Residential lawn watering is allowed one morning per week. Even addresses water on Saturday and odd addresses water on Sunday. Manual watering is permitted between 6-9 am and automatic watering between 5-7 am.
Mission Next: Civic Facility Investments
Investing Today for the Community's Future
As one of the fastest growing communities in BC, it’s critical that we plan and build facilities and infrastructure that meet the needs of our current and our NEXT generation.
This is already being realized through several recreation projects including a new spray park on Emiry Street, new playgrounds at Gary MacDonald, Jack Wade and Griner Parks, an investment in a community lacrosse box and festive lighting at Centennial Park, pickleball at Wren Park, and cricket at Silverdale Park.
The Next Phase
Upcoming investments that will help your community keep up with growth include:
A robust Public Safety Building that will house Fire Hall #4, search and rescue headquarters, and other safety programs.
A new City Hall and Community Space to replace long-outgrown city hall spaces and provide one singular and accessible point for the public.
We have always been conservative with respect to borrowing. And because we have been so diligent, we are in a very good position to take advantage of these opportunities.
The Case for a Public Safety Building:
The Public Safety Building will be home to Firehall#4 which is critical to Cedar Valley and other growing neighbourhoods – while reducing pressure on the other three firehalls to respond to emergencies outside of their respective areas.
The structure will serve as a search and rescue base (which is important because their current home is near the end of its life) and will also house the community’s new Emergency Operations Centre.
The location is pivotal – being at the top of a hill means emergency vehicles can reach urgent situations faster.
The design features drive through bays that make entering and exiting safer and faster – and increase emergency response times.
The structure is being designed with the needs of our first responders in mind, including calming wood features and as much access as possible to natural light, along with amenities that will support their physical and mental well-being.
The facility will meet all present standards and is being designed for anticipated growth in the future.
The Case for a New City Hall and Community Space
Present City Hall spaces are five decades old, at two separate locations, providing different service hubs, which is confusing for the public.
Staff must travel back and forth to collaborate on projects which is inefficient and represents time wasted in transit.
Council chambers and washroom facilities are not accessible for those with mobility challenges.
The new City Hall will create one convenient location for staff and the community, with ample parking.
It will provide a functional workspace designed for evolving community needs and include new programming and venue option space for residents and local groups.
The new space will be designed with accessibility in mind.
Outlook Village offers the city the advantage of already having been built, which expedites timelines, saves the city money and mitigates risk, as construction costs are on the rise and a new build would be costly.
Timeline: How we got here and where we're going
2016 - 2019: Renovations to City Hall were completed, and Engineering and Development Services staff moved into the Welton Common building.
From October 2022 onward, seven reports, with 15 options, were brought to Council with options to consider for expanding office space to meet needs.
2018: Fire Protection Master Plan identified Cedar Valley as the most strategic community for Station #4.
September 2024: Council approved a budget of $200,000 for the initial engineering and planning work.
June 2024: The City acquired 8750 Dewdney Trunk Road as the location to build for 10 dollars.
July 7, 2025: Council will be presented with two borrowing bylaws for first three readings.
Summer/Fall 2025: If the bylaws receive 3 readings, the bylaws then go to the Inspector of Municipalities for approval before coming back to Council for final adoption.
Spring 2026: Centralized service delivery will begin at the new City Hall and Community Space location.
Spring 2026: Ground will break for the Public Safety Building.
Fall 2027: Public Safety Building construction completes.
Questions and Answers
City Hall is out of space — some staff, including senior leadership, have no dedicated workspace.
Services are currently split across two buildings, causing confusion and inefficiency.
The current building is not accessible to people with disabilities and doesn’t meet modern safety or security standards.
It is also poorly located at the far corner of the city, making it difficult for many residents to access.
City Hall and Community Space
The cost associated with the City Hall and Community Space building will total $25 million - but it also comes with the advantage of already being built, which expedites timelines and saves the city money, and mitigates risk. The move also allows the city to reimagine existing city-owned spaces for new community uses or revenue-generating opportunities.
The cost associated with Fire Hall#4 and Search and Rescue Base will total $39 million. We were also able to purchase the land space, valued at $4.1 million, for ten dollars.
Borrowing bylaws will allow the City to formally authorize borrowing money and will outline the specific terms and conditions of the borrowing.
Debt servicing will be worked into the overall City budget.
