Thurs. July 18, 2024 edition: SFU to add 445 new spaces in on-campus housing

Good morning, Burnaby!

This week, we’re taking a close look at on-campus student housing at SFU—with the start of a new housing project that will introduce 445 new spaces. In other news, results from Burnaby 2050’s public engagement survey are in, and a new Metrotown mural is on full display.

👀 In today's edition:

• SFU to add 445 new spaces in on-campus housing

• A sneak peek at Burnaby 2050

• A new mural in Metrotown

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NEWS

SFU to add 445 new spaces in on-campus housing: Will that be enough?

On July 12, the provincial government announced the start of a new student housing project at SFU.

The new building will add 445 beds to on-campus housing on Burnaby Mountain and is expected to be completed in 2027. The BC government said the new project aims to reduce pressure on the regular rental market by providing more space for students on campus. This latest project is the third phase of SFU’s housing master plan. 

“When students don’t have access to student housing, they are forced into the local rental housing market with higher costs, increasing competition with other renters,” said Premier David Eby in a statement. “By providing hundreds of additional students with on-campus homes every year – as well as increased access to convenient child care – we are helping them focus on their studies and their futures, while also relieving pressure on local renters who aren’t students.”

Read the full story to see what units will look like, and learn more about SFU’s outdated housing master plan.

Burnaby Bulletin

The search for a missing Burnaby woman. Burnaby RCMP have released a new video this week of missing 29-year-old woman Emily Maya. The video captured Maya at a Vancouver drug store two days after last seen leaving a home in Burnaby. [Global News]

No jail time for hit-and-run. James “Mark” Peters, a BC man who fled the scene of a deadly crash with a motorcyclist in Burnaby won’t spend time behind bars after a provincial court judge handed him an 18-month conditional sentence with eight months under house arrest. [Global News]

The first residency in Edmonds Park. The first visiting artist at Burnaby's Edmonds Park Fleet mobile studio has been announced: Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun will be the inaugural creator to share his work in the new space. [Burnaby Now] 

Vancouver Folk Music Festival starts tomorrow! Advance-priced day, evening, and weekend tickets on-sale until 11:59 tonight. Gate prices start July 19. See you at the beach!*

Voting is now open for the Georgia Straight's annual Best of Vancouver awards. Give some love to your favourite shops, arts and entertainment venues, and so much more.*

A new redevelopment plan.A new redevelopment plan for the Columbia Theatre, food security, and Anvil Centre took centre stage at a July 15 council workshop in New West. [New West Record]

An explosive device.A device found in a New Westminster neighbourhood this week was determined to be explosive, according to authorities. [New West Record]

‘Kidpreneurs’ to show off business ideas.Build a Biz Kids, a non-profit organization based in Port Moody, will be hosting a BizKids Market at the Burnaby-Coquitlam border shopping centre this Saturday. [Tri-City News]

*Sponsored Listing

NEWS

Burnaby 2050: A sneak peek at what people said about Burnaby’s future

In the spring of this year, the city launched its third phase of public engagement for Burnaby’s Official Community Plan (OCP), also known as Burnaby 2050.

This phase, which started on April 16, comprised 16 online surveys covering everything from infrastructure to art. It also included in-person and online open houses for Indigenous communities, Burnaby youth, and the general public. 

On July 10, Burnaby city planners Deirdre Bostock and Hay Go presented high-level, preliminary results of these public engagement efforts at the city’s Planning and Development Committee (PDC) meeting. Bostock said that the OCP team will analyze the findings and submit a detailed report to the PDC in September of this year. 

Read more about the results here.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

New Metrotown mural showcases community, diversity, and nature

Burnaby residents living or visiting the Metrotown area can now see the new mural by Vancouver artist Paige Jung on the side of the Sleep Country building at 4568 Kingsway. The previously bare grey wall has now been transformed into a garden scene with members of Burnaby’s diverse community floating in greenery under a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. 

The work was funded by the City of Burnaby and the owner of 4568 Kingsway. The City of Burnaby provided $7,000 in funding from the Mural Grant Program. The mural’s palette is a soothing combination of greens, blues, white, and brown. 

“The highly visible walls of 4568 Kingsway have an extensive history of illegal graffiti. The creation of a mural at this location presents an opportunity for beautification that is generally respected and not vandalized by those in the graffiti subculture,” said a council report from July 8. 

Read more about the artist and how this mural came together here.

Where to eat & drink

Piva Modern Italian. This chic Italian restaurant prides itself on the seasonality of its menu, harmony of ingredients and fancy interior, making it an ideal spot for dates and special occasion dinners. Think wild boar meatballs with demi-cream and focaccia, miso carbonara and pizza with smoked duck and fig jam.

Marble House Eatery. Hotpot, dim sum and barbecue are all on the menu at this marble-floored gem tucked away inside Crystal Mall, making for a delicious lunch in the middle of a shopping trip. Whether you’re looking for a smaller snack (say, an order of spicy duck wings) or a full-blown meal for a large group, they’ve got it all.

X-Site Grill & Bistro. A wholesome bar and grill serving up pure nostalgia—find all of your classics, from the humble B.L.T. and cheeseburger, to more dressed up versions like a black forest ham and shrimp club and chicken bleu burger. They’ve got a bunch of great weekly specials too, be sure to check them out in advance on their website!

🤝 Now Hiring

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

• Coffee Bar Clerk at Save-On-Foods

• Hourly Aqua Tech at Cineplex

• Sales Area Associate at Staples

• Personal Trainer at Club16 Trevor Linden Fitness

• Manager, Budgets & Reporting at City of Burnaby

• Full-Time Crew Member at McDonalds

• Server at Tap & Barrel

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

🗓 Things to do

Thursday

• Sounds Like Summer. 12pm. Fraser Foreshore Park.

• Outdoor Family Storytime. 3:30pm. Burnaby Public Library.

• New West Farmers Market. 3pm-7pm. Tipperary Park.

Friday

• Cantonese Storytime. 10:30am. Burnaby Public Library.

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

• Grand Opening Event. 9am-5pm. Volvo at 4456 Still Creek Dr.

Saturday

• Dance for a Cure. 7pm. 3738 Canada Way.

• Group Dog Walk. 2:30pm. Central Park.

• Yukata Dressing Workshop. 3pm. Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre.

• Rueda Salsa Dance Workshop. 6pm. Student Union Building at SFU.

Sunday

• Soul Sister Circle: Full Moon in Capricorn. 6pm. ZenActive Therapy.

• Musical Afternoon. 3pm. Park Avenue Towers.

• Summer Sunday with BPLA. 10am. Burnaby Lake Nature House.

Monday

• Golf Tournament. 1:30pm-8:30pm. Riverway Golf Course & Driving Range.

• Family Playtime Drop-In. 9:30am. New West Family Place.

Tuesday

• Board Game Club. 11am. Burnaby Public Library.

• Summer Stages: Rule of Thirds. 2pm. Confederation Park.

• FoodSafe Level 1. 8:30am. ProSafe Training School.

Wednesday

• Live Comedy. 8pm. The Rec Room.

• Edmonds Soccer Festival. 4pm-8:30pm. Edmonds Park.

• Healthcare Virtual Job Fair. 11am-3pm. Online via Zoom.

• Beginner Bachata Class. 8pm. World Dance Co.