ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: September 25, 1995
Dept. File No.576 265
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Skeena/Cambridge Property
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the City decline the Provincial Government's offer to
transfer to the City the ownership and maintenance of the land
bounded by the Trans Canada Highway, Cambridge and Fellowes
Streets, subject to retaining public access to the Skeena Tunnel.
COUNCIL POLICY
There is no Council policy affecting this matter.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to obtain Council's direction regarding
acceptance of a 6-acre parcel adjacent to the Cassiar Connector, which
the Province wishes to turn over to the City for park purposes.
BACKGROUND
Following the construction of the Cassiar Connector in 1993, staff
have been negotiating an agreement with the Ministry of Transportation
& Highways for the maintenance of the connecting roadways and adjacent
lands.
The only outstanding issue is the ownership of the triangular-shaped
parcel of land between the Cassiar Connector and Fellowes Street,
north of Cambridge Street (see Appendix A). The Province is the
current owner of this site, which is approximately 6 acres in size and
consists of a small flat area and a large steep bank, all presently
covered in grass, and containing a section of newly planted Rotary
Forest. The site is outside of the fenced highway, and the Province
is willing to give it to the City of Vancouver, with a reverter clause
should the land use change from parkland.
DISCUSSION
Although much of this land has been subdivided, most of it was
previously undeveloped. The grass slopes have excellent views of the
harbour and the mountains, but are generally too steep for normal RS-1
development. There is a relatively small flat area at the south end
of the site on which development would be physically possible.
However, the Province's offer to turn the land over to the City is
subject to a reverter clause, whereby the site would revert back to
the Province, should the City wish to use it for other than park
purposes.
The Province's offer was considered by the Park Board on April 24,
1995. The staff report indicated that the annual cost of maintaining
the site would be approximately $18,000. Of this amount, about $7,600
would be allocated to the newly planted Rotary Forest on the slopes,
which would need extensive maintenance for the next two years to
ensure its survival. Thereafter, an annual budget of $10,400 is
required for litter removal, periodic grass-cutting and clearing of
drainage channels, with slightly more intense maintenance in the flat
area of the park and around walkways and fences.
The Park Board deferred the matter until a meeting could be arranged
with the Provincial Government and the local community associations.
At the subsequent public meeting on May 16, 1995, the local residents
expressed an expectation of a higher level of maintenance, which is
estimated to cost $36,000 for each of the first two years and $28,000
annually thereafter.
On June 19, 1995, the Park Board considered a staff report that
recommended acceptance of the Provincial Government's offer to turn
the land over to the City, subject to an $18,000 increase in the Park
Board's operating budget to cover annual maintenance costs. However,
the Board also received letters from the Hastings Community
Association and the Vancouver Heights Citizen's Committee objecting to
the City accepting responsibility for the maintenance of this property
(copies attached). Accordingly, the Board passed a resolution
(unanimously) "That this item be deferred indefinitely."
If the City does not accept the Provincial Government's offer, the
proposed maintenance agreement provides that the existing street
access to the Skeena Tunnel will continue to be retained along Skeena
Street (see Appendix A).
CONCLUSION
The land which the Province is offering cannot be used by the City for
other than park purposes. The annual cost of maintaining this land in
an area which has ample park land now is quite high. The two local
community associations both object to the City accepting this
maintenance cost. The Park Board did not express interest in
acquiring and maintaining this land. Therefore, it is recommended
that the Ministry of Transportation & Highways be advised that the
City declines their offer of this land.
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