New Westminster to plan a Pattullo Bridge party

Have you ever wanted to have a party on the Pattullo Bridge? Well, you might be in luck.

A motion to start planning a three-day party on the Pattullo Bridge before it’s torn down has been passed.

The Pattullo Bridge replacement project is expected to be completed in 2024. Once that happens, the old bridge will be removed.

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New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone will now write a letter to the province to see how they feel about the proposed three-day event.

City Councillor Daniel Fontaine brought forward the motion Monday night, and he says he hopes the party can take place this summer.

He says it would be nice to celebrate the bridge before the “iconic” 86-year-old structure is replaced next year.

“It has a deep connection but not only to New West to the entire region. It’s right in the dead center of Metro Vancouver and has been a lifeline in terms of being able to get people over and back across the Fraser River for for many, many decades.”

“There are a number of people who over the multiple decades that the bridge has been around who have lost their life or been injured on the bridge, and we wanted to have an opportunity for a bit of a memorial as well as the particular party which would be planned,” Fontaine said.

Fontaine told CityNews he plans on having live entertainment and food trucks at the event, but he says he would be open to ideas for the party as well.

“I would love to have some public engagement and hear from the public as to what they would love to have over the three days,” he said.