THE TALK OF THE TOWN

/

What Do We Have For You This Month?

Welcome to “The Talk of The Town” for September 2023. Scroll through the following features to find:

  • Our Lead Story: Eastbound traffic out of Stanley Park may be restored as the City contemplates changes to Beach Avenue, while keeping an eye on changing traffic patterns in the West End.

  • West End News & Notes: A report on the new ferry service from Coal Harbour to Nanaimo, it’s time to pick up your West End Community Centre Fall Recreation Guide and renew your membership, and more traffic tangles coming with a series of September events in and near Stanley Park.

  • Developing Stories: What’s up with the former White Spot and Chevron Station sites?

  • West End - Coal Harbour In The News: In case you missed anything, here’s a roundup of West End / Coal Harbour stories that made the news last month.

You can click any photo or graphic on this or any other page in The West End Journal to enlarge the image.

Our Lead Story

BEACH AVENUE TRAFFIC CHANGES
City Considers Re-Opening English Bay Exit From Stanley Park

Traffic in and out of Stanley Park has been the subject of growing controversy and concern. (Michael J Photo via Vlickr)

by Nate Lewis

This fall, vehicle traffic may be able to exit Stanley Park at Beach Avenue. 

City of Vancouver engineering staff are “considering trialing the reversal of the one-way flow” of vehicle traffic on Beach Avenue between Stanley Park and Denman Street, said a statement from Chris Darwent, the city’s manager of transportation design. 

“Should the trial go ahead, vehicles would be able to exit the park eastbound onto Beach Avenue,” Darwent said.

In April 2020, Beach Avenue was closed entirely to eastbound traffic between Park Lane and Hornby Street to accommodate a temporary bike lane and expanded walking areas along the waterfront. One year later the bike lane was upgraded and a lane for eastbound traffic was reinstated between Denman and Pacific Street. The stretch of road between Denman and Stanley Park remained open only for westbound vehicle traffic heading into the park.

This most recent reconfiguration would also mean that cars could no longer enter the park via Beach Ave. 

In December 2022, the newly elected Park Board voted to remove the temporary bike lane in Stanley Park and return Stanley Park Drive to its pre-pandemic configuration.

The re-opening of Beach Avenue to vehicle traffic exiting the Park has been kicked around internally for a while, belied by the Park Board’s official position that vehicle traffic in Stanley Park would be diverted onto Nelson, Barclay, and Robson once the bike lane was removed. 

The last area of the bike lane yet to be removed is Ceperley Meadow, which connects Stanley Park Drive to Beach Avenue, Park Lane, and main streets through the West End like Nelson, Barclay, and Robson. However, the Park Board’s jurisdiction ends where Park Lane and Beach Avenue meet, meaning it would take collaboration with the City to reopen the Beach Avenue exit and meaningfully return to the pre-2020 traffic pattern.

It seems that is exactly what’s taken place. The City says the change to traffic flow on Beach is based on feedback from the Park Board.

the current traffic configuration. (VANCOuVER PARK BOARD GRAPHIC)

The change had been rumoured since at least February, with senior City staff then saying they were considering multiple options for this section of Beach Avenue, including the reversal of one-way traffic or making it into a two-way road again. With each option trade-offs would need to be considered, they said at the time, particularly the impact to the Beach Avenue bike lane. 

In mid-August, a Park Board spokesperson said the work to remove the bike lane in Ceperley Meadow was “close to completion” but couldn’t share a specific timeline for when the new traffic configuration would be finished.

In July, City transportation staff installed a vehicle counter on Barclay between Guilford and Denman “to monitor traffic volume data in anticipation of any change to vehicle flow to, from, and within Stanley Park,” a City spokesperson said. 

There are seven other traffic counters, as well as three cameras, installed throughout the West End to record any changes in Stanley Park-related traffic.

In a city council meeting in July, ABC Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung asked staff if two-way access could be restored on Beach Avenue, in addition to a bike lane. 

“What I’m hearing is people are loving the opportunity for additional bikes but we also have a huge back up and people are saying ‘well this is working against climate because all these cars are backing up trying to go one way out of the park and [emitting greenhouse gases],” Kirby-Yung said. 

a traffic counter on Barclay between Denman and Guilford, one of eight traffic counters in the West End, as well as three cameras, related to any traffic flow changes that might happen in the park. (Kevin McKEOWN Photo)

City staff confirmed they have looked at various changes to the traffic configuration on Beach Avenue between Stanley Park and Denman and said changes could be “made temporarily and then transformed into the permanent [configuration] after the [West End Waterfront] Master Plan is adopted.”

