that, the petting zoo was shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic—though some alternate events were offered there in 2021 and 2022.

The Queen’s Park Farm was first put into place in 1960, but the zoo itself goes back to 1905. In its most recent history, farm animals were provided on loan to the city by the Aldor Acres Family Farm in Langley.

“I think there are more better ways for people to connect with nature,” noted Coun. Nadine Nakagawa, after a brief overview of the current plan for the site. “Some of us might know annual plants, flowering trees and shrubs. We don’t tend to know animals and plants that are indigenous to this land,” she elaborated, adding that she actually liked both plans. “We’re good either way that we went here…I think that the Indigenous knowledge and tradition is important.”

After Coun. Nakagawa was finished speaking, Coun. Daniel Fontaine distributed a motion. It read as follows:

THAT Council receives the draft Queen’s Park Farm Master Plan, as outlined in this report and included in Attachment A for information; and

THAT Council direct staff to broaden the scope of the consultation to include a new option which would:

Use a portion of the identified $509,897 funds to return the former petting zoo location back to more natural passive park space including the planting of new trees, and redirect the balance of the funding toward significantly improving and enhancing the existing Queen’s Park children’s playground area as a means of increasing physical literacy and a more active lifestyle for youth.

Fontaine asked that the area be more of a green space, and that the Queen’s Park children’s area receive enhancements. The motion was seconded by Minhas, but was defeated 5-2, with only Coun. Fontaine and Minhas supporting it.

According to the graphic summary for the Queen’s Park Farm Future page, 80% of participants were New West residents—i.e., a tenant or property owner—41% of the participants were in the 35-49 age group, and 29% of participants said they had children in their household.

A further breakdown of statistics regarding who responded during the engagement processes can be found here.

Coun. Ruby Campbell felt that the responses through the Be Heard website were adequate, and that even she was skeptical about the proposed possibilities. She says that after attending a Zoom call tied to feedback on the proposal, she changed her mind.

“I think it’s going to be a really cool space,” Campbell said.

Coun. Tasha Henderson said felt that the space wasn’t necessarily about the zoo itself, but having a space where her family could connect with one another.

“I see that in this space … a way for intergenerational connection. To be curious, to ask questions. I think what the petting zoo brought … I see here in a different way. And I appreciate the pieces around…education for kids without learning and those in our community who may not read in English. There are opportunities across the spectrum for people to learn more.”

Coun. Fontaine spoke about his disappointment after the motion was rejected. “I would say generally speaking from the moms and dads I talked to, they want us to make those investments in places like Queen’s Park…I’ve heard from kids and parents they want to have a zipline…they’ll never get that opportunity now. Based on this survey, we have close to 80,000 people…if we had asked the citizens of New Westminster, moms and dads…I don’t know, I like to think they would have gone there.”

Fontaine said the proposed areas like a mushroom wall and an insect farm sounded like an “open space,” comparing it to green space.

He then asked what the initial cost was for the consultant’s report, and wanted to know what more would be spent down the line on additional consultant reports, with staff answering that consulting fees were $20,000. Money has been set aside for an Indigenous advisor, and while a lump sum of $160,000 has been set aside for some of the further stages of the project, the cost for next steps have yet to be established.