ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: April 28, 1998

Author/Local:P.Rutgers/257-8463

CC File No. 5767

TO:	Vancouver City Council Vancouver Park Board
FROM:	General Manager of Parks and Recreation, in consultation with the General Manager of Engineering Services and the General Manager of Community Services
SUBJECT:	Granville Loops Park/Open Space

RECOMMENDATION

THAT the conceptual design for the East Granville Bridge loop bounded by 4th Avenue and Granville Street, the new 5th Avenue and Fir, as illustrated in Diagram I be approved.

COUNCIL/BOARD POLICY

Both City Council and the Board adopted a greenways and open space plan for the Burrard Slopes area in 1994. In 1997 the City Council and the Board endorsed the creation of one expanded open space at the east Granville Bridge loop, in connection with the redevelopment of the Pacific Press site, with which privately owned land adjacent to the existing loop is transferred to the City.

BACKGROUND

Burrard Slopes Policies

The Granville Bridge Loops were identified as important public open space in the Burrard Slopes policy documents including the adopted Greenway and Open Space Opportunities policy, which includes a strategy to improve the usability of the loops.

As part of the redevelopment of the Pacific Press site by Bosa Corporation, Bosa will sell to the City Lot No. 2 as shown on Diagram 2 and proceeds of this sale will be used for the development of the public open space as illustrated on Diagram 1.

DISCUSSION

The attached plan has been prepared by Perry & Associates Landscape Architects, based on input received at public workshops, a session with the Urban Design Panel and meetings with City staff. The Park design was developed in the context of the Burrard Slopes Policy plan and some initial design has been undertaken for the west loop. The latter is illustrated on Diagram No. 3, but approval is sought only for the design concept on the expanded east loop as illustrated on Diagram 1.

The park/public open space design responds to existing functions and future demands. The design improves existing paths to and from False Creek and Granville Island. It also provides a connection to a mid block pedestrian connector,, which will be centrally located in the north and south blocks of the Pacific Press site development.

The open space also has a number of bus stops in the vicinity and includes a pedestrian tunnel connection between the east and west loops. This tunnel needs to be realigned slightly from its existing location. The tunnel is heavily used by transit users transferring between various buses. An extensive ramping system is incorporated in the park to enable access for the physically challenged to and from the tunnel.

Subsequent to the design being generated staff have been approached by representatives from B.C. Transit who would like to install a Rapid Bus stop on the western edge of the open space along Granville Street. This may lead to some minor modifications to the edge of the open space, but presently Transit is still considering alternative options for the Rapid Bus. Should the final choice be the edge of the open space, staff are convinced that this can be accommodated without significantly altering the quality and use of the open space.

To accommodate needs of new residents, the open space includes some passive areas as well as a children’s playground and 2 tennis courts. The accommodation of the tennis courts and the location of the children’s playground in the heart of the park have been made in response to traffic noise around the site. A water feature in the southwest corner is designed to provide some noise mitigation in that portion of the park.

The park/public open space design will be undertaken by Kim Perry and Associates and under the proposed agreement with Bosa Corporation, the General Manager of Parks and Recreation will sign off on all the design details. The park/public open space design and development will cost approximately $1.22 million and agreements will be signed to provide for the realization of this project. This is also discussed in the companion report "Spending the Pacific Press site Development Cost Levy (DCL) Funds".

Only the "horn" of the green space (see Diagram 3) will be designated as park, the balance will remain designated as public open space and held in the Property Endowment Fund.

Note: ELECTRONIC COPIES OF DIAGRAMS 1-3 NOT AVAILABLE. FULL COPIES OF REPORT ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver