Two new streets in Coquitlam will be named after a pioneering family and a historic event.
But one name isn’t sitting well with a couple of city councillors.
Last month, council approved two development applications for Burke Mountain and City Centre that will see the new roads created: one called Doucette Avenue, the other Coronation Crescent.
While local politicians raised no objections for Doucette to be added to the list of the city’s approved street names in its Street Naming Policy, Coronation was deemed too “colonial” for Coun. Craig Hodge given its reference to Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953.
Andrew Merrill, Coquitlam’s general manager of planning and development, said at the July 29 council meeting that the moniker “Coronation” for Polygon Homes’ new Coronation Heights community is tied to the Coronation Park neighbourhood directly west in Port Moody, which has royal names for its streets such as Balmoral Drive; both sites are undergoing massive redevelopment to accommodate about 10,000 new residents.
“I think we can do better,” Hodge quipped of the street name Coronation Crescent before asking Mayor Richard Stewart to split the recommendation so council could vote on the bid separately.
Coun. Trish Mandewo also voted against the name Coronation Crescent.
According to a staff report, Coronation Crescent will run through Coronation Heights, a master planned and high-density residential mixed-use area at 135 Balmoral Dr. and 2506 to 2548 Palmer Ave. that will see nine towers north of Barnet Highway — up to 44 storeys tall.
At its meeting, council granted final approval for the bid that will see:
- three purpose-built rental towers with about 785 units (1,500 residents)
- six market condo towers with about 2,050 units (4,000 residents)
- a stand-alone amenity building plus commercial
- two child care facilities for at least 79 kids
- a public park
- a new collector road connecting to Barnet, as well as new or reconstructed local roads
Merrill told council that Coronation Crescent was picked as a street name to honour the connection to the site that once had Coronation Park Elementary School from 1964 to 2007.
Merrill said as there are no more street names left in the municipal policy for the City Centre neighbourhood, Polygon assigned the name in consultation with city staff to also reflect the broader neighbourhood.
Coquitlam Archives and Coquitlam Heritage have also been requested to replenish the Street Naming Policy list, he said.
Doucette Avenue
As for Doucette Avenue, it form part of Morningstar Homes’ new development on Burke Mountain at 3409, 3411, 3415 and a portion of 3421 Galloway Ave., where five duplex buildings and 29 small-scale residential buildings will go up.
Longtime residents of the Smiling Creek neighbourhood, the Doucette family owned three of the parent parcels in the Morningstar assembly.
According to a report from Chris Jarvie, Coquitlam’s director of development services, the Doucettes moved to 3415 Galloway Ave. in 1963 from Anmore. In 1987 and 1997, they subdivided their land to create 3409 and 3411 Galloway Ave. for their family.
Meanwhile, Coquitlam council also greenlighted several applications at its last meeting before the summer break (Coun. Dennis Marsden was not present):
- final approval for the city’s development application at 3594 to 3598 Sheffield Ave.
- new subdivision to create seven one-family residential lots for future development
- final approval of the Gracorp development application for 3333 Caliente Pl.
- a subdivision to create 40 small-scale lots, three lots for watercourse protection and three lots for future parkland on Gemex Development Corp.’s property off David Avenue
- approval for a temporary use permit at 609 Alderson Ave.
- Mosaic Grayson Properties' sales centre
- final approval for Polygon’s development application for 1160 Inlet St.
- three six-storey residential buildings with 284 units
- final approval for Rize Alliance’s development application for 595–609 Westley Ave., 639 Elmwood St. and 600–616 Kemsley Ave.
- a 39-storey market residential tower with 377 units, a six-storey market residential building with 38 units and a child care facility and two six-storey rental buildings with 152 units
Sound off! What do you think of the name Coronation Crescent for Coquitlam's new Coronation Heights neighbourhood next to the Port Moody border? Email your comments for publication to [email protected].
