A CLOSER LOOK
/MAJOR PROJECTS UPDATE
Nelson Park Sub-Station & Coal Harbour School
Future Lord Roberts Annex including new play field at Nelson Park. (BC Hydro rendering)
by John Streit
(click images to enlarge)
THE NELSON PARK HYDRO SUB-STATION
With construction set to begin in about two years, we now know the name of the company that will design and build the massive West End Substation project at Nelson Park.
BC Hydro has awarded the architectural and engineering contract to WSP, a 135-year-old engineering firm based in Montreal.
WSP’s early projects (then known as Parsons Brinckerhoff, headquartered in New York City,) included designing the original New York Subway and the Cape Cod Canal. WSP has over 73,000 employees and over $14 billion in revenues in 2023. The company’s guiding principles include “fostering collaboration in everything we do, value our people and our reputation, challenge the status quo and hold ourselves accountable.”
WSP came to Quebec in 1959 and has offices around the world, including in London, England.
Some WSP projects in Canada include the Port Mann Bridge connecting Surrey to Coquitlam, design and oversight of the largest highway interchange in Manitoba history, modernizing the steam-power energy system in Ottawa to a hot-water system, engineering services for a new Billy Bishop Airport terminal building in Toronto and a new aquatic centre in Drayton Valley, Alberta.
The firm is even part of a team working to help protect the endangered North Atlantic right whales by using near real time data to help ships avoid hitting the mammals.
Ten years ago, WSP worked with BC Hydro to build the Mount Pleasant Substation, a large industrial project similar to the West End Substation,
In an update on its official substation webpage, BC Hydro writes “WSP will lead a team of expert engineers, architects, and technical specialists to help us advance our substation design, considering everything we've heard from stakeholders and the community so far.” (BC Hydro remains in the election interregnum period and is not able to comment on media requests beyond pointing The West End Journal (TWEJ) to publicly available data or information.)
Substation and school site map ay Nelson Park (BC Hydro rendering)
The plan is to build a new substation on Vancouver School Board (VSB) property under where the current Lord Roberts Annex sits. When complete, the new substation will sit deep below the Roberts Annex school field at Bute and Nelson. BC Hydro has reached agreements with the City of Vancouver (COV), Vancouver Park Board (VPB) and the VSB to make this happen. The provincial power utility is promising that “when it is operating, it will work quietly and all you’ll see are the vents, and our employees visiting from time to time.”
The West End Substation will replace the 1953-built Dal Grauer Substation on Burrard near Barclay (the plexiglass-windowed structure beneath the Electra Building,) which helps provide power to 30,000 homes and businesses. The current substation is nearing the end of its lifespan and is not up to current seismic standards.
Other than the recent announcement of a major international engineering firm leading the construction of the West End Substation, it’s been a quiet year at Nelson Park. The last project update came in November 2023 when BC Hydro announced it would be conducting soil testing in and around Nelson Park in December 2023.
According to the VSB, the plan is to still temporarily house students from Lord Roberts Annex at the new K-7 Coal Harbour school (which, while two years delayed, is nearing completion) while the West End Substation and a replacement school are being built. The VSB retained all rights to the property above the substation in its estimated $75-million deal with BC Hydro to sell the underground property rights.
THE LORD ROBERTS SCHOOL ANNEX
Some have questioned if the VSB will follow through on its promise and build a new school and playing field at Nelson Park using a portion of the proceeds from the BC Hydro land sale. In a 2019 commentary by former VSB Chair Patti Bacchus in The Georgia Straight, she cites a discussion between Olympic Village parents (who were pushing for a new elementary school) and then Education and Child Care Minister Rob Fleming who is claimed to have said there will be “no need” to replace the Roberts annex.
But relief for many West End parents comes after meetings and other communications this year between the Lord Roberts Annex Parent Advisory Committee and the VSB, BC Hydro and Park Board.
The PAC said it was told “capital funding for the replacement school at the Annex site is approved. VSB has hired a consultant team, and preliminary planning and design is underway.”
In an email, the VSB confirmed to TWEJ that “following BC Hydro’s completion of the new substation in the underground parcel of land, a new elementary school will be built on the existing annex site.”
The PAC was also told the planned occupancy date at the new Coal Harbour school (which also includes housing and a daycare) has been “pushed to Summer 2025, meaning a Fall 2025 move in-date.”
