Two options outlined for new Burnaby City Hall at existing location

2024 concept: Option B for full new-build of Burnaby City Hall at Deer Lake. (City of Burnaby/Revery Architecture)

Nearly four months after being told by Burnaby City Council to go back to the drawing board on both the location and design, City of Burnaby staff have come up with a new potential concept for renewing Burnaby City Hall.

In September 2023, after hearing a public outcry over the estimated high costs of building a new City Hall in the Metrotown district, City Council directed City staff to create a lower cost concept based on maintaining the location at the existing City Hall campus just north of Deer Lake Park.

You might also like:

According to City staff, revitalized City Hall facilities are needed due to their age — the main building was constructed in 1955 — and seismic deficiencies, and failing building systems, as well as the requirement for more expanded space for staff, services, activities, equipment, and technology.

Ahead of next week’s public meeting with City Council, City staff are recommending the option of completely demolishing the existing City Hall campus and constructing a full new-build complex, which would be built immediately to the east on the existing footprint of the Burnaby RCMP headquarters — just west of the intersection of Canada Way and Kensington Avenue. The footprint of the demolished old City Hall could be repurposed for other uses at some point in the future.

2024 concept: Option B for full new-build of Burnaby City Hall at Deer Lake. (City of Burnaby/Revery Architecture)

The brand new City Hall complex would comprise of four attached wings, enabling for a construction project of up to four separate phases. The multi-phased approach would eliminate the need to build additional parking lots for the first phase, but additional parking situated underground would be needed for the latter phases. This will be seismic-resilient, post-disaster structure designed for zero emissions.

Each of the four wings — Building A, Building B, Building C, and Building D — would provide between 75,000 sq ft to 105,000 sq ft of building floor area. The total building floor area upon full buildout would be about 355,000 sq ft.

Construction on the first phase, Building A, would be complete by 2027, with staff relocating to the new building at the same time as the relocation of RCMP staff. Demolition of the RCMP headquarters would then follow and start at the same time as the construction of the remaining three City Hall wings, which would be finished by 2031/2032.

Alternatively, if a full new-build is not pursued, the City could pursue another option of renovating the existing City Hall and only constructing the new wings of Building A and possibly Building B, too, which would be used to accommodate staff during the existing building renovations and provide expanded space. There would be 100,000 sq ft of floor area from the renovated existing City Hall buildings, and about 190,000 sq ft of new-build floor area from Building A and Building B. The potential holds to complete Building B, Building C, and Building D in the future as needed.

City staff are not recommending this alternative option that retains and renovates the existing building, as “there is a practical limit to upgrade the main building” to only 60% of the 2012 building code, and all building components are expected to reach the end of their lifespan within 15 years.

burnaby city hall renovation concept 2024

2024 concept: Option A for a renovation and expansion of Burnaby City Hall at Deer Lake. (City of Burnaby/Revery Architecture)

City staff have requested City Council for permission to continue the feasibility studies of a full new-build redevelopment to create a brand new City Hall on the former Burnaby RCMP headquarters. If directed, by Summer 2024, they will presented a detailed project plan and financial report on such an option. So far, the City has been working with Revery Architecture to create new preliminary concepts for further consideration.

As for the new RCMP headquarters, it will be relocated to a brand new complex on a six-acre site nearby to the north at 4038-4244 Norland Avenue. City staff are recommending the awarding of an expanded contract worth $229 million to Safe Community Partners IPD to build the new three-storey RCMP facility.

You might also like: