ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: December 18, 1997

Author/Local: Lon LaClaire/6440

File No. 3654

CC File No. 5553

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services Director of Community Planning
SUBJECT:	Trans Canada Trail

RECOMMENDATION

A.THAT Council approve development of the Vancouver portion of the Trans Canada Trail in principle as outlined in this report.

B.THAT $15,000 be approved for the preliminary design and public consultation of the Trans Canada Trail, funded from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account 12/31/6903/999 (Bicycle Network).

COUNCIL POLICY

The Vancouver Comprehensive Bicycle Plan (1988) and the Clouds of Change Report (1990) established the City's policy of promoting and encouraging cycling as a transportation alternative.

On May 27, 1997, Council approved the Vancouver Transportation Plan which emphasizes the need to provide more comfortable cycling and walking environments in a network of Bikeways and Greenways.

PURPOSE

This report recommends that Vancouver commit in principle to the designation of the portion of the Trans Canada Trail that passes through the City of Vancouver in time for an official opening in June 2000 and seeks funds for preliminary design and public consultation.

BACKGROUND

The Trans Canada Trail Foundation, a nonprofit registered charitable organization, was founded during the 125th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, in 1992. The group’s goal is to connect Canada's three Oceans by a shared-use trail that would be off-road as much as possible. This trail would accommodate five core activities: walking, cycling, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling (where possible and desired). In urban areas, such as Vancouver, the trail would primarily accommodate pedestrians and cyclists.

The British Columbia portion of the Trans Canada Trail is being coordinated by Trails BC, a nonprofit society formed in 1994. The abandoned Kettle Valley Railway, recently acquired by the government of BC, will form the backbone of the trail through this province. As the trail winds through the Lower Mainland it will link up historic sites such as Fort Langley and Stanley Park. It is expected that the trail will pass through Matsqui Trail Regional Park, over the Albion Ferry to Maple Ridge, through Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Northern Burnaby, and Vancouver to the North Shore. Once on the North Shore, the trail will continue on to Horseshoe Bay, Nanaimo, and then south to the western terminus in Victoria via the Galloping Goose Trail. The map in Appendix A shows the general route across British Columbia and Canada.

DISCUSSION

The map in Appendix B shows the preferred routing through Vancouver as identified by staff from Trails BC in consultation with City staff. The general alignment follows existing or planned Bikeways or Greenways wherever possible: starting at the Burnaby boundary the route would cross the Trans Canada Highway near the Second Narrows Bridge and follow the CP Rail Tracks to Wall Street; along Wall Street to Lakewood, Victoria, or Woodland to connect to Adanac; along the Adanac Bikeway to Science World; along False Creek South to Granville Island; over the Burrard Street Bridge; along Sunset Beach and English Bay to Stanley Park; through Stanley Park to Coal Harbour and then along Coal Harbour to the SeaBus Terminal. Depending on the North Shore route alignment, the crossing of Burrard Inlet would be via either the SeaBus or the Lions Gate Bridge. If the selected route uses the right-of-way below the Second Narrows Bridge, then a crossing would need to be built over the CN Rail Tunnel Portal.

Subject to detailed review, this preliminary route appears feasible and is supported by the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of Community Planning. Park Board staff is also supportive of this route and will be reporting to the Park Board in a separate report regarding the Trans Canada Trail through Park areas.

The section of the proposed route along Wall Street is identified as a future Bikeway and Greenway and would require the same public consultation process as other Bikeways and Greenways. While no significant changes are expected where the route follows the existing Adanac and Seaside Bikeways, this project provides an opportunity to further enhance these existing routes. A Trans Canada Trail information pavilion is planned for Granville Island. Granville Island administration supports this location and will work with Trails BC to design and construct this pavilion.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The startup funds sought through this report will be used, in part, to examine funding strategies. At the minimum, existing Bikeways could be designated as the Trail with no new cost to the City. Should improvements be desired, there will be several opportunities for cost sharing. Trails BC has offered to pay up to 10% of the cost of the Trail (a higher percentage would be considered at specific sites). Additional cost sharing will be pursued through the Provincial Cycling Network Program and the Federal Infrastructure Works Program. Marketing and organizational support is being offered by Trails BC and the Trans Canada Trail Foundation. Additionally, this project has the potential to attract significant financial support from the private sector. Trails BC and City staff will work together to pursue this type of private sector participation. If additional City funding is required, this will be reported to Council with funding allocated from the Bikeways and Greenways Capital Budgets.

The recommended $15,000 in seed funds would be used for public consultation and technical analysis of the route details, and is to be funded from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account 12/31/6903/999 (Bicycle Network). This report seeks only approval in principle and enough funding to explore some options and develop an appropriate way to participate in the Trans Canada Trail Project, for report back to Council.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

If approved, the development of the route will proceed with full public consultation, similar to public processes for enhancements to the Bikeway and Greenway Networks. The goal is to complete the Trail in time for an official opening in Spring of the year 2000.

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(c) 1997 City of Vancouver