Thurs. June 27, 2024 edition: Burnaby plans to demolish a heritage home

Good morning, Burnaby!

In this week’s edition, we’re tuning in on a potential decision from council to demolish a familiar heritage home near Deer Lake, the Louis and Annie Hill cottage. According to Burnaby heritage planner Lisa Codd, while city staff would love to keep all heritage buildings and continue to use them, the cost in this case would be prohibitive for the potential use and value of the building. 

In other news, there are growing talks of Burnaby hosting international teams during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Blues + Roots festival is back this year with a Grammy award-winning singer headlining the show.

👀 In today's edition:

• Burnaby plans to demolish a heritage home

• 2026 FIFA World Cup in Burnaby

• This week’s council meeting recap includes local winners

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NEWS

Burnaby plans to demolish heritage home near Deer Lake

If you visit Deer Lake Park or any of the neighbouring arts, culture or recreational facilities in the area such as Shadbolt Centre for the Arts or Burnaby Village Museum, you may pass by and notice a derelict house on a plot of land overgrown with vegetation adjacent to Shadbolt.

The cottage has good bones; it looks like the perfect setting for a horror movie, or if renovated, it is reminiscent of a hobbit house. One thing is for sure: the location is exceptional: a five-minute walk to Deer Lake. This is the Louis and Annie Hill cottage, and the City of Burnaby is considering its demolition. 

“We’re not saying that it’s a house that doesn’t have heritage value; I think we made it clear in the report it’s really a question of whether that value would justify the public dollars that would take to achieve a use and would those public dollars be better invested elsewhere,” Burnaby heritage planner Lisa Codd told the Beacon. 

Get the full story here.

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Burnaby Bulletin

Blues + Roots is back. Burnaby’s iconic Blues + Roots festival is back in town this August 10 with Mavis Staples—a civil rights icon and GRAMMY Award winner—set to headline the show. 

Breaking ground. The city officially broke ground on the new RCMP detachment on Tuesday, June 25 signalling that construction is finally underway.

StreetFest returns to Metrotown on Canada Day. Take part in activities from 6:30-10:30pm all along Central Boulevard including food trucks, free live music performances and more. Alternative rock duo Dear Rouge will be performing before the fireworks at 9:10pm, and there will be performances by Tiger Really, Hayley Wallis, and Tanika Charles.

Builders Forum. The City of Burnaby is hosting an information session for builders on the zoning and procedural changes related to the new small-scale multi-unit housing options soon to be permitted on residential lots. The session will take place this Thursday, June 27 in council chambers at City Hall. 

Community feedback needed. The City of Burnaby is seeking input from residents, businesses and visitors to help shape the future of community safety in Burnaby. The survey closes on August 23, 2024 and can be accessed here.

Closure on Hastings. Hastings Street near Madison Avenue was shut down in both directions last Thursday night following reports of an “injured man lying on the road,” according to Burnaby RCMP. First responders attended to the man, and he was taken to the hospital. [Burnaby Now]

Second-degree murder. Two men have been charged with second-degree murder after a man was fatally stabbed in Burnaby last Monday. Police are searching for any witnesses to come forward with more information. [CBC]

$6M expansion, reversed. The Burnaby School District has had to change its plans for an expanded gym at Brentwood Park Elementary after council has taken back its decision to fund $6M for the project. [Burnaby Now]

NEWS

Soccer fans rejoice: Burnaby may host international teams during 2026 FIFA World Cup

During the Parks, Recreation, and Culture Committee’s (PRCC) meeting on June 11, Emmaline Hill, director of cultural services, and Judy Hamanishi, director of recreation, presented a proposal for Burnaby to participate in the FIFA World Cup celebrations when the event comes to Vancouver in the summer of 2026. 

