CITY OF VANCOUVER

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

 

Date:

June 8, 2004

 

Author:

Susan Anderson

 

Phone No.:

604.873.7473

 

RTS No.:

04061

 

CC File No.:

1755

 

Meeting Date:

June 24, 2004

TO:

Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM:

Director of City Plans in consultation with the Director of Social Planning, General Manager of Engineering Services and the Manager of Real Estate Services

SUBJECT:

Broadway and Commercial Drive Community Amenity Proposal

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER OF COMMUNITY SERVICES GROUP'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services supports Recommendations A, B, C and D, noting that the creation of community gardens was identified as a priority area in the Food Action Plan approved by City Council on December 9, 2003. The City's interim food policy staff team will provide assistance to the volunteers involved with this project, as well as facilitating links with other relevant food-related initiatives.

GENERAL MANAGER OF ENGINEERING SERVICES'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Engineering Services is supportive of the proposed uses on the City-owned lanes included in the sites subject to a number of conditions being addressed in an agreement to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal Services, including but not limited to:

COUNCIL POLICY

The Kensington Cedar Cottage Community Vision approved by Council in 1998 includes directions calling for more greening of public places, including community gardens under Sky Train, an extension of Grace MacInnis Park north to the Broadway-Commercial Drive area, and more community action on greening initiatives.

On December 9th 2003, City Council approved the creation of a Food Policy Council and interim work plan including an action to facilitate the creation of community gardens.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to recommend that Council approve the allocation of the $208,000 earmarked for a community amenity in the Broadway and Commercial Drive area to develop a community garden, children's playground, neighbourhood greenway and public art on three vacant BC Transit and City-owned lanes along the SkyTrain guideway, as proposed by the My Own Back Yard (MOBY) community group.

The report also provides a response to Council on the issue of using these sites for additional parking for the Broadway and Commercial Drive shopping area.

BACKGROUND

As part of the 2000 Access Agreement between the City and the Provincial government on the construction of the SkyTrain Millennium Line, the Province committed to build a new community policing centre (CPC) in the Broadway/Commercial Drive area to a maximum cost of $220,000. A location for the office was identified under the SkyTrain guideway on East 10th Avenue and work began on designing the facility. Subsequently, the Provincial government terminated funding of all community policing centres in Vancouver, and in June, 2003, Council endorsed a new model for community policing which did not include operating funds or police support for a CPC in this area. Council then affirmed its commitment that the remaining funds of $208,000 ($12,000 had been spent on design fees) be spent on a community amenity in this area and asked staff to consult with the community to determine a plan for spending the money.
In 2001, when considering the Broadway and Commercial Station Precinct Plan, City Council instructed the General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the Director of City Plans to report back on the feasibility of implementing a public parking lot on BC Transit lands beneath the SkyTrain guideway east of Commercial Drive, between East 10th and 12th Avenues.

DISCUSSION

Community Amenity Project

In November 2003, City staff hosted a community workshop to develop a framework within which to invite proposals for a new community amenity in the Broadway and Commercial Drive area. Residents, businesses and organizations in the area were invited and about 50 people attended. Participants identified types of amenities that should be considered and also generated a list of weighted criteria against which staff would assess proposals
(Appendix A).

In January 2004, staff invited residents and community organizations to submit proposals for community amenity projects. Interested parties were sent the community-generated criteria and also information on the three vacant BC Transit-owned properties east of Commercial Drive on East 11th Avenue and East 12th Avenue (Appendix B). BC Transit staff have indicated they would consider community uses on these properties.

Four proposals were received:

1. "My Own Back Yard" (MOBY) community group proposed developing multi-use outdoor spaces on the three vacant sites, including a community garden, children's playground, neighbourhood greenway and public art.

2. The Collingwood Community Policing Centre (CCPC) proposed a 5 year community development process to develop and sustain local projects and amenities such as community gardens, markets, public art and children's play areas.

3. Queen Alexandra Safer Neighbourhood Society, which had operated the Cedar Cottage CPC until last year, and the Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood Association (CECONA) proposed to place a portable building on one of the vacant sites and develop a playground, greenspace and public art on the other sites.

4. Rod Russell, local resident and artist, proposed to use the funds to create a Lantern Clock, a "kinetic structure to be located in the plaza at the main entrance to the SkyTrain station with elements of time piece, high-tech wonder, festival lantern, geologic grounding, and celestial mechanics".

The four proposals were reviewed and rated by City staff using the criteria developed by the community in November. The MOBY proposal to develop multi-use outdoor spaces on the vacant sites was ranked highest by all reviewers. The results of the proposal call and review process were reported to the community by letter and at a meeting in March 2004.

My Own Back Yard Neighbourhood Group (MOBY)

MOBY Community Group formed in 2003 with the goal of improving the neighbourhood around East 11th Avenue and Commercial Drive through co-operative action. MOBY is comprised of local residents working with community organizations, including Mosaic Language Centre, Pacifica Treatment Centre, Trout Lake Community Centre, Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House, Collingwood Community Policing Centre, Dickens Community Group, City Farmer and community garden groups. It is guided by a steering committee comprised of residents and representatives of community organizations and businesses. MOBY's first initiative was to work with BC Transit to resolve issues of garbage dumping and littering on the vacant sites.

