NWP launches Active New West plan for better recreation, parks and sports facilities
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
More places to play. More opportunities to participate.
New Westminster, B.C. (July 6, 2026) — The New Westminster Progressives (NWP) have launched their Active New West platform — a plan for more places to play, more opportunities to participate, and stronger connections in a dense and growing city.
New Westminster is growing rapidly and is now Canada’s second densest city. To remain livable and vibrant, residents need welcoming public spaces, affordable recreation opportunities, strong parks, reliable sports fields and facilities that keep pace with the needs of families, seniors, athletes and neighbourhoods across the city.
The NWP says New Westminster has strong foundations to build on, including cherished parks, active sports organizations and a waterfront with enormous potential. Active New West is focused on turning years of planning into practical improvements residents can see, use and enjoy.
Enough talk. Let’s get building.
“New Westminster is dense and growing fast, but our recreation infrastructure has not kept up,” says Daniel Fontaine, NWP mayoral candidate and current New Westminster councillor. “Families should not be fighting for field time, kids should not be stuck on waitlists because there are not enough places to play, and residents should not have to watch another study gather dust while facilities age. Our team is ready to move from talk to action — with a clear plan to build, repair and expand the parks, fields, arenas and public spaces our city needs.”
NWP’s Active New West plan is about moving beyond studies and delivering practical improvements residents can see and use — on fields, in parks, at recreation centres and along the waterfront.
“Recreation is not a nice-to-have — it is part of what makes a city livable,” says Ray Porcellato, an NWP council candidate and president and GM of the New Westminster Salmonbellies. “Whether it is a child trying out for a team, a senior joining a program, a family walking the waterfront, or neighbours gathering in a local park, people need accessible, affordable places to be active and connected. Active New West is about getting the basics right, making better use of the spaces we have, and building the facilities our growing city has been waiting for.”
The NWP plan:
1. Get New West to the front of the line for provincial and federal funding for new recreation infrastructure. We will:
Make a third indoor playing surface a top priority, with a clear, costed proposal.
Create a pipeline of shovel-ready recreation projects for a broad range of activities and sports, with clear timelines for priority projects.
Assertively pursue and secure provincial and federal funding.
2. Reinvent the waterfront as one of the most active, vibrant public spaces in Metro Vancouver. We will:
Finally rebuild the pier that burned down in 2020.
Incorporate fitness and recreation opportunities for adults into waterfront improvements.
Enhance walking and cycling connections between the Queensborough, Downtown and Sapperton waterfronts.
Create new opportunities for community events and fun at the waterfront.
3. Ensure existing sports fields can be used year-round, while pursuing new fields. We will:
Improve drainage on existing fields, so they can be used when it’s raining.
Accelerate existing turf field conversions at Ryall Park and complete one additional turf field by 2030.
Work with sports groups to identify future needs and fast-track plans for new fields and covered outdoor playing surface areas.
4. Protect and expand park space as New Westminster grows. We will:
Require new developments and community plans to protect existing parkland and deliver more usable, accessible public space.
Ensure existing parks are better maintained.
Prioritize new park opportunities in underserved neighbourhoods with identified gaps.
Use every practical tool available, including land acquisition, partnerships, pocket parks, plazas and street-to-public-space conversions.
Secure funding to construct a unique Adventure Park in the city, with the preferred location being the təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre.
5. Keep recreation accessible and affordable. We will:
Expand access and programs for youth and seniors.
Explore parking fees for non-residents at recreation facilities, and earmark 100 per cent of any new revenue to keeping recreation affordable for New Westminster residents.
Make the capital investments in təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre needed to make it more family-friendly.
6. Create Active Streets neighbourhood festivals. We will support the launch of a summer 2027 pilot project along cycling and walking corridors that connect Sapperton, Downtown and Queensborough. We will:
Support more food trucks and local vendors, live street entertainment, family activities and community programming.
Partner with Tourism New Westminster, local businesses and business improvement areas that want to be involved.
Promote the events across Metro Vancouver, drawing people to our city.
7. Create a new Amateur Sport and Recreation Council, drawn from the city’s sports organizations, seniors’ recreation groups and accessibility advocates. People using our facilities should help shape their future.
The NWP is running a full team of 13 candidates for New Westminster city council and school board in the upcoming municipal election.
MEDIA CONTACT
Shawn Hall,
604-619-7913