A Park Board report on the vehicle traffic congestion in Stanley Park — as it relates to the temporary bike lane — did identify the closure of park exits onto Beach Avenue and into the West End as one of three conditions contributing to traffic in the park. 

However, City statistics show the Beach Avenue exit accounted for less than one third of total vehicle traffic exiting the park on summer weekends between 2017 and 2019. Furthermore, a Park Board report on options for removing the bike lane notes that “queues of exiting motor vehicle traffic were typical in Stanley Park” before the bike lane was installed.

“It is expected that queuing and delays in Stanley Park will continue during peak summer seasons for motorists exiting the Park,” staff concluded in the report.

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) said the traffic pattern change would not limit their operations or ability to respond to the apartments along Beach Avenue in the case of an emergency. 

“We try not to go the wrong way on one-way roads but sometimes we have to. We’ll do whatever we have to to get to the scene if it’s a one-way or maybe go around the block to get there. It might just hamper the response time by a minute but it would depend on where the call was. I’m sure we can work around it,” said VFRS’ On-duty Assistant Chief.  

With regard to Kirby-Yung’s hope of having two-way traffic and a bike path on Beach Ave, staff said they had considered putting a bike path back on the sidewalk next to the road, but “have some concerns with the volumes of cycling now, certainly with respect to the width of the path.”

Kirby-Yung did not respond to TWEJ’s request for comment. 

Residents who live nearby this section of Beach Ave can expect to receive a notification letter before the start of the trial, should it proceed, Darwent said.

West End News & Notes

ANCHORS AWAY ON A NEW FERRY SERVICE
The Details on the Coal Harbour to Nanaimo Run

by Jacqui Birchall
I was very excited to read about the new Hullo Ferry running from Canada Place to Nanaimo. How convenient for West Enders, I thought, as I remembered the long gone days of the Canadian Pacific Ferry that ran the same route, with a very famous bar.

With great excitement, I booked myself and a companion on the maiden voyage from Vancouver at 8 a.m. August 14. Unfortunately, it was not to be!

Shortly after 5 a.m. on August 14,  I received an email cancelling the sailing, and in fact, all sailings for August 14, citing a huge power outage in Nanaimo that affected the Hullo Ferry dock, and the wind warning for the Strait of Georgia. It was not a gale warning.

the new Hullo Ferry PLYING THE WATERS BETWEEN COAL HARBOUR AND NANAIMO. (PETEr MCCUE PHOTOS)

I rebooked for Friday, August 18 but the company suddenly halved their ferry schedule for the rest of August, cancelling the 8 a.m. sailing that I was booked on, so that a day trip to Nanaimo was no longer possible.

A week later I am still awaiting my refund for the cancellation of my sailings on August 18 and the $10 I was charged in cancellation fees for the August 14 sailings, even though Hullo cancelled and not me.

I was interested to read this: “Please note for mobility:  Boarding and disembarking the vessel requires mobility along a sloped gangway at the Nanaimo and Vancouver terminals. Assistance may be required. The Vancouver terminal’s gangway is steeply pitched and 150 feet long. Note also that Level 2 of the vessel is only accessible by internal stairs. Accessible washrooms are located for your convenience on Level 1.”

There is no rain cover on the Nanaimo and Vancouver gangways and a friend reports that the walk on and off the Hullo vessels in both Nanaimo and Vancouver is longer than the walk on and off the BC Ferries. There is no wheelchair access to business and premium seats on Level 2, and Hullo’s website notes that, “our vessel hosts a set of stairs that gives access to both Premium and Business sections. Due to the safety of all those on board, we welcome anyone with a disability who can confidently navigate the stairs without assistance to enjoy Premium and Business. In case of an emergency, it is imperative that our guests can move quickly off board.”

Hullo offers four locking wheelchair spots on each sailing. “These spots accommodate standard sized wheelchairs and the wheelchair passenger is required to move to a regular seat for safety purposes.”

Up the gangplank to Hullo Ferry and a crossing to Nanaimo.

There is limited space for bicycles and e-bikes are not allowed. In the future Hullo plans to provide a booking system for the few bike spaces, but it is not available at this time. Small folding walkers are allowed but oversized sporting equipment is not permitted. Dogs and cats under 10 kilos are allowed in pet carriers. Only carry on size luggage is allowed.

