For years we have lived in the shadow of construction cranes towering over Columbia St., and this promised revitalization has not yet come. Yet I think this long-overdue hope will soon be realized, as we approach a critical mass of major development projects and an accompanying demographic shift that really will have the power to transform New Westminster’s downtown.

Waves Coffee House – 715 Columbia Street, New Westminster
Open Monday-Sunday (and holidays), 6am-12am
View Wireless Internet Cafes in New Westminster in a larger map
In a decision which must go down in history under the column “why didn’t we think of this before?” New Westminster’s first Waves Coffee House location opened June 1st in the first floor of the Westminster Trust Building, in the former Provincial Government Office space at the corner of Columbia and Begbie.

In a building full of small businesses, within spitting distance of newly remodeled Hyack Square, and at …

One of the items in our datebook here at Tenth to the Fraser, is the Royal City Farmers’ Market Second Annual Fundraiser. This year the fundraiser is at the Brooklyn Tap and Grill and will feature the musical guest The Syndicate, featuring Chuck Puchmayr. There is a silent auction with the top prize a weekend getaway for two in Harrison courtesy BCAA Travel on 6th Street. There will be many other excellent items to bid on. 
Tickets are available at the Village Coffee Lounge at 705 12th Street, Vienna Treasures at …

This is a media release from the City of New Westminster. We hope this New Westminster Park ‘N Ride solution will help some of the affected Pattullo commuters who are finding our blog via search.
New Westminster, BC –The City of New Westminster is offering Metro Vancouver commuters a new way to avoid travel delays across the Fraser River while repairs are done to the Pattullo Bridge.
Mayor Wayne Wright has announced that commuters can access nearly 800 parking spaces at the City’s parkade on Front Street and complete their trips …

This is a guest post by Ruth Seeley of No Spin PR.

I’m more likely to go out for breakfast than for any other meal these days. Working from home, it means I can give my day a little ‘shape’ by getting up early, reading, writing, tweeting, pitching, greeting, etc. for three or four hours, then take a shower break and head out to do errands, get some fresh air, and have breakfast.
On bad days this sometimes doesn’t happen till 2 or 3PM, however, so I’ve had to invent a …

SEE OUR CHALLENGE BELOW – TELL US YOUR FAVOURITE WIRELESS CAFE HOTSPOT!
I am one of those people who works better when I have a din of white noise behind me, when I’m in a place with a good feel, surrounded by people but not in demand. For me, coffee and good work go hand in hand, so it’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that I have spent the majority of my university years (both undergrad and post-grad) doing my studying and schoolwork in coffee shops.
When I lived at …

This is a guest post by Brad Howard of Clever Mink’s, a great little gift shop at 711 Carnarvon St. If you’ve got an idea for a guest post, go ahead and drop us a line. 
Having never blogged before I found the idea daunting so I sought out some friends’ opinions. Some said you’ve got to open big to grab the reader. You’ve only got 4.3 seconds of their attention (that might be last year’s figure, this year’s is doubtlessly shorter) or they’ll move on to something splashier. Make …

And now for an interlude, appropriately enough, from the Starbucks at Chapters in Metropolis (née metrotown). New Westminsterites of my vintage will remember it as Metrotown, that mecca of all things cool and consumer-related.
When I was a kid, Metrotown was THE only place to see a movie, buy reasonable clothes, shop on your own, and oftentimes, eat. Sure, some of that was owing to the uniquely terrible palate of one’s teenage years, but I know I’m not alone in saying that Metrotown was the mecca for everything. Growing up in …