MOBY now wants to develop these sites for community uses: a community garden on the site north of East 11th Avenue; a children's playground on the site south of East 11th Avenue; and a neighbourhood greenway on the East 12th Avenue site (Appendix B). Public art, wheelchair accessibility, environmental sustainability, security, and community building are key elements of the proposal. MOBY proposes that the community contribute sweat equity and the City contribute the costs of materials, design, project co-ordination and ongoing maintenance from the $208,000 amenity fund. Because MOBY is not a registered non-profit society the group has approached the Collingwood CPC which has agreed to administer the project funding and legal agreements.

A copy of the original MOBY proposal is on file in the City Clerk's Department.
Vacant Sites
The three sites under discussion are comprised of 8 separate parcels; 5 are owned in fee simple by B.C. Transit and 3 are unopened dedicated City-owned lanes which were identified in the Street Use Agreement between the City and the Province for the Expo SkyTrain in the late 1980's. The sites have been vacant for decades; their current uses include acting as a short cut from East 12th Avenue to the Sky Train station and as a local garbage dumping location.
Collective Parking

In 2001, as part of the effort to improve the shopping area around Broadway and Commercial Drive, Council asked staff to report back on the feasibility of implementing public parking on these sites. Staff have explored the need for and feasibility of developing additional public parking in the area, including consulting with local businesses, and conclude that current parking demand is met by the existing on-street and pay parking lots. However, staff note that the existing parking encroachment of approximately 3 metres under the SkyTrain guideway, along the eastern edge of one of the sites, should be continued and accommodated along with any new uses.
B.C. Transit Properties
City staff have discussed the MOBY proposal and potential lease of the vacant B.C. Transit-owned sites with TransLink staff who are supportive in principle of a nominal rent lease arrangement to facilitate community use. The final decision on any lease arrangement would be made by B.C. Transit Senior Management.
Project Cost Estimates
Staff have reviewed MOBY's capital cost estimates for the community garden, playground and neighbourhood greenway. Actual costs will depend on final landscape design and materials and equipment selection but staff think that the budget is adequate to cover the basic capital costs of the proposal. Also, if required, there are additional sources of funding such as the Neighbourhood Matching Fund, Community Public Art, and Environmental Grants.
Annual Operating Costs and Project Phasing
There will be no ongoing costs to the City or Park Board for the community garden phase on the northern site. However, there will be annual operating costs for maintenance of the playground equipment, planted areas and pathways as well as garbage can supply and service for the southern two sites.
The Park Board provides maintenance and garbage pick up for parks and for some greenways, under contract with the Engineering Services Department. Parks staff have reviewed the MOBY proposal with respect to the need for ongoing maintenance requirements for the playground and greenway sites. Depending on the design, amount of lawn area, type of pathway materials, and labour contributions from MOBY, annual operating costs could range up to $10,000 to $15,000. This would include supplying and servicing garbage cans; maintenance and repair of playground equipment, benches and paved areas; lawn mowing and trimming.
In order to provide more accurate estimates of operating costs, staff will need more detailed design information for the playground and neighbourhood greenway. Staff suggest that the project be developed in three phases, with the community garden as phase one and the playground and greenway as phases two and three. In this way, the MOBY group who are eager to start on the community garden site will not be delayed while staff work out details on the other two sites.
Staff recommend that Council approve funding of up to $92,000 for development of the community garden phase (Appendix C) and that the project be administered by the Collingwood Community Policing Centre, in partnership with the My Own Back Yard Community Group, under contract with the City. Recommendation B.

Staff will report back within 6 months with a strategy and estimated capital and operating costs for developing the playground and neighbourhood greenway phases of the project. Recommendation D.

Crime and Safety Concerns

Crime and safety continue to be issues in this area. At both community meetings people expressed concern about the loss of City and Police support for the Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood Safety Office last year.

Under the new model for Community Policing approved by Council last year, the Broadway and Commercial Drive area south of Broadway is now served by the Collingwood Community Policing Centre. The area north of Broadway continues to be served by the Grandview Woodlands Community Policing Centre. Collingwood CPC supports the MOBY proposal and has agreed to administer the community garden phase because they feel that this kind of community-based initiative will contribute to a safer community. They are also working with MOBY to recruit volunteers for their patrols and crime prevention initiatives in the area. SkyTrain has provided a secure office/storage space in the Broadway Station for the Collingwood CPC and their volunteers to use for storage for patrol bikes, safety vests and other equipment.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Capital funding for Phase One, the community garden, is available within the $208,000 which was transferred to the City from the Province when the Rapid Transit Project Office closed. Staff will report back on capital and operating costs for Phases Two and Three.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

MOBY is committed to developing the sites in an environmentally sustainable manner and will work with City Departments and the Park Board to ensure that all current standards are met or exceeded.

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

MOBY was formed around the concept of building community through social interaction and joint initiatives. They see the community garden project as a first step in building and strengthening the sense of safety, security and community in their area.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

MOBY has an 18 month plan to develop the community garden. Staff will report back within 6 months on implementing the other two phases.

CONCLUSION

Following a June 2003 Council directive, staff undertook a community process to identify ideas and criteria for potential community amenities in the Broadway and Commercial Drive area. After reviewing four proposals for amenities, staff recommend that Council endorse in principle the MOBY Community Group proposal and that funding to develop the first phase, the community garden, be approved.

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