ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: July 24, 1996
Dept. File No. 4102-1
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Street Car Display Site
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council approve the display site and building for Interurban
Car 1207 to be located on a portion of unopened street at the south
west corner of Second Avenue and Anderson Street as shown on Figure
1.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council has established transportation priorities which emphasize
encouraging transit.
Council supports preserving and promoting street car heritage.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to seek final Council approval for the
specific siting of the Interurban display building within the previously
approved site. Details of the Car lease are the subject of a separate
report to Council In Camera on this same day.
BACKGROUND
On March 14, 1996, Council approved moving Interurban Car 1207 to a
portion of unopened street at the south west corner of Second Avenue and
Anderson Street. This site is on the alignment of the recently
purchased rail corridor and will allow the car to operate on the
existing tracks as a demonstration. Operation is expected next year
after sufficient private fund raising. The entrance to Granville Island
provides an opportunity for viewing by residents and visitors to the
Island (approximately eight million a year).
DISCUSSION
It is proposed to temporarily display Interurban Car on the existing
rail alignment near the entrance to Granville Island. The Street Car
lease is for five years, six months; therefore the site and buildings
would be temporary. When the overall street car system becomes
operational, the building could be relocated.
Display Site
The proposed site is south of Second Avenue and immediately west of
Anderson Street (see Figure 1). South of the site is a parking lot and
access to several small retail shops. West of the site is the Second
Avenue Starbucks site. The north side of the site is bounded by Second
Avenue with residential to the north. The east end of the site has
several Granville Bridge columns.
To protect the street car from vandalism and the weather, a Street Car
storage building is required. The building is 6m x 18m x 5.5m high
(20ft x 60ft x 18ft high). The site configuration will allow two layout
options: one with the building at the east end of the site with a
display plaza at the west end of the site, and the other with the
building at the west end and a display plaza at the east end (see Figure
1 and 2.)
Neighbourhood Comments
An open house was held in the neighbourhood on July 16, 1996, to hear
comments from merchants, residents and property owners. The open house
was attended by adjacent residents, representatives of the retail units
south of Starbucks, representatives of Starbucks and the owner of the
Starbucks site.
Concerns were raised by residents for the expected increase in activity
in an area which is already felt to be congested. Concerns were also
raised over the City spending money on such a project. Representative
of the retail units to the south did not support either option because
on concerns with blocking visibility of the businesses. Starbucks and
their landlord prefer the building at the east end of the site as this
preserves some visibility to their site and the retail behind Starbucks,
does not block light to their site and provides a separation of the
building.
The intersection of Second and Anderson is certainly congested as people
make their way to Granville Island. The Street Car display is not
expected to add to this but rather give something additional for people
to look at on their way to the Island. In the longer term, an operating
Street Car system will ease this situation as visitors to the Island
will have an alternative to driving their car.
Funding for the Street Car display will be from private sponsors and
donations. The day to day activity will be conducted with volunteers
from a non-profit heritage preservation society and is not expected to
cost the City money.
It is recommended that the building be located at the east end of the
site as shown in Figure 1.
Display Building
Several quotes were provided from different suppliers for a street car
building. It is proposed to house the Interurban Car in a prefabricated
metal building supplied by Macloc Buildings Inc. at an approximate cost
of $25,000. This will protect the Car from the weather and from
possible vandalism. Foundations, electrical power and lighting services
will add another $10,000 to the building cost. Funding for this work is
previously approved and will also be from private sponsors.
Although the 6m x 18 m building will be fairly basic, it will be made
attractive through the use of prepainted metal siding in a light blue
colour, with a shallow gable roof. Two personnel doors and the Car door
will be accentuated in grey. The building is large enough for
convenient viewing by the public, and will also allow further
restoration and maintenance work. It will be possible to move the Car
out of the building for general exhibition on sunny days.
Metal building construction can be classified as permanent; however,
this type of bolted building assembly will readily permit future
dismantling and reinstallation for use by Engineering Services elsewhere
if needed. Although the Building Permit process does not apply to
projects on streets, the building will conform to all requirements of
the City Building By-law.
CONCLUSION
Locating the building at the east end of the site will minimize impacts
on adjacent neighbours and will allow the car to be displayed to the
public. With approximately eight million visitors to Granville Island
each year, this location will provide an excellent opportunity for the
City to display some of its heritage.
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