New $9 million public art centre under construction in Richmond

Richmond News

Construction of a $9 million public arts centre is underway in Richmond.

Shovels went into the ground on Monday morning at the corner of No. 3 Road and Capstan Way.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie and Coun. Carol Day joined representatives from developer Concord Pacific for a ground-breaking ceremony for the 12,000-square-feet arts project. …

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New $9-million Richmond arts hub being built next to future SkyTrain station

Daily Hive

A new purpose-built arts facility will be integrated into the base of a new Concord Pacific mixed-use development immediately adjacent to the Canada Line’s future Capstan Way Station.

The developer announced today it has commenced construction on Picasso at Galleria, the final phase of the new multi-building Concord Gardens development in North Richmond.

The developer is providing $9 million for the community amenity contribution, including $4.5 million for the shell of the 13,000-sq-ft, ground-level space and another $4.5 million towards outfitting the space for a yet-to-be-named not-for-profit operator. …

“This is another excellent example of how the City of Richmond works with developers and partners to build strong communities,” said Brodie.

“This new arts facility will further strengthen our already vibrant Richmond arts community and, along with the completion of a new early childhood development hub and Canada Line station, make Concord Gardens and Capstan Village accessible and exciting residential neighbourhoods.” …

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Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en denied by Richmond council

Richmond News

Declaring solidarity with Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs, in opposition a natural-gas pipeline in northern B.C., would break Richmond councillors’ oath of office.

This was the argument made by Coun. Bill McNulty and other councillors to oppose a motion from Coun. Michael Wolfe to declare support for a group of hereditary chiefs who don’t want Coastal GasLink to build a pipeline through their territory although other band leaders have supported it. …

Injunctions have been granted by the courts to remove the protesters at the Coastal GasLink pipeline project site, pointed out Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

“For us to say something else I just think is unacceptable,” Brodie said.

He added that he had questions about the leaders and participants of the protests. …

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Lower Mainland mayors say tax-relief measure for small business isn’t the solution they sought

The Globe and Mail

None of the nine cities that pleaded with the B.C. government to provide tax relief for small businesses will be using the interim measure introduced by the province last week, say several Lower Mainland mayors.

They say it’s both impossibly cumbersome and likely to increase taxes for some businesses instead of helping them. …

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie noted that his city got a similar kind of temporary exemption for properties around the Canada Line, as it was being planned and built, which were then rezoned to higher densities.

“It took us many, many months to use that legislation, and it was very, very complicated, detailed work,” he said. …

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