Following is a letter to Burnaby residents from Mayor Mike Hurley
This month, Burnaby marks a major milestone in the most significant period of civic investment in our city’s history.
Four cornerstone projects in our capital construction program have now surpassed 50% completion—part of what is not only the largest capital construction program Burnaby has ever undertaken, but one of the largest municipal investments in community facilities anywhere in Canada.
At Burnaby Lake Recreation Complex, construction is well underway on a facility that will become home to Burnaby’s first Olympic-sized swimming pool, with completion anticipated in 2028. In the Lougheed Town Centre neighbourhood, the new Cameron Community Centre and Library will be four times larger than the original 1988 facility when it also opens in 2028.
At the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, the James Cowan Theatre replacement project will deliver a modern, accessible, professional-grade performance venue when it is completed in 2027. While the new Community Safety Building will provide a purpose-built facility to support emergency response and public safety services in our growing city, replacing the original Burnaby RCMP detachment built in 1967.
We are delivering on a long overdue need
Yes, these milestones are very exciting—but the reality is many of these projects should have been delivered more than 25 years ago. Instead, aging facilities were left without the reinvestment they badly needed while our city kept growing around them. What we’re doing now is a big catch-up to where Burnaby should already be and ensuring the next generations of residents have the community services they deserve.
The reason we are able to do it is because these projects are being funded through reserves built up over those many years—set aside for projects like these. Reserves can’t legally be used for operational needs, to balance budgets or lower taxes, they can only be spent on major capital investments. Those funds were kept for a reason, albeit for far too long. So now, we’re using them for their intended purpose and not a moment too soon.
Take the James Cowan Theatre replacement at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. It was urgently needed. When you walked into the old theatre, the first thing you noticed was the smell of dampness. When it came down, the extent of mould and rotting materials was shocking. It had simply reached the end of its life.
The new theatre will anchor and strengthen Burnaby’s arts and culture community for decades to come—and replacing it wasn’t a luxury, it was a necessity.
When many of these buildings were constructed, Burnaby’s population was a fraction of what it is today with very different needs. Active facilities in the city like Christine Sinclair Community Centre, Edmonds Community Centre and Bonsor Recreation Complex are consistently oversubscribed. At Christine Sinclair, staff are sometimes handing out slips asking people to come back later because the facility is at capacity.
With construction costs rising by 7 to 8% each year, waiting any longer would have meant paying more and delivering less. Unfortunately a couple of generations missed out on these opportunities—but now it is time to deliver, and that is exactly what we are doing.
These projects will be the beating heart of our communities
One of the most essential roles a municipality plays is creating and maintaining spaces like these—so residents can feel proud of where they live, and where they feel respected and supported. That’s exactly what we’re building.
As average living spaces get smaller, access to shared community space has never been more important. We saw during COVID just how vital parks and recreation centres were—they were the places that held communities together. That lesson stays with us.
When it opens in 2028, the Cameron Community Centre and Library will be the beating heart of the Lougheed community. It will be a place where families connect, learn and play; where children feel a sense of belonging; where seniors stay active; and where neighbours from every background come together and enjoy the community they live in.
The new facility will be four times larger than the original, with an aquatic centre, gym and fitness studios, dedicated seniors’ spaces, an indoor running track, a civic plaza, and an expanded library. Even in the temporary library space, attendance has tripled after updates were made—a clear sign of the demand that exists.
Provincial budget leaves Burnaby waiting on hospital and affordable housing
These facilities will reflect the diversity of our city and meet the needs of every demographic. As promised we are delivering world-class recreation, arts, and public safety facilities—built to serve Burnaby not just today, but for the next 100 years.
The Cameron Community Centre and Library, for example, is designed to achieve net-zero carbon targets, with Burnaby’s first living green roof, more than 200 solar panels and all-electric low-carbon systems. This will be a place Burnaby can be really proud of for generations to come.
They will also be key to our economic future
These new facilities are not just about recreation and community, they are central to Burnaby’s economic future. We are working hard to support our local businesses and attract new investment during uncertain economic times. Modern civic infrastructure plays a major role in unlocking our city’s enormous potential.
A snapshot of Burnaby’s economy as our task force gets to work
Take the new Community Safety Building. It replaces a facility that had aged to the point where it was becoming increasingly difficult to attract experienced officers to work in Burnaby—and in some cases, we were losing them. Not because they didn’t want to serve this community, but because of the condition of the building itself.
Next year, we will have a purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility designed to meet today’s public safety needs, including dedicated space for priorities such as combatting computer fraud. If Burnaby is going to remain a great place to live and work, we need workplaces that reflect that standard.
The Burnaby Lake Recreation Complex is another example. It will be one of the largest and most versatile aquatic and recreation facilities in Western Canada, supporting community use, competitive sport, and provincial events. It will also include an NHL-sized arena.
My vision is to make Burnaby Lake the competition capital of Canada. Facilities like this won’t just attract competing teams— they will attract visitors, tournaments, and major events that drive business activity and economic growth. Sports tourism brings people into our city, supports local businesses, and encourages further investment.
We already know that companies choose to locate where high-quality amenities exist for their employees. There will be few complexes anywhere that match what Burnaby Lake will offer—especially given its central location, easy access to transit and major routes, surrounding green space, and the active culture that defines our city.
Ultimately, we had to rise to meet this moment. That is what we are doing now—not just building for today, but investing for the future.
Building below-market housing and giving back to community—with Cindy Beedie
