ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Green Napier Neighbourhood Greenway - Temporary Measures For Trial Period

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council approve the temporary restriction of vehicle traffic with the exception of emergency service vehicles in the 1600 block Napier as a five month trial period for the Green Napier - Neighbourhood Greenway.

B. THAT staff monitor traffic volumes and assess community support for a permanent greenway at this site during the trial and report back to Council with their findings.

POLICY

On July 18, 1995 Council approved the Vancouver Greenways Plan. This plan supported the development of Neighbourhood Greenways to improve local connections and promote community building.

Council has indicated an order of priority for transportation that places the highest priority on pedestrians.

SUMMARY AND PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to obtain Council approval for the temporary restriction of vehicles, with the exception of emergency service vehicles, in the 1600 Block of Napier Street. This will allow the space to be temporarily transformed into a community oriented pedestrian space which will act as a trial period for the "Green Napier"- Neighbourhood Greenway.
The Britannia Neighbours in Action (BNIA), a community group in the Grandview-Woodland area of Vancouver, has proposed the Green Napier - Neighbourhood Greenway for the 1600 Block Napier. Their vision of this greenway includes the creation of an urban greenspace that enhances the important pedestrian link between Commercial Drive and the Britannia Site; including the School Board and Community Centre facilities. This project has tremendous support from the community residents and businesses, however, due to the potential impact on local traffic flow, and the large scale of the project, we are recommending this project be initially undertaken as a temporary measure.

The BNIA intend to use the temporary period as a trial for the greenway by planning community festivals and events which will be held in the space over the next five months. They will also continue to encourage the community to be involved in the design and future care of the space. During the temporary period, staff will assess the impacts of the project and survey the community with respect to support for permanent development of a greenway. Findings will be reported back to Council.

An amount of $10,000 will be spent during the temporary vehicle restriction to install additional pedestrian scale lighting and informational billboards, and to conduct traffic studies.

BACKGROUND

In July 1995 Council adopted the Vancouver Greenways Plan. The plan included Neighbourhood Greenways as smaller scale, community initiated and developed greenways that enhance local connections and reflect local character. The City provides advice and assistance with design and implementation when required. There are over a dozen Neighbourhood Greenway projects already built or in various stages of development across the city. Neighbourhood Greenways completed in the last few years demonstrate a range of possibilities for public involvement in community improvement projects, as well as the commitment and resourcefulness of local residents and artists.

DISCUSSION

The Green Napier-Neighbourhood Greenway was initiated by the Britannia Neighbours in Action (BNIA) to enhance the pedestrian link between Commercial Drive and the Britannia Site; including the School Board and Community Centre facilities, and to provide an open community garden space that is inviting for school children, tired shoppers and neighbourhood gardeners. The space is also intended to be used for community celebrations and festivals. The original Green Napier - Neighbourhood Greenway proposal was a collaborative effort between Design Week `94 Staff, the Community (Britannia Neighbours in Action) and the City (CityPlan Staff). Design Week `94 was a provincially fundedinitiative of the design professions. In 1994 and 1995, Engineering Services Staff reviewed the greenway proposal and produced a set of design constraints to ensure that emergency vehicle access would be maintained, existing utilities would be accessible and undisturbed, and that public safety was paramount in any design. These constraints are still valid and will be applicable to any final design for this space.

Ensuring that this greenway becomes a viable and welcoming community space, in the short term and in the long term, will be challenging. We believe the success of this space will be dependent on a high level of community involvement and sense of ownership fostered by developing this space. To further encourage success of this space we are involving Planners with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) expertise to review and provide input on all of the community generated designs.

Britannia Neighbours in Action

The BNIA is a community based group made up of residents, local business people and designers from the Grandview-Woodland area of Vancouver. Their most notable project has been the design and development Mosaic Creek Park at the corner of Charles Street and McLean Drive which was done in collaboration with the Park Board. BNIA raised over $100,000 with help from the Park Board toward the development of this park and continue to host maintenance work parties. Since the completion of Mosaic Creek Park, the group has returned to focus on the Green Napier - Neighbourhood Greenway project and has been working with city staff to help bring it to fruition.

Trial Period

The five month temporary restriction of vehicles from Napier Street will be a trial period for the greenway. During the trial, staff will monitor changes to local traffic movement and assess community support for a permanent neighbourhood greenway in this space. The Britannia Neighbours in Action will use the trial period to:

· host community events like farmers markets and The Stone Soup Festival;
· liaise with the business community for future partnership of the space, an idea that was generated by the Commercial Drive BIA; and,
· continue to raise funds for the construction of the permanent greenway.

Additional pedestrian scale lights street lights and informational billboards will be added to the space for the trial period by the City.