Council is considering the first three readings of a borrowing bylaw.
Then, it goes to the Province of BC for review.
If it passes review, it comes back to Council for final adoption.
This process includes more opportunities for public engagement and feedback.
Council is carefully weighing all feedback. The current opportunity is cost-effective and lower-risk, but no final decision has been made. Council's Monday, July 7, 2025 meeting represents the first step in the process; the bylaw will be considered for adoption once it has gone through the provincial review.
Negotiations involved private land and staff matters, which required confidentiality to protect the City’s bargaining position and legal interests. Once a viable option was finalized, it was shared with the public.
No. The level of borrowing required falls well under the threshold requiring an assent vote. We have always been conservative with respect to borrowing. And because we have been so diligent, we are in a very good position to take advantage of these opportunities. But beyond that, Council is elected to represent the community and do what they can to address today’s challenges and opportunities – but also plan accordingly so we can meet the needs of the growing community tomorrow.
One-third of the project is being paid for using City reserves (savings).
The rest will be borrowed at low municipal finance authority rates.
The City has a strong history of early debt repayment and conservative financial management.
If approved, the City Hall project would result in a 1.95% property tax increase in 2026. The Public Safety building, if approved, would raise taxes by 2.75%. These would be one-time increases, with no additional tax increases related to this borrowing.
No. The City currently borrows only 1.8% of its allowed limit. Even with the new City Hall and Fire Hall projects, borrowing would rise to 4.5%, which is well below provincial thresholds and doesn’t require a referendum.
There will never be a “perfect” time to take on a major project—but delaying this decision has only made the situation more urgent and more expensive. Right now, we have a rare opportunity to:
Purchase a move-in-ready, centrally located building.
Acquire it below market value, reducing financial risk.
Borrow at a low interest rate through the Municipal Finance Authority.
If we wait, we risk:
Higher construction costs.
More expensive land.
Increased borrowing costs.
Acting now helps the City avoid even greater costs down the road.
Hospitals, schools, and health care facilities are the responsibility of the Province of BC, the Fraser Health Authority, and the School District—not the City.
While the City actively advocates for these services, it does not fund or control their construction. Even if this City Hall project did not move forward, the funding could not be redirected to schools or hospitals.
The City recognizes the need for upgrades to the RCMP as well. The properties vacated by this move may be used for future public safety or community projects.
Importantly, no other City projects (like parks, roads, or public services) are being cut or delayed to pay for this project. Regular services will continue, and capital improvements across the city are still fully funded.
Over the past 10 years, the City has looked at expanding, relocating, leasing, or redesigning facilities. All other options were more expensive and offered less value to taxpayers. An addition to the current building and modular buildings were considered; however, there were several key challenges, including:
The area to the north is environmentally sensitive and not suitable for further development.
Much of the area to the south is planned for a future road which will improve the alignment of Stave Lake in the long term.
When the annex was added in 2003, it was intentionally built without additional floors to manage escalating costs, which now limits vertical expansion options.
Temporary structures were also reviewed, but Council ultimately directed staff to explore more viable long-term solutions at alternate locations.
By contrast, the new property is being acquired below market value, is centrally located, and will serve as a long-term asset that can appreciate in value and be repurposed or sold in the future.
The future of the current land holdings of the present city hall on Stave Lake Street and the Welton Common Building on 2nd Avenue has not been decided yet.
There is the potential for the City to sell them, which could mitigate costs for the new City Hall and Public Safety Building. We could also use them for other revenue-generating purposes, or develop them in consultation with the community.
In the future, we will be inviting residents and community partners into a larger discussion on where we take these valuable spaces. Stay tuned for more on this.
The Outlook Village acquisition comes with a secured underground parking level below the building with 26 spaces which can be utilized for City fleet parking. For staff and visitors, there are 57 spots available in surface and rooftop spots. With Unit 12, there are an additional 37 underground parking spots available bringing the total to 120 parking spots. This is a mix of traditional, accessible and EV charging spots.
How does this compare to the current number of parking stalls between the Stave Lake and Welton Common buildings?
Currently there are 89 and 66 parking spots at Welton Common and City Hall, respectively, for a total of 155 parking spots for staff, visitors and staff. On any given day there are about 20 unused parking spots at City Hall and about 10 spots are leased to third parties at Welton Common leaving the parking at Outlook Village at a deficit of about 5 parking stalls.
