Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the Medical Health Officer

SUBJECT:

Vancouver Indy

 

INFORMATION

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Staff is authorized to work out the details of implementing a special event with the event organizer, through the FEST Committee process, after Council approves the event.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to review last year's Vancouver Indy operation, as 1998 was the first year on the new track alignment. This report also includes ways for the event organizer to address noise impacts on the CityGate complex, which will be required as conditions of the FEST Committee approval of the 1999 race.

BACKGROUND

On April 11, 1995 City Council approved an extension of the Vancouver Molson Indy race to, and including 2001.
On March 13, 1997 City Council approved the following recommendations of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment:

A. THAT Council approve a modification to the Vancouver Indy race circuit to include Quebec Street, First Avenue and the necessary City lands on the south shore of False Creek as generally shown in Figure 3 (not included in this report); with details to be approved by staff under the FEST Committee review process (See Figure 1 of this report).

B. THAT Council direct staff to modify the Agreement with Grand Prix Management Inc to facilitate the modified track as described in the Administrative Report dated March 6, 1997, all to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal Services and City Manager.

C. THAT mitigation measures be worked out to the satisfaction of the FEST Committee.

D. THAT staff be instructed to discuss with Vancouver Indy opportunities to provide improvements for year round enjoyment such as trees along the median of Quebec Street, green space and playgrounds on the Southeast Shore lands, or other amenities of value for the nearby neighbourhoods.

E. THAT the Indy race track not be incorporated into the Southeast False Creek sustainable development.

F. THAT a bond be posted to deal with CityGate liability issues to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal Services and General Manager of Engineering Services.

In 1998, the Agreement with Grand Prix Management Inc (now Molstar) was modified (Recommendation B) and a letter of credit was posted to ensure any insurance claims were addressed in a timely way thus dealing with any CityGate liability issues (Recommendation F).

Through the FEST Committee process, traffic, security, health, liquor, medical and other issues were addressed (Recommendation C). The matter of a legacy (Recommendation D), supported by a letter of credit, is expected to be dealt with this Spring and will be the subject of a future report to Council.

DISCUSSION

The Indy race event impacts the general public in many different ways. Organization of the event is key to mitigating these impacts. In this regard, the two major impacts are traffic (largely confined to vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle detours and increased congestion) and noise. The aim is to minimize these.

There are those who also benefit from the race, including those who, for example, work in the service industry (hotels, restaurants, etc), those who construct the race facilities and those who work at the site during race weekend.

The race also has a significant impact on the local economy. It is estimated the race adds in the order of $26 million to the local and provincial economy every year.

Traffic Impacts - Comparison of 1998 race with previous years

Traffic impacts were significantly less than in previous years because the Cambie Bridge was not closed in the northbound direction. As a result, congestion on Granville and Broadway did not materialize as it had in previous years. Congestion on Main Street was about the same as in previous years or slightly less while congestion on 2nd Ave (eastbound) at Main and at Terminal (westbound) at Main was somewhat higher.

Previous congestion points such as Terry Fox Plaza and adjacent streets and pedestrian crowds along Beatty largely disappeared while local event vehicle and pedestrian traffic increased along First and Second Avenues between Main and Cambie ( the main gate to the race site is on First Avenue).

Pedestrian, in-line skating and bicycle connections between Science World and 1st Avenue through City lands were disrupted somewhat during construction of the track. However, once the track work was completed a much superior road surface was available for use. In fact, in-line skaters provided very positive feedback to the better and more expansive surface, especially when they had access to all of the track surface throughout the City lands on the south shore of the Creek.

During race weekend, pedestrians, skaters and cyclists were detoured around the site. The magnitude of the detour was significantly less disruptive than in previous years as the Cambie Bridge remained open where previously it was closed. This rescinded the need, during race days, for all pedestrians and most cyclists to be shuttled over or around the Cambie Bridge via mini vans or small buses.

Noise Impacts

For the 1998 race, the residents and businesses adjacent the race site were provided with foam ear protection. The City delivered 1400 units to CityGate. In addition, any resident who requested, was provided with ear muff protection. Fifty residents requested this more superior noise protection.

A comprehensive noise monitoring survey was performed before and during the race weekend. A copy of the Noise Monitoring Report prepared by Nick Losito of the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board was forwarded to Council on October 15, 1998.

The report is technical and provides a good comparison of noise levels before the race and during race weekend, within the race site, immediately adjacent the race site (CityGate), and sites somewhat further away (eg Cambie Bridge). A significant number of the readings were taken throughout the CityGate complex including on balconies, inside rooms (including bedrooms) with windows opened and closed.

The report concluded that while racing was underway, without hearing protection, many CityGate residents experienced a considerably impaired living environment, especially those with a Quebec Street frontage.

The Vancouver-Richmond Health Board were requested by staff and the event organizer to provide guidance on how best to reasonably address the impacts of the race noise. The Health Board responded by providing a set of Principles which, if translated into specific actions, would address the major concerns created by the race noise. These Principles are contained in Appendix A.

Community Discussions

A post-race meeting was held in October with the committee representing the CityGate residents to discuss the effectiveness of the security and traffic arrangements that were provided. Overall, the arrangements were felt to be adequate. A number of improvements were identified that will be made for the 1999 race in the areas of security, traffic control, race site construction and removal including:

· better signing and police control of the Main and Terminal intersection, particularly the north to west left turn bay,
· better control of event golf carts on City streets,
· minimizing construction noise, particularly large trucks which are required to "beep" when moving in reverse,
· improved security immediately after the race,
· improved signing and access Quebec Street to Creekside Park,
· improved traffic control on the Monday after the race.

