The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has announced that a Green Municipal Fund loan will be going to the City of New Westminster, B.C., to put towards the creation of Westminster Pier Park on former industrial site.

The Green Municipal Fund loan was created when the federal government endowed FCM with $550 million to fund municipal environmental projects. New Westminster will receive $2 million for its park project.

The project will remediate a 3.8-hectare site and transform it into a riverfront park. The land previously housed industrial properties from the 1800s until 1992.

The city purchased the site in 2009 and is now redeveloping it to meet demand for green space. New Westminster currently has far fewer green spaces than the provincial average for similar municipalities.

“The Green Municipal Fund offers a range of resources and services that specifically address the sustainable community development needs of municipal governments,” says Raymond Louie, one of the FCM vice-presidents and a Vancouver councillor.

“The financing and knowledge provided by the fund supports the development of communities, like New Westminster, that are more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.”

The Westminster Pier Park will include a boardwalk, and parkland and will serve as a gathering place for the community. Highlights of the project include 4,000 square metres of reclaimed intertidal riparian forest, and the removal and remediation of 3,600 tonnes of contaminated soil. It is projected to deliver a positive local economic impact equivalent to about $70 million.

“We’re pleased that the federal government and FCM are investing in creating sustainable green spaces for communities,” says New Westminster Mayor Wayne Wright. “Westminster Pier Park is a wonderful example of how underutilized spaces in cities can be revitalized for the benefit of everyone.”