In 2005, Labatt
Breweries was departing New Westminster, leaving the city feeling bittersweet about losing a piece of its
history. Wesgroup Properties, against popular opinion, was vying to redevelop the beloved property into
residential and commercial space.
But something changed everyone’s minds. “It was the best thing in the world for us,” New Westminster Mayor
Wayne Wright admits. “It’s probably one of the most exciting developments that’s ever come into the city —
actually, I’d have to say the most exciting in the Lower Mainland.”
Wesgroup’s adoption of a unique, people-first business model was embraced by the community. By speaking
face-to-face with local merchants, residents, politicians and everyone in between, Wesgroup developed a
comprehensive master plan that met everyone’s — and the market’s — needs. Now, the Brewery District in New
Westminster is being transformed into a vibrant oasis of work-life balance for the city. All with the brewery
legacy and other pieces of valuable history left intact.
The redesigned Brewery District will feature residential property, strata offices designed for the expanding
health-care community, banking centres, dining, shopping and lifestyle hot spots, daycare locations and more.
It will all be based around the SkyTrain system in the heart of the area, creating a rare combination of
people and prosperity in the streets with cars off the road. According to president Gino Nonni, Wesgroup
firmly believes in Vancouver’s mandate to be the greenest city in the world by 2020. Additionally, the new
offices and apartments will be conserving power through a system that uses excess energy to heat the
building.
Wesgroup has planned for such a versatile and rich community through forming meaningful partnerships with
businesses offering specific development skills. Wright doesn’t hesitate to commend Wesgroup’s approach for
this.
“You talk one-on-one and things get done,” he says. “They’ve done everything in such a professional way.”
For Nonni, it’s all in a day’s work — and has been for all of Wesgroup’s 50 years. Success comes from paying
attention to the community and what he calls “buying in the path of progress.”
“We felt we had to focus in on areas that we can add value to,” he says. “I think we’re really looking to put
this community on the map in terms of our commercial and residential objectives.
“We are transformative. We believe we transform properties and communities. It all starts with a vision.”
Unlike five years ago, no one is going to complain about that. •