FIFA World Cup 2026 will take place in Canada, the US, and Mexico. Vancouver will host seven games from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The City of Burnaby wants to participate in the action, with staff suggesting ideas for special events in Burnaby, including the possibility of hosting international soccer teams’ training and practice drills at Swangard Stadium in Central Park and other venues in the city. 

Members of the PRCC welcomed the idea enthusiastically, with most of them saying it would be an excellent opportunity for the city. 

Read more about Burnaby’s plans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup here.

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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Local award winners and new board members

From volunteers who dedicate their free time to cleaning up the community to children painting murals and finance awards, this week’s council meeting’s agenda was packed. Here are some of the highlights.

• Burnaby’s mayor and council recognized six recipients of the city’s 2024 Environmental Awards.

• Council approves SFU emergency route project.

• Mayor Mike Hurley announced the names of the Burnaby Housing Authority’s new board members.

• The city’s finance department won the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Triple Crown Award. 

For all the details on the local award winners, read this week’s council recap here. 

Where to eat & drink

New Lakeview Seafood and Wunton Restaurant. This cozy, retro Chinese restaurant on 6th Street is a gem for Cantonese cuisine. Think preserved egg and pork congee, sweet and sour pork with pineapple and endless variations of noodles and fried rice.

Tre Galli Gelato Caffe. Gelatos, thin crust Neapolitan-style pizzas and coffee beans imported from Italy…it’s hard not to fall in love with this adorable Italian cafe at first sight. Beat the heat this summer with one of their many gelato flavours, like amarena cherry and roasted almond mocha.

Burger Heaven Restaurant. The burgers here are no joke, but don’t take our word for it. Stop by and try to choose from one of their many decadent combos—perogy, Thai beef, Swiss, mozzarella and pickle—not to mention their “to die for” specialty burgers which can have up to three pounds of meat inside!

🤝 Now Hiring

Looking to make a move? Here are local jobs open right now:

• Inside Sales Representative at Corus Entertainment

• Recreation Complex Supervisor at City of Burnaby

• Counsellor, 2SLGBTQIA+ Students at Simon Fraser University

• Bilingual Service Desk Analyst at PHSA

• Personal Trainer at Fitness World

• Asset Management Specialist at JRS Engineering

• Donor Relations Coordinator at BCIT

• Bartender at Georgie’s Local Kitchen & Bar

Hiring and want to let people know? Reply back and let us know!

🗓 Things to do

Thursday

• Computer Skills for Job Searching. 1pm Burnaby Public Library.

• Sew Summer Social. 6pm. 5250 Watling St.

• Multiculturalism Day Share Heritage Celebration Festival. 4pm-11pm. Edmonds Park.

Friday

• Disney Trivia. 6:30pm. The Rec Room.

• Indigo Dye Workshop. 6pm. Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre.

• Blood Donation Event. 12pm-6:45pm. Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre.

Saturday

• Barbecue Picnic. 2pm-6pm. Central Park.

• Afternoon Dance Party. 2pm. Admiral Pub & Grill.

• Geode Crystal Candlemaking Workshop. 10:30am. 3871 N Fraser Way #6.

• Summer Discovery Days. 10am-4pm. Fraser River Discovery Centre.

Sunday

• Walk and Chat with the Mayor. 9am. Christine Sinclair Community Centre.

• Zumba Class. 9am. Fitness World Kingsway.

Monday

• Canada Day. 11am-4:30pm. Burnaby Village Museum.

• Another Photography Club. 5pm-10:30pm. 30 Capilano Way #11.

• Community Curbside Sale. 10am-2pm. 60-68 Richmond St.

Tuesday

• Games for English Learners. 6pm. Burnaby Public Library.

• Intro to Balboa. 8:30pm. In Movement Dance Co.

Wednesday

• Punta Canada Bachata Beach Party. 10pm. World Dance Co.

• Self Love and Heart Healing Meditation Sound Bath. 7pm. Savasana Meditation.

• Family Playtime Drop-In. 10am. Eighth and Eight Community and Art Space.