The event organizer has also continued to maintain contact with the other businesses on the west side of Main Street between Terminal and First Avenue and along First Avenue. These businesses remain supportive of the event although those along Main Street have requested consideration of improved access off of Main Street from the south (a median prohibits northbound turns) both during the event and on a permanent basis. Staff will be reviewing this. Along First Avenue, improved signing for local vehicle access, improved signing to local parking and better pedestrian control into this parking is required.

The major community issue focussed on noise at CityGate and a second meeting was held with the CityGate Committee on February 8. The event organizer developed a set of actions to address the noise impacts in a way that addressed the principles provided by the Richmond Vancouver Health Board. See Appendix B. These were tabled, with little discussion, for consideration by the Committee and are as follows:

Vancouver-Richmond Health Board Principles

A mitigation plan should strive to address the impacts on the more vulnerable populations including young children, shift workers and those with health conditions that might be exacerbated by exposure to high noise levels. The objective is to relocate the "vulnerable receiver" away from the source of the noise.

Indy should continue to provide hearing protection to CityGate residents, with improvements to the distribution of the ear plugs and ear muffs.

Proposed Actions by Molson Indy

1 In 1998, on the Friday race day, Molson Indy took the children who attend the CityGate daycare on a field trip to the Game Farm in Aldergrove. In 1999, Molson Indy proposes to take all interested CityGate children on a field trip on the Friday. See also Action Item #10 below.

2 Shift workers who live at CityGate will be provided a hotel day room.

3 Any CityGate resident who has a serious health issue will be provided a hotel day room. The Medical Health Officer has agreed to assist in making a final determination on who qualifies.

4 Any CityGate resident operating a home-based business will be provided with temporary office space in the downtown on the Friday race day. Space would include telephone, desk and chair, and power outlet for a computer.

5 Ear plugs and ear muffs will again be made available to all CityGate residents. Ear plugs will be delivered to each tower and ear muffs can be collected from and returned to the Molson Indy Office at BC Place Stadium.

In addition, Molson Indy has committed to:

6 Ensuring there is no noise from the track or public address system before 8:00 am, no music in the Creekside beer gardens (adjacent Science World) before 10:00 am and generally, all music and announcements will be off at the end of each race day, generally about 6:00 pm.

7 Providing free, a choice of either Friday or Saturday general admission tickets to CityGate residents and neighbourhood businesses and offering them the corporate discount rate on any other tickets.

8 Providing a weekend Barbeque for CityGate residents (more than 1100 people watched the race from the CityGate balconies) and track tours on the Monday prior to the race.

9 Providing two neighbourhood newsletters detailing race weekend activities and other important information.

Comments of the Medical Health Officer:

"The actions proposed by Molson Indy to help mitigate noise impacts on CityGate residents are in substantial agreement with the principles laid out in Appendix A. The one area of improvement the Medical Health Officer would like to see is the modification of Action item #1, to include arrangements to take all interested CityGate children off-site for the Saturday and Sunday as well.

The Medical Health Officer will assist in making the final determination on whether a resident qualifies under item #3 with a pre-existing medical condition. Residents applying under this provision would be required to submit a letter from their physician indicating that their condition might be worsened by exposure to Indy noise. It is recommended that any documentation fee charged by the physician be reimbursed by Molson Indy.

Finally, the Environmental Health Program does not intend on mounting a comprehensive noise monitoring program for the 1999 race. Spot checks of noise levels may be carried out by environmental health officers who also carry out on-site food safety inspections."

Response by Molson Indy to the Medical Health Officer's comments:

In response to this above request of the Medical Health Officer, Molson Indy has indicated:

10. Molson Indy will provide tickets to the PNE for all interested children at CityGate (and up to 2 adults per child) for the Saturday and the Sunday of race weekend.

Legacy

The Agreement between the City and Molstar Inc., the race sponsor, provides for a legacy. City Council will, in consultation with Molstar, determine the cost, location and timing of construction of the legacy.

City and Park Board staff will be reporting back to Council in the Spring on this matter.

The CityGate committee has been requested to forward to staff any ideas they have on a suitable legacy.

1999 RACE

CART, the governing race body had a number of concerns with the race venue. There was a specific request to change the track geometry to provide more passing opportunities, and improve access to and exiting from the pit and pit straightaway. Modifications have been identified to the satisfaction of CART. See Figure 1 for a plan showing the changes to the 1998 race circuit.

Quebec Street between Terminal and First Avenues will not be available for north bound vehicles. The various businesses on the west side of Main between Terminal and First Ave were advised of this change and, as mentioned above, have requested the City consider providing direct access off of Main for northbound vehicles. This is currently under review.

This alignment change may make it possible (subject to detailed design) to provide a more direct and improved bicycle, pedestrian and northbound vehicle link on Quebec Street between Terminal Avenue and Union Street.

These changes will also mean race spectators and the general public who use the Main Street SkyTrain Station to reach the main race site entrance on First Avenue will be routed via Main Street.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the Vancouver Indy race has less transit, bicycle and general purpose vehicle impacts on the City than previous races, mainly because the Cambie Bridge is not closed in the northbound direction.

The relocation of the race to Quebec Street has increased the noise impacts, as some residents, namely at CityGate, are now closer to the track. The Vancouver-Richmond Health Board have provided a set of principles from which the Indy organizer has developed a plan to address the impacts of the noise on the more vulnerable residents of the complex. This plan, coupled with the continued availability of ear plugs and ear muffs for the other residents of the complex would seem to reasonably address the noise issue and will be requirements of the FEST Committee to the approval of the details of the race.

A number of changes to the traffic and security plans have been identified to further reduce the impact the race has on the general public and the CityGate residents. The CityGate residents committee has been provided a copy of this report and will provide comments directly to Council.

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS DOCUMENT THAT DO NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC COPY ARE AVAILABLE ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE

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