SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2
CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA
JULY 13, 1995
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: June 22, 1995
File No: 5527-2
TO: Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
FROM: City Clerk, as Chair of the Street Naming Committee
SUBJECT: Naming of the Coal Harbour Waterfront Walkway;
Name for Two New Public Roads in the Coal Harbour
Neighbourhood; and Confirmation of the Street Name
"Stadium Boulevard"
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT the public waterfront walkway and cycle path, from its
connection to the Stanley Park seawalk at Denman Street
easterly to Burrard Street, be named the "Coal Harbour
Seawalk".
B. THAT the new public road, connecting Denman Street and
Cardero Street, north of Georgia Street, be named "Harbour
Pointe Road".
C. THAT the new public road, connecting the Cardero Street end
to the Nicola Street end, north of Georgia Street, be named
"Harbour Pointe Road".
D. THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to bring
forward the appropriate amendments to the Street Name By-
law.
CONSIDERATION
E. THAT Council's approved name "Stadium Boulevard" for the
road previously known as Pacific Boulevard North be
confirmed.
OR
F. THAT Stadium Boulevard be renamed "Expo Boulevard".
(Approval of F would require a two-thirds majority vote to
rescind Council's resolution of November 1, 1994.)
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of A through D, and submits
the choice between E or F for CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council uses the Street Name By-law, No. 4054, to name and regulate
public roads in the City of Vancouver. The Street Naming Committee is
a staff team comprising the City Surveyor, representatives of the
Permits & Licenses, Fire, Planning and Law Departments, chaired by the
City Clerk. The Committee is responsible for the management of a
consistent, integrated and duplication-free street name system.
PURPOSE
This report seeks Council's approval of the name for the Coal Harbour
Seawalk; recommends a name for two new public roads in the Coal
Harbour neighbourhood; and seeks Council's confirmation of the
previously approved renaming of Pacific Boulevard North as "Stadium
Boulevard".
I. Coal Harbour Seawalk
Discussion
A public walkway and cycle path will be constructed on top of the
shoreline protection in the Coal Harbour development, on land
dedicated to the City as city roadway.
The seawalk will be continuous from its connection to the Stanley Park
Seawalk at Denman Street easterly through both the Bayshore and the
Marathon developments to Canada Harbour Place at Burrard Street
(Appendix A). The seawalk is currently dedicated easterly to Jervis
Street. This is the first of several sections. As each section is
dedicated, the name will be extended and will stay the same
throughout. Any buildings fronting the seawalk will have addresses
and their main pedestrian and vehicular access on main roads and not
on the seawalk.
The name "Coal Harbour Seawalk" is proposed by the Street Naming
Committee for this walkway. This name is also supported by the
Bayshore and Marathon developers.
II. Harbour Pointe Road
Discussion
A name is required for two new public roads in the new Coal Harbour
community. One public road will connect Denman Street and Cardero
Street, north of Georgia Street. The other public road will connect
the Cardero Street end and the Nicola Street end, north of Georgia
Street (Appendix A). The name "Harbour Pointe Road" is recommended
for both of these new streets.
The Street Naming Committee has worked with the Marathon Realty in an
effort to find a mutually suitable name for the Cardero Street/Nicola
Street connection. The Committee recommends the name "Harbour Pointe
Road". The name is an apt identifier for the street, which will
provide one of the few points of vehicular access to the waterfront in
this area. The name is not duplicated in the Street Name Index.
Approximately ten residential towers, a park, a marina, some retail
locations and twelve townhouse units will be addressed on this street.
Michael Geller & Associates Ltd., the representative for the Bayshore
developer, has proposed the name "Bayshore Drive" for the Denman
Street/Cardero Street connection, as an appropriate name for the
road's waterfront setting. The developer feels the Bayshore Hotel
represents a significant component of Vancouver's history and deserves
to be recognized by a street name. The developer is also naming its
project "Bayshore" which in its view reinforces the appropriateness of
the proposed street name. Correspondence outlining the developer's
position is attached (Appendix B).
