June 6, 2025
Sending single -family houses to the landfill is a standard practice when it comes to renovation – but there is an alternative solution.
At a glance
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Urban growth is changing the city landscape. Larger buildings from single -family houses replace the landfill as a denser.
- Renewal development interrupts the cycle.
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During the largest country assembly in the western Canada, the renewal entered and offered WENGROUP an alternative to demolition.
Only a few of us know the history of our house. Who lived in front of us? When we move, who writes the next chapter?
Darlene Hadden is one of a few people who know the answers.
A former resident of the quarter of Coronation Park in Port Moody, Darlene and her husband belonged to 10 families whose houses were saved from demolition. Her house was transported up to Shíshálh Nation, where a new life as an affordable home for a first nation family will begin.
Dream house in a quiet area
“We moved into the Coronation Park with our son and daughter almost 40 years ago,” says Darlene. “It was a beautiful house and the farm looked like a park …”
Darlene Hadden belonged to 10 families whose houses were moved from Port Moody to Shíshálh Nation.
Over the years they organized Christmas, Thanksgivings and watched their children grew. They also got to know their neighbors and became part of the community.
In the meantime, Port Moody changed, as did the demand for living space.
When she first learned about the plans to develop her neighborhood, Darlene did not want to upgrade the life she and her family had built.
“We didn't want to sell at all,” she says. “We just wanted to stay where we were.”
Reaction to the needs of a growing city
The renovation of the coronation park is headed by WESGROUP in BC.
After completing the ornaments in Inlet District, around 2,600 houses, a variety of companies, services and several hectares of parking space are included.
In the full development of WESGRUPS INLET DISTRICT, 6 conducts comprised that have geared towards a 2.6 hectare park.
In order to make room for the new houses, Wesgroup coordinated the largest country assembly in Westkanada: 59 single -family houses over 814 acres.
What is a country assembly?
- Land meetings are common practice in areas with rapid population growth.
- They enable developers to acquire several properties in a transaction and land plots.
- Developers work with home owners to demonstrate the advantages of the assembly.
Dean Johnson, Senior Vice President of Development, Wesgroup, endeavored to learn more about Glyn Lewis's proposal, to move houses to the Coronation Park.
An alternative to demolition
While Wesgroups Senior Vice President of Development, Dean Johnson, discussed the community development details, he received a fascinating call.
“I think we went to you with a very new solution,” says Glyn Lewis, founder and CEO of Renewal Development.
The mission of renewal is to physically lift, shift and reuse home houses for communities that need good apartments.
“Every year we tear 2,700 houses to make room for higher density development. We estimate that around 700 of these houses are in completely good condition.
I support the compression of our urban areas, especially in view of the fact that we are in a lack of housing. The challenge is that the density is incredibly wasteful. “
In a WESGROUP session hall, Glyn explained the advantages of moving at home and how his company would like to start as a “distance service provider”.
Glyn Lewis, founder and CEO of Renewal Development, says that the move of Home has a sustainable and climate -friendly alternative to demolition.
The proposal fit well with the values of Wesgroup and sustainable development.
“It was really a conversation about how we worked together?” Says Dean.
“I can't say good things about the people at WESGROUP,” says Glyn. “It was incredible to go this way to go this way.”
The next big question? Where would the houses go?
Due to mutual contact, Glyn turned to the Shíshálh nation at the Sunshine Coast from BC.
His timing was good – the coastal community examined paths to create more living space for its members.
Next – a moving day with a difference