TEAM to Hold Wesgroup Responsible for Breaking Promise to Build River District Community Centre

Party pledges to get facility built by end of term if elected

VANCOUVER (Sept. 4, 2026) – TEAM for a Livable Vancouver today pledged to end the City’s pattern of abandoning residents’ interests for developers’ benefit.

That kind of scandalous scenario is now playing out in Vancouver’s River District. Residents there were originally told by developer Wesgroup that a community centre and childcare facility would be delivered in 2025. But Wesgroup has broken that promise, saying it is “not financially viable to proceed with the project at this time.”

Ken Sim and the ABC City Council have had ample opportunity to ensure that the community centre gets built. But they’ve failed to secure a firm timeline for its delivery.

“City Hall keeps finding ways to help the residential development move forward, while River District residents keep being told to wait for the community centre they were promised,” says TEAM Council candidate Josh Gordon. “That is backwards.”

TEAM today committed to getting the community centre built by the end of its term if it secures a majority on City Council.

Meanwhile, Wesgroup is going ahead with yet another residential tower a block away from the promised facilities – leaving residents with an incomplete community.

This sorry saga began in 2022 when City Hall approved hundreds of thousands of square feet of additional development in the River District as part of an agreement intended to help deliver the community centre. In February 2026, City Council unanimously approved another Wesgroup request allowing taller towers and other changes aimed at making the rest of the residential development more financially viable.

But Council failed to secure a firm completion date for the community centre.

“A promise is a promise,” says Gordon. “Residents have already waited long enough. If TEAM is elected, we will hold Wesgroup accountable and ensure the community centre and childcare facility are delivered.”

TEAM says developers should be held accountable for their commitments, and ensure that new development delivers the greenspace, public amenities and infrastructure needed for neighbourhoods to be livable.