PUBLIC PROCESS

During the last two years the BNIA have hosted two open houses and have visited nearby businesses to spread information about the Napier project. The latest open house was held in February 2001 in conjunction with a City conducted survey. This survey was delivered to:

· Commercial Drive Businesses between 1st Avenue and Venables and the BIA; and,
· facilities within the Britannia Site, where each facility had access to 5 to 10 surveys for gathering general feedback from the employees and the users.

Survey participants were asked if they supported the construction of the Green Napier -Neighbourhood Greenway which would involve restricting vehicle traffic on the 1600 Block Napier to emergency vehicles only. Of the 508 surveys delivered , 85 were returned for a response rate of 17%. The results of the surveys indicated that 92% of the respondents are in favour of the greenway and the temporary restriction. As well, there was 100% support from the 19 other people who attended the open house and did not fall into a survey category. The results of the survey are attached as Appendix C.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Britannia Community Centre is an active partner in this project. They have secured an Artist in Resident Grant, which will employ an artist to work with the community to produce art pieces that will be installed in the Green Napier - Neighbourhood Greenway space, and they are also applying for a Neighbourhood Matching Fund. Britannia Community Centre has also expressed interest in donating banners to the greenway to expand the current Britannia Site Banner Project that is displayed throughout the grounds.

The Commercial Drive BIA has suggested a partnership program where neighbourhood businesses could be involved in the greenway maintenance on a rotating basis, resulting in something similar to an adopt-a-highway campaign. Also, the adjacent businesses have expressed interest in extending their street cafés and produce stands into the space. This will help to give the space life and purpose.

TRAFFIC IMPLICATIONS

The lane to the west of Commercial Drive that runs adjacent to the Britannia Centre experiences heavy volumes of approximately 800-900 cars per day, with the majority of these cars accessing the lane or leaving the lane via Napier Street. Restricting vehicles from Napier Street will increase congestion in the lane during peak times, such as school drop off and pickup, and force drivers to access the lane from William and Parker Streets.

There are 4 legal parking spaces on the south side of Napier that will be removed.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

The temporary greenway has limited environmental implications. A permanent greenway in this location would have environmental benefits. Foremost it would reduce storm water runoff from the area by removing the existing hard surface of concrete and asphalt, and replacing it with plant material and permeable pavers.

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The Green Napier - Neighbourhood Greenway will provide the local community with many social benefits. It will provide a safe and welcoming pedestrian access route to the Britannia Site. It will provide a community created place for passive and active recreation. Also it will become a community focal point for celebrations and festivals.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Funding of $10,000 is required to add pedestrian scale lighting, informational signage, and to conduct traffic studies. This project was listed in the 2000 Capital Budget and there is funds available. Costs and funding for the permanent greenway will be discussed in subsequent reports to Council.

IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

Temporary restriction of vehicle traffic can be accomplished by placing gravity barriers on Napier Street inside the curb line of Commercial Drive and inside the curb line of the north-south lane to the west of Commercial. Informational billboards will be erected to provide information about the temporary restriction and plans for the future greenway. Other features that will be constructed to enhance the space during the trial include additionalpedestrian scale lighting and banners on the lamp standards to extend the Britannia Site banner program into this space.

CONCLUSIONS

The temporary restriction of vehicle traffic on Napier Street will allow City Staff and the Britannia Neighbours in Action to properly assess local impacts and community support and to design an appropriate neighbourhood greenway for the benefit of the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood.

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APPENDIX A - CONTEXT MAP

ATTACHMENTS THAT DO NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC COPY ARE AVAILABLE ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE

APPENDIX B - PRELIMINARY DESIGN

Preliminary greenway design created by the community group.

APPENDIX C - COMMUNITY SURVEY

Between January 15 and February 16, 2001, members of the Grandview - Woodlands neighbourhood were asked if they supported the construction of the Green Napier - Neighbourhood Greenway on the 1600 Block of Napier Street. They were told that vehicle access on Napier would be restricted to emergency vehicles only and the 2-way traffic would be maintained in the lane west of Commercial Drive adjacent to the Britannia Centre. They were also told that the initial restriction would be temporary and that they would be surveyed at the end of the trial period to assess levels of support for a permanent greenway.

The following table summarizes the responses.

TABLE C.1

Survey Group

Support the Greenway

Do Not Support the Greenway

No Opinion

Response Rate (% returned of total delivered)

Commercial Drive Businesses

17 (85%)

3 (15%)

0

11%

Neighbourhood Residents

54 (93%)

2 (3%)

2 (3%)

21%

Britannia Centre Employees and Users

7 (100%)

0

0

14%

Total Solicited

78 (92%)

5 (6%)

2 (2%)

17%

Other (Unsolicited)

19 (100%)

0

0

n/a

Total

97 (93%)

5 (5%)

2 (2%)

n/a

508 surveys were delivered to people in the community, the other 19 unsolicited surveys returned were from persons attending the open house who did not fall into one of the survey categories.

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