SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET BACK IN LINE
page
5
FRASER INSTITUTE RANKS BBY SCHOOLS
page
8
WOMAN CHARGED IN LOCAL MURDER
page
10
WEDNESDAY
MAY 2 2012
www.burnabynewsleader.com
The Nagar Kirtan parade returned to South Burnaby on Saturday, a treat for all ages. See Page A3
$85M works yard to break ground Current space in use since 1950s Wanda Chow wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
MARIO BARTEL/NEWSLEADER
The Hastings Golf Centre at the north end of Kensington Avenue, closed last year.
Major development in the works? Wall Financial Corp. now owns 10 acres of land after winning court Àght with Shell Wanda Chow wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
A major North Burnaby property with prime views of Burrard Inlet could soon be the site of a residential development following a long waiting game played by its new owner, Wall Financial Corporation. In June 2011, Wall Financial closed on the $6.03-million purchase of the 10-acre, narrow strip of land formerly used as a golf driving range at 6555 Hastings St., according to company
¿nancial statements. But according to court judgments in a dispute between Wall and the property’s former owner, oil giant Shell Canada Ltd., the purchase was a long time coming, having its origins back in 2000. Shell owns the Shellburn lands, comprised of over 200 acres. In 1994, it leased 10 acres of that, referred to as Lot 1, to Hastings Golf Centre Ltd., which developed the driving range on Hastings just off Kensington Avenue. The lease agreement included an option to purchase, but Shell stipulated use of the property was limited to a golf centre even if that option was exercised, so as not to
ission!
m Free Gate Ad
Opens May 5
interfere with the company’s oil re¿nery and distribution centre on the rest of the Shellburn lands. By 2000, Hastings Golf Centre was $145,000 behind in rent and taxes. Enter Wall Financial, developer of major projects including the Wall Centre complex and Capitol Residences in downtown Vancouver. A numbered company, a Wall subsidiary, negotiated a modi¿cation and transfer of the lease which included a provision that the numbered company could require Shell to remove the restrictions on use of the property if a substantial payment was made. “Shell was aware that [numbered
2012
company] 588526 was contemplating residential development on Lot 1,” said B.C. Supreme Court Justice Brenda Brown in a 2010 judgment. The numbered company paid $4.5 million to Hastings Golf Centre for the lease assignment and paid Shell the outstanding rent and taxes. It then continued to operate the site as a golf centre until last year. When the numbered company exercised the purchase option in the lease, Shell responded that it preferred that the site not be used for residential, then attempted to put up road blocks in the form of a restrictive covenant, among other measures. Please see WALL WON COURT CASE, A3
Sunday, May 6 9:30am–4pm
6450 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby, BC Thanks to our partners:
6501 Deer Lake Ave | 604-297-4565 | burnabyvillagemuseum.ca
Info: 604-291-6864 | brags.ca | shadboltcentre.com
Free
Construction could soon start on a long-awaited second city works yard that, when completed, will allow city hall to improve services to Burnaby residents. The current 11-acre city works yard on Laurel Street was built in the 1950s. As Burnaby has grown, the same could not be said for the works yard. The crew station and supervisors of¿ces are located in a converted carport built about 50 years ago, said Burnaby’s director of engineering Lambert Chu. Its garage, where the city’s Àeet is repaired and maintained, has only four service bays, with additional vehicles having to be serviced in a tent outside. “We can’t bring in more equipment to the site. We don’t have a place to park them, so we have a limited capability to provide service (to residents),” Chu said. Please see NEW, A4