On the heels of launching the city’s Canada 150 celebrations, Mayor Malcolm Brodie began his annual address Thursday with a sweeping history of Richmond, noting the early contributions of Japanese, Chinese and First Nations people.
“The cultural diversity we reflect today was actually established in the late 1800s,” Brodie told the sold-out audience of business leaders at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel luncheon, hosted by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce.
In addressing one of Richmond’s most urgent current issues, Brodie maintained that the city’s primary means of addressing housing affordability is to increase housing supply.
Brodie said the city took in about $715 million in new building permit values, in 2016, the third highest of any year (2015 was the record with $1 billion). Growth will continue, noted Brodie, with master plans being developed to densify both Richmond Centre and Lansdowne Centre malls.
He cited how development has provided for the many new amenities that have graced the city.
For example, he noted the new 133-unit Polygon townhouse complex at the old Steveston High site provided 12 rent-controlled units for low-income residents and dedicated nearly six acres of parkland to the city. Brodie noted the near completion of Storeys, a 129-unit subsidized housing project on Granville Avenue that will house social service agencies.
He also noted the near completion of the 110,000 square-foot Minoru Complex, soon to be home of both an expanded aquatics centre and seniors centre.
It was another civic (quasi-civic) facility that Brodie spoke highly of at the top of his address — one that he said has been a “catalyst for the creation of a new urban waterfront community” that has also “encouraged expansion of our tourism industry.”
Brodie said the facility, the Richmond Olympic Oval, “continues to be a prominent asset,” one that is becoming known as a “world-class” competition centre.
He also noted that the Oval area is now connected to a city-owned geothermal utility — Oval Village District Energy. This and many new LEED-certified buildings and improved cycling paths are among the city’s environmental initiatives, he noted.
“With such a strong emphasis on environmental issues, Richmond City Council has voiced many concerns over the provincial government’s plans to replace the George Massey Tunnel,” said Brodie.
Brodie did not address the issue of land speculation and the concern that many residential homes are standing empty. However, he did acknowledged residents’ concerns about the odour coming from the Harvest Power recycling plant and said the city will continue to press the plant to make changes, so as not to negatively impact residents’ quality of life.
Brodie said 2017 will mark a year of celebrations for Canada 150, highlighted by a special tall ships festival and a two-day Richmond World Festival.