How about the prices? Hullo offers three levels of seating, called Comfort, Premium and Business. Senior rates are only offered at the Comfort level. At the time of writing, Comfort is $37.50, Premium $45 and Business $55 for an adult one way. Senior rate on Comfort is $17.50.

If you create an account with Hullo before booking you will get a discount on your first booking. Be sure to wait for the booking code that they will email you before booking your trip in order to receive the first booking discount. Some people have reported problems when creating an account, with the Hullo site not accepting their telephone numbers. Hopefully it is  a temporary glitch.

When booking, one is provided with a seat map and one may choose a seat for a $3 charge in Comfort (free at the other two levels).

A comparison between Hullo and BC Ferries prices and policies from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, shows that seniors ride free on BC Ferries Monday to Thursday, and adults are charged $19.50 one way. Bicycles, pets and luggage are not restricted on BC Ferries. For weekend crossings, Comfort class on Hullo is a better deal for seniors at this point.

Flying with Harbour Air from Vancouver to Nanaimo starts at $116 one way and takes 20 minutes.

For those who love to sit on an outer deck on BC Ferries boats, you should know there is no outside access on a Hullo Ferry. The interiors of the Hullo Ferries are very attractive, with wifi and charging ports. Some refreshments are offered in the Business section of Hullo, but nothing elsewhere.

A friend who crossed on Friday August 18 — during a wind warning for the Strait of Georgia — noted that it was bumpy. He had a setback when attempting to board as he had not downloaded the PDF tickets he had been sent and he had to run to a nearby Starbucks to seek wifi. When he finally boarded the Premium section another party was in the seats he had booked for his family. Don’t worry, just sit, sit anywhere, crew members instructed them — we need to leave!

My friend sent a video of his family seated in Premium, speeding through Vancouver’s inner harbour. It looked very posh!

I wish the Hullo and the Vancouver Island Ferry Company all the best in this new endeavour and hopefully the rockiness of their start will not continue. Hullo Ferries CEO Alastair Caddick has given several media interviews regarding the first week’s problems and the halved ferry schedule for all of August. He hopes the problems don’t continue, as this will affect passenger confidence. Passengers reported enjoying the new speedy and comfortable ferries.

Hullo has a very informative website here that is worth perusing.

The Fall 2023 WECCA Recreation Guide.

YOUR FALL RECREATION GUIDE
Registration & Membership
Renewal Underway

When: Available now.
Where: West End & Coal Harbour Community Centres & Gathering Places.
Cost: Free.
Details: The Fall Recreation Guide for the West End Community Centre Association (WECCA), which includes events and programs at the West End and Coal Harbour Community Centres and Barclay Manor, is now available at the centres and local coffee shops and select retailers. The full Guide is also available online here.

This is your friendly reminder that WECCA memberships expired August 31, as the association’s fiscal year starts on September 1 and goes until August 31. Renewing your membership (or signing up for the first time) means that you want to make a difference in the West End. As a WECCA member you can play an important role in helping to determine the vision, direction, and priorities of the West End community services.

Our urban community centres provide vital recreational, educational, social, and cultural opportunities through programming that is made possible by the active participation and commitment of members and volunteers. Whether you choose only to use your membership once a year to vote for Board members at the annual general meeting, to contribute by volunteering at one of our centres, or to sit on a program development committee, your grassroots contribution to WECCA ensures the community’s relevance in determining the needs and supporting the aspirations of residents of the West End and Coal Harbour. 

Renew your membership, or join for the first time, in person at the West End or Coal Harbour Community Centres, or online here.

The annual Vancouver Triathlon on September 4 kicks off a series of major events in and around Stanley Park.

MAJOR EVENTS TO IMPACT TRAFFIC

This month Stanley Park will play host to a series of large-scale events that will result in traffic impacts throughout the park. Congestion is expected, particularly at park exits and entrances.

In anticipation of this, the City is asking park visitors to “consider leaving their vehicles at home, or parking outside of the park,” the latter which will further contribute to ongoing parking issues in the West End. The City recommends “alternative modes of transportation, such as public transit, walking, biking and rolling, will be the most efficient ways to get to and around the park during these special events” and further states that “by reducing non-essential vehicle travel, we hope to ensure people with disabilities and accessibility needs can and are able to access the park.”

Communications from the City further note that:

  • Select roads and parking lots will be temporarily closed.

