SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 4
P&E COMMITTEE AGENDA
OCTOBER 24, 1996
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: September 24, 1996
Dept. File No. 3153
TO: Standing Committee on Planning & Environment
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
Associate Director of Community Planning
SUBJECT: Development of the Prince Albert Neighbourhood Greenway
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the development of a Neighbourhood
Greenway on Prince Albert Street between 14th Avenue and the
lane south of 14th Avenue and that funding of $50,000 be
allocated from the Streets Basic Capital Unallocated Account
No. 12/31/6801/999 for this proposal.
B. THAT Council approve the conversion of 14th Avenue from a
two-way street to a one-way westbound street between Prince
Albert and Fraser Streets, and that funding of $14,000 be
allocated from the Streets Basic Capital Unallocated Account
No. 12/31/6801/999 for this.
COUNCIL POLICY
On July 18, 1995, Council approved the Vancouver Greenways Plan which
includes the development of Neighbourhood Greenways throughout the City.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for the funding
and construction of the Prince Albert Neighbourhood Greenway, and to
seek Council approval for the conversion of 14th Avenue from a two-way
street to a one-way westbound street between Prince Albert and Fraser
Streets.
BACKGROUND
In June, 1995, a resident of 14th Avenue near Prince Albert Street
approached City staff with a proposal to create a Neighbourhood Greenway
on Prince Albert Street between the lane north of 14th Avenue and 15th
Avenue. A street party/open house was held at Prince Albert Street and
14th Avenue on August 26, 1995 to make local residents aware of this
proposal and to determine the amount of local support for it. Following
this, interested local residents formed the Prince Albert Greenway
Committee to work with City staff in creating a conceptual design for
this Greenway. After further review of this proposal by staff and the
resident s committee, it was determined that the best location for this
Greenway would be between 14th Avenue and the lane south of 14th Avenue.
DISCUSSION
Development of the Prince Albert Neighbourhood Greenway will beautify
this area, provide a safe place for children to play, and create a local
community gathering place.
1) Design
The design of this Greenway involves the closure of Prince Albert Street
to vehicles between 14th Avenue and the lane to the south. It was the
intention of the Prince Albert Greenway Committee to extend the concept
of the garden into the street. In order to make this passage safe, they
sought to transform the street from a barren strip of asphalt into a
strolling path for pedestrians and cyclists. The proposed design
provides people in the neighbourhood with places to sit, take in the
view and play, as well as with opportunities to cultivate the soil.
Safety has been addressed by creating good sightlines and through the
addition of two pedestrian level lights. 14th Avenue between Prince
Albert and Fraser Streets is incorporated into this Greenway proposal
because it is the street which most directly links this Neighbourhood
Greenway to Robson Park. Transforming this two-way street into a
one-way westbound street will help to provide a greater separation of
pedestrians and cyclists from the automobile traffic on this narrow
street.
For a more detailed description of the design, please refer to the plan
shown in Appendix A.
2) Public Process
The conceptual plan was developed in collaboration with the residents
adjacent to the proposed Greenway and the Prince Albert Greenway
Committee. With their approval, the conceptual design was presented at
a Public Open House on July 2, 1996, at Grace Memorial United Church.
Following this, a survey describing the proposal was mailed to all
residents between Fraser Street and Glen Drive, and between 12th and
17th Avenues. Of the 480 surveys sent, 133 (28%) were returned. The
results of this survey indicated that 80% of the respondents are in
favour of the proposed Neighbourhood Greenway, and that 76% of the
respondents are in favour of converting 14th Avenue between Prince
Albert and Fraser Streets into a one-way westbound street. Comments
received from this survey are attached in Appendix B. A package
containing a letter and 17 surveys rejecting these proposals was
received on July 25, 1996. Of these respondents, only one survey was
counted in our results, and the other 16 were not because they came from
individuals who do not live in the above noted survey area.
3) Community Involvement
The local community has taken a very active role in the development of
this Neighbourhood Greenway. They organized a street party/open house
on August 26, 1996 to promote this project, and formed the Prince Albert
Greenway Committee to work with City staff in creating the conceptual
design for it. In addition, they have spent a great amount of time
going door-to-door in their effort to communicate the benefits of this
project to the larger community. As the development of the Prince
Albert Neighbourhood Greenway proceeds, the local community's continuing
participation will be encouraged through neighbourhood planting and
maintenance events, and involvement in the Public Art Program to create
a representative art piece for this area.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
Building the Prince Albert Neighbourhood Greenway will provide many
environmental benefits. It will reduce storm water runoff into the
sewer system and conserve water by incorporating rain barrels (attached
to the neighbouring church) to water the plants, and by creating a
permeable surface where currently there is an asphalt strip.
SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The Prince Albert Neighbourhood Greenway will provide the local
community with many social benefits. It will help to reduce the short
cutting traffic using Prince Albert Street to get from 12th Avenue to
Kingsway. It will also create a more appealing landscape for local
residents, provide a safe place for children to play, and create a local
community gathering place. This Neighbourhood Greenway will also
promote community building through specific community-oriented projects
such as neighbourhood planting events, landscape maintenance events, and
public art collaborations.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The cost to construct this Neighbourhood Greenway is estimated to be
$50,000. Funding for this proposal is available in the Streets Basic
Capital Unallocated Account No. 12/31/6801/999.
The cost to convert 14th Avenue between Prince Albert and Fraser Streets
into a one-way westbound street is estimated to be $14,000. Funding for
this is available in the Streets Basic Capital Unallocated Account No.
12/31/6801/999.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Construction by Street Operations crews can begin in late October or
early November, with neighbourhood planting events occuring once the
project is substantially complete.
CONCLUSIONS
The local community strongly supports the development of the Prince
Albert Neighbourhood Greenway and the conversion of 14th Avenue into a
one-way westbound street between Prince Albert and Fraser Streets. This
project will beautify this area, provide a safe place for children to
play, and create a local community gathering place. With Council's
approval construction on this project can begin in late October or early
November.
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