Currently, the Westin Bayshore Hotel is addressed as 1601 West Georgia
Street. This address will be changed as the project is developed and
the developer's representative feels it is likely the hotel will seek
an address on the new street. The name "Bayshore Drive" is,
therefore, an excellent choice from the hotel's perspective and the
hotel's management have submitted correspondence supporting this name
(Appendix C).
The Street Naming Committee does not support the name "Bayshore Drive"
for this new public street as it would establish a commercial
precedent for the use of street names. The Committee has previously
been approached by other developers wanting to use a corporate name or
commercial connotation for a street name. It is the Committee's
policy that such names not be considered. It is also Council's policy
that streets not be used for advertising purposes, and this policy has
been carefully weighed by Council in the past when approving street
banner programs.The neighbourhood name "Bayshore" is the developer's
representation for specific development in the context of a larger
neighbourhood for marketing purposes. When finished, the project will
be part of the overall Coal Harbour community, and significant effort
is aimed at making the area homogeneous.
Vehicular access to the Westin Bayshore Hotel is currently from
Cardero Street and will likely remain so. There is, therefore, the
rationale to provide the future address for the hotel on Cardero
Street.
Most importantly, the two new public roads are in close proximity and
can be considered a continuation. For ease in locating addresses in
this new area, the Street Naming Committee feels these two roads
should be given the same name, with appropriate directional signage
between them on Cardero Street.
Summary
The Street Naming Committee recommends the name "Harbour Pointe Road"
for the new public roads in the Coal Harbour community. The Committee
believes it important to uphold its policy not to have commercial
usage for street names. For directional and locational ease, the two
new roads can be considered a continuation and, therefore, one name
will serve both.
III. Stadium Boulevard
Background
Council, at its meeting on July 21, 1994, renamed Pacific Boulevard
South as "Pacific Boulevard". This name change was brought forward by
the Street Naming Committee to alleviate anomalous hundred-block
designations and address confusion resulting from the increasing
development on Pacific Boulevard and Pacific Boulevard South, which
were two separate names for one continuous street. Pacific Boulevard,
therefore, now extends from Homer Street to Quebec Street. Permits
and Licenses staff can now provide appropriate hundred-block and
address designations.
Council, at its meeting November 1, 1994, renamed Pacific Boulevard
North as Stadium Boulevard. This name change was brought forward by
the Street Naming Committee to simplify addressing designations and as
Pacific Boulevard North no longer has a southern corresponding street
name (Appendix D).
The Street Name By-law amendment for this name has not yet been
brought forward to Council.
Discussion
Concord Pacific Developments Corporation has raised concerns regarding
the new name. At Concord Pacific's request, the Street Naming
Committee agreed to reconsider this matter. Concord Pacific submitted
correspondence with alternate name suggestions (Appendices E and F).
Concord Pacific objects to the name "Stadium Boulevard" as it is
unsuitable for a future residential area and as the name may impact on
Concord Pacific's marketing and neighbourhood-building efforts.
While Concord Pacific will have development adjacent to Stadium
Boulevard, it is difficult to judge at this time how many new
addresses will be on Stadium Boulevard or on other streets.
Two major sports stadiums are also immediately adjacent to Stadium
Boulevard and occupy approximately half of the road's length. Also, a
portion of Stadium Boulevard lies underneath B.C. Place Stadium.
Correspondence has been received from the B.C. Pavilion Corporation
supporting the name "Stadium Boulevard" (Appendix G).
Northwest Entertainment Group has submitted correspondence objecting
to the name Stadium Boulevard and suggesting a number of alternatives
(Appendix H).
Summary
While the alternate name "Expo Boulevard" is acceptable as this road
is close to the site of the 1986 Exposition, staff support retention
of the previously approved name "Stadium Boulevard" due to the road's
proximity to two major stadiums. The Street Naming Committee does not
support the renaming of Stadium Boulevard and notes that many of the
suggested alternatives are highly commercial in nature. The matter is
submitted for Council's consideration.
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