  • Expect congestion at the entry to Stanley Park from Georgia Street and the exit from North Lagoon Drive, as traffic merges with Lions Gate Bridge traffic.

  • Signage will be in place to indicate diversions.

The upcoming events include:

The Vancouver Triathlon on Monday, September 4 from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. All roads in Stanley Park closed. The seawall will remain open throughout the event.

GranFondo on Saturday, September 9 from 4 to 8:30 a.m. Partial closure, Stanley Park Drive, east of Avison Way from 5:30 to 8:30 a.m. Full closure, Avison Way, Pipeline Road and Stanley Park Drive and full closure, northbound Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge. Single lane, southbound Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge. At 8:30 a.m. all roads in Stanley Park and Lions Gate Bridge will reopen to vehicle traffic.

Battle of Britain Memorial Ceremony on Sunday, September 10 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Full closure of Rose Garden Lane.

The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival will bring crowds and traffic to the West End September 11 and 19.

The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival on Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16. The Totem Pole parking lot will be closed to the public, for use as a production area. Tour bus and accessible parking will be available on Stanley Park Drive on both days. The Upper Cricket parking lot will be reserved for festival attendees and will feature a designated area for ride-share drop-offs, pick-ups, and an accessible entrance. The Lower Avison Parking lot will be closed to the public, for use as crew parking.

For those cycling to the park, please be aware of recent and upcoming traffic pattern changes, as Park Board crews continue to work on a new configuration in the Ceperley Meadow area. They ask cyclists to please exercise caution, be mindful of other lane users, and observe all signage in the area.

“For those walking or riding through trails in park, be aware that some areas may be temporarily closed. This is to allow the Urban Forestry team to remove a number of dead trees affected by the ongoing hemlock looper moth infestation.

For your own safety and that of the crews, respect all trail closures and give staff plenty of space to work,” the Park Board asks.

Developing Stories

THE 1600 WEST GEORGIA
Former Site of White Spot & Chevron Station

by Jake McGrail
(click images to enlarge)

Anthem Properties plan for the former Chevron Station site at 1698 West Georgia.

The 1600 block of West Georgia Street remains a bit of a question mark in terms of property development, with the promised massive condo towers still not having a clear timeline for opening.

The lot at 1698 West Georgia has been vacant for years, since the Chevron gas station that used to occupy the site was torn down following the $72 million purchase of the property back in 2017.

That site, which is currently being excavated in preparation for construction, is now called the “Park” project by its developer Anthem Properties and promises to become a 33-story tower containing 127 units of housing. While these homes vary in terms of their size they’re all set to be strata with no rental options. There will also be a six-level underground parking lot able to fit over 200 vehicles.

The original rezoning application was submitted in 2019. The plan, a collaboration between Anthem Properties and American architectural firm Kohn Pederson Fox, was approved by Vancouver City Council in 2021.

Behind the fencing at the Anthem Properties project at 1698 West Georgia.

Of particular note to West End residents is the status of the project’s community amenity contributions, or CACs. CACs are cash bonuses paid by developers to the city which fund different community projects. These fees have caused issues in the past – in 2018 a rezoning plan for a lot across the street from 1698 West Georgia was pulled by its developer due to disagreements over CACs and other fees.

When it comes to the Park project, Anthem Properties is required to pay the city just over $21 million in CACs. Sixty per cent of that was paid upfront, as is customary, but Anthem requested in June of this year that the payment of the other 40 per cent be delayed until the second phase of building, rather than the first, which is typical. The company cited challenges stemming from changes in interest rates and construction costs, and the city agreed to a deferral of this $10.4 million payment. The city has said they still expect to be paid in full in the coming months.

It's currently unknown when exactly the tower will be finished and the homes put up for sale, and the developers weren’t able to provide a specific timeline. There is a website for the Park project where people can put their names in to register for priority access to the development once it’s completed.

Two towers planned for the former White SPOT location on West Georgia.

Meanwhile, the lot adjacent to the Park project site is also waiting on new developments to take shape. 1608 West Georgia St. is the site of the old White Spot restaurant, and the land was purchased in 2017 by Chinese-based company Carnival International Holdings for $245 million in one of the biggest real estate sales in Vancouver’s history.

While construction of two 38-story towers, providing 455 housing units, has been promised, the lot is currently set up as a dog park (albeit one without grass or many amenities). The project’s design firm Pelli Clarke & Partners lists 2024 as the scheduled completion year for the project but doesn’t provide more details than that.  

The West End - Coal Harbour In The News