Updated June 2023

The Musqueam Community Rental Complex (MCRC) will be located at 6390 Crown Place (Lot 95).

In 2019, after technical reviews, site assessments and community engagement, Musqueam Council selected Lot 95 at 6390 Crown Place as the MCRC project site.

Multiple locations on the main Musqueam Reserve (IR #2) were considered and thoroughly evaluated for the MCRC. Other possible sites were assessed as unsuitable due to environmental constraints, including proximity to the flood zone and presence of Japanese knotweed, and lack of necessary infrastructure.

Lot 95 at 6390 Crown Place was chosen as the project site for the MCRC because it is:

• identified for multi-family member housing in Musqueam’s Land Use Plan (2014) and the Comprehensive Community Plan (2011 & 2018)
• located outside of the flood risk zone
• maximizing use of the limited developable land in Musqueam Reserve
• currently occupied by four buildings that are no longer structurally fit for use

History of Crown Street and Lot 95

The location of the MCRC is an important area in the history of the Musqueam Reserve.

Before colonization, Musqueam people lived together as extended families in longhouses. Culture and Tradition were passed on and families looked after one another. Multi-family living is not a new concept in our culture.

Since the imposition of the Indian Reserve system, Musqueam has found creative ways to finance and build housing for the community in response to population increases and critical needs. For a history of Musqueam housing development, see the timeline below.

In the 1950s, Crown Street had dirt roads and no running water. In 1964, the “first 40” single-dwelling homes were built along Crown Street, from Stautlo Ave to Thellaiwhaltun Ave. Members gave up distribution to enable financing. Many of the oldest homes on the reserve today are around Crown Street.

Lot 95, Crown Place is the site of the former Musqueam gym, café, preschool and learning centre. For many years, the old gym was a place where people gathered not only for recreation but also for celebrations, funerals, and other important events in our community. In 2012, we upgraded our gym facilities in the new community centre located on Musqueam Ave., closer to the longhouse and band office.

The buildings on Lot 95 Crown Place are no longer in use by the community because they are unsafe. Many community members have expressed that it is important to honour the history of the area and the old gym in the new development.

The wood beams from the old gym will be salvaged and reused in the roof structure of the new daycare at Lot 95. In this way, the memory of the gym is kept alive, and a new generation of community members will grow under them.

Talking with neighbours

In March 2019, Musqueam Council received a petition from community members with concerns regarding multi-family housing and lack of communication from administration and leadership. Many of the signatories to this petition were Elders living next to Lot 95, Crown Place.

We respect the voices of our Elders and understand that development in our community needs to be done in a thorough, safe, and transparent way.

Council responded to the petition through a letter and presentation at a council meeting. The MCRC team was directed by leadership to meet with the neighbours for their feedback and to express their respective interests, concerns, and ask questions regarding this housing initiative.

Members in households neighbouring Lot 95 met with the MCRC team via email, phone, and in-person on four occasions from December 2020 – August 2021 in small groups.

The feedback and needs of neighbours directly contributed to the current project design, including the height and location of the apartment, parking locations, installing fencing, trees, and hedges for privacy, and building the project to flood level elevation.

Site Concept

In late summer 2020, the MCRC project team presented three design ideas to membership and asked for input through a community survey.

After reviewing the feedback, the team recommended, and Musqueam Council approved, the site option with the lowest density. Watch this video about the approved site option: Concept A Recommended | Video #3

Please note that after further design work and updates in September 2022, the project has been updated to a 3-storey apartment and townhomes (total of 37 rental units) and a daycare.

Apartment building

27 rental units

• 9 x three-bedroom units
• 8 x two-bedroom units
• 10 x one-bedroom units (all adaptable for mobility requirements)
  • 3 of these one-bedroom units are fully accessible
• Amenity room for all Musqueam members
• Outdoor plaza

Townhomes

10 rental units

• 10 townhomes with three bedrooms
• Each townhome also has a secondary, lock-off suite on the bottom floor

Daycare

The daycare will accommodate up to 28 children, including infant, toddler and preschool aged children. The building will have two separate but connected outdoor playgrounds.