2018 Annual Report

City of Chilliwack 7 Message from the Mayor On behalf of Council, it is my pleasure to present the 2018 Annual Report for the City of Chilliwack. In this report you will find important information about City operations, including a financial overview, accomplishments from the past year, and progress made on Council’s strategic goals in 2018. The successes highlighted in this report wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our former Mayor and Council and I look forward to continuing that legacy. In 2018, the revitalization of the downtown core remained a high priority for the City. Council awarded the contract for the redevelopment of a 3.75 acre downtown site to Algra Bros Developments Ltd. and construction began late in the year. The new and innovative redevelopment will see a combination of retail, commercial, residential and mixed-use developments as part of the multi-year, multi-phase project to provide a balance of jobs, amenities and housing. We continue to work together with stakeholders to complete steps outlined in our Homelessness Action Plan. As a result, we have seen several successes, including funding from the Province for two modular housing projects totalling 92 units which began construction in 2018. The need for affordable housing was also identified in the Homelessness Action Plan, and low rental vacancy rates and rising house prices have increased this need across BC. In order to preserve and increase the supply of available and affordable housing, the City of Chilliwack changed its zoning regulations to permit the rental of secondary suites within the R1-A (One Family Residential) Zone. 2018 also included an expansion to our cycling network. The Valley Rail extension from Luckakuck Way north over the Trans-Canada Highway and Chilliwack Creek to Airport Road was completed thanks, in part, to funding support from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. This extension provides cyclists of all abilities with a protected cycling trail that connects the north and south sides of the highway. More recreational opportunities were added to Chilliwack’s amenity list in 2018. Crossing Park was established on the south side of the Vedder River near the Vedder Bridge and Lexw Qwò:m Park opened in the Eastern Hillsides. Outdoor fitness equipment was added to Crossing, Fairfield and Sardis Parks, bringing the number of parks with ‘green gyms’ in Chilliwack up to six, and the brand new Chilliwack Curling and Community Centre opened its doors. Our team accomplished many goals in 2018, and these successes would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Council, advisory committee members, volunteers, residents and our City staff. You have all helped to keep Chilliwack a great place to work, live and play, and I thank you. I hope you will think of this report as a summary of your achievements, in addition to an outline for what we plan to do next. Enjoy the read! Mayor Ken Popove