City Consultation with MVH Residents

Residents Speak Out at City's Discussion and Workshop on MVH Heritage Street Light Replacement Project

September 3, 2025 – New Westminster, B.C. The City of New Westminster hosted a workshop inviting residents to share what they value about the Massey Victory Heights street lights, as part of the formal heritage assessment currently underway. The session took place at təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre.

More than 70 residents packed the meeting room to express their concerns about the planned replacement of heritage-style street lights in the city's Massey Victory Heights neighbourhood with city staffers that included Jennifer Miller, Manager, Public Engagement; Rob McCullough, Manager, Museums and Heritage; Kwaku Agyare-Manu, Engineering Department; and Julie Shueck, external Heritage Planning Consultant.

Residents Push for Focus on Street Light Issue

While the session began with a presentation on the concept of heritage, attendees quickly redirected the conversation to the issue at hand: preserving the neighbourhood’s distinctive mid-century light standards. The facilitator adjusted the agenda, beginning with Julie Schueck's brief history of street lighting in New Westminster.

Instead of breaking into small groups, residents opted for an open discussion. Rob McCullough recorded all responses, which emphasized the residents' appreciation of the lights’ aesthetic qualities, soft illumination, and strong ties to the neighborhood’s origins as housing for World War II veterans. Residents also noted that the current, 15-foot-high light standards don't interfere with MVH’s spectacular views.

Key Questions and Concerns

Participants pressed for answers on three main points:

1. Will street light replacements proceed before the heritage assessment is complete?
   Kwaku Agyare-Manu, Engineering Department, assured attendees that the street light replacement project contractors have been reassigned to other projects and no immediate work should occur until the heritage assessment is finished and the Engineering Department and Community Heritage Commission (CHC) make their recommendations to Council.
2. Why were contracts awarded before consultation?
   The Engineering staffer explained that the decision was based on asset management priorities, noting that many existing poles and bases are corroding, not up to code, and need to be replaced for safety reasons; and the city is reluctant to maintain inventory on too many different types of light standards.
3. Who decided to move forward before consulting residents?
   In response to this question, MVH Residents Association President Sid Johnson clarified that MVHRA began notifying its members about the City’s plan to replace the aging, non-code-compliant heritage street lights as far back as 2018. He added that in 2025, Heritage New West partnered with MVHRA to advocate for preserving these lights as an important cultural and historical feature of the neighbourhood. He encouraged residents to join the MVHRA at http://masseyvictoryheights.com to stay up to date on the issue.
4. Concerns About LED Lighting
   Many residents also voiced strong concerns about the intensity of LED lighting already installed on other New Westminster streets. They cited safety risks like eye fatigue and reduced night vision when transitioning from brightly lit to darker areas, which could lead to the potential danger of not spotting pedestrians in time. Homeowners also noted the intrusive nature of LED brightness, reporting that the glare often spills into homes, making interior lighting unnecessary and compromising privacy and comfort.
5. Is there room for compromise?
   Residents expressed openness to reproduction heritage-style lights that meet modern safety standards. As one attendee said, “We don’t want our neighborhood to look like a Home Depot parking lot with huge LED lights everywhere.”

Next Steps

Heritage planning consultant Julie Schueck’s draft heritage assessment report is expected by September 24, 2025, with a final report presented to Council with Community Heritage Commission recommendations in early November, 2025. An arborist report will also accompany the recommendations, as any pole replacement may affect nearby trees.

The meeting ended on a constructive note, with residents appreciating the facilitator’s flexibility in shifting the agenda to focus on the streetlight replacement issue. They reaffirmed their expectation to be consulted before recommendations move forward and emphasized the need for any solution to respect the neighbourhood’s unique heritage character.

Stay Involved

Heritage New West will continue to monitor this process and share updates. If you have thoughts or questions about the streetlight replacement project, the city encourages residents to contact:

Robert McCullough, Manager, Museums and Heritage, City of New Westminster email: rjmccullough@newwestcity.ca

Jennifer Miller, Manager, Public Engagement, City of New Westminster email: jlmiller@newwestcity.ca