The West End Journal has also reached out to the Ministry of Education for more capital funding details (the latter was also in a period of interregnum due to the provincial election during the writing of this article and could not comment). In April, the province announced $150 million in funding for a new school in Olympic Village.
So now that a lead architect and engineering firm for the West End Substation project has been chosen, what happens next?
According to BC Hydro, between now and the start of construction they will “refine the substation design, have the project reviewed by the B.C. Utilities Commission, and continue working with the community and stakeholders to understand their interests and how we might mitigate the impacts of construction.”
BC Hydro is also planning to convene a Community Construction Advisory Committee, “made up of representatives from the local neighbourhood.” It says the committee will meet regularly, share input and get in-depth information about the project.
In all, BC Hydro says construction of the West End Substation is expected to take five years. Excavation and building the underground structure will take three years while equipment installation will take another two — which BC Hydro claims will be “less visible.”
At this point, BC Hydro said it sees no need to close the popular dog park at Bute and Comox during construction. The West End Farmer’s Market will also not be affected as powerline trench work through Nelson Park (to connect the new substation to the electrical system) will be done during the winter when the market is closed.
Coal Harbour School (Henriquez Partners rendering).
NEW COAL HARBOUR SCHOOL FAQS
The following is a portion of a Q&A gathered by the Lord Roberts Annex PAC through meetings with the Vancouver School Board, Park Board and BC Hydro this year and posted on the school’s official VSB website.
Q: When will the new school open? UPDATED
A: The planned occupancy date has been pushed to Summer 2025, meaning a Fall 2025 move in-date.
Q: The building is mixed-use (school, housing, daycare). Will phased occupancy be possible (e.g. school opens before housing)?
A: The architect and contractor have advised that phased occupancy is likely not possible.
Q: What grades will the new Coal Harbour school accommodate on opening day?
A: For September 2025 start, K-7 is anticipated.
Q: Are there any anticipated changes to the catchment boundaries?
A: The West End is currently a shared catchment between the two schools (Lord Roberts Elementary and Coal Harbour School). No changes are planned for the current West End catchment boundaries at this time. VSB may look at new boundary areas at a later date.
Q: Will students currently enrolled in Lord Roberts Annex have priority for the New Coal Harbour School? As well as their siblings? Will students in Grade 4 who recently graduated from the Annex receive any priority? UPDATED
A: Enrollment planning is to be confirmed by November 2024.
Q: Will all existing teachers and staff from Lord Robert Annex move to the New School?
A: VSB Response: Staffing will be handled by VSB HR.
Q: What school supports (e.g., new furniture, equipment) will be provided to the New Coal Harbour School. What will not be provided and would require fundraising efforts?
A: School will be equipped to VSB district standards. As for fundraising, the PAC will work with administrators and staff to determine what additional items may be needed. As we are moving from K-3 to a K-7 school, the library materials may be a consideration. There will be library funding from the VSB, but the PAC could look at raising funds to supplement the VSB funding.
Q: Is a playground replacement planned?
A: VSB and the Parks Board have begun planning for and are negotiating the cost-sharing for age-appropriate playground upgrades and are in discussions with the Park Board about outdoor space safety and security improvements for the new Coal Harbour School. The VSB have noted both parties are working in good faith to make sure that the school and the community have what they need. The VSB has committed $195,000 for the park playground renewal. The Park Board has also committed some funds.
Q: The PAC asked for details on a plan for physical security and separation measures to promote safety and security for the children at the New Coal Harbour School when playing outdoors. We understand this was being taken back to the Park Board for discussion. We are still waiting for an update.
A: VSB and the Vancouver Park Board are meeting regularly to discuss provisions for site safety and supervision. VSB have made suggestions to the Park Board about supervision improvements including visual barriers.
Coal Harbour Schoolsite (Henriquez Partners rendering)
Q: Will there be opportunities for shared use of the Coal Harbour Community Centre, given the limited open space and outdoor play areas?
A: The Vancouver Park Board runs the Community Centre. There is no current planning between VSB and Vancouver Park Board for shared use of the Community Centre.
(Editor’s Note: The Coal Harbour Community Centre is operated by the West End Community Centre Association, under a Joint Operating Agreement with the Park Board.
Q: Will the YMCA before and after school care program offer priority to students currently enrolled in before and after care at Nelson Park YMCA (or Lord Roberts YMCA)?
A: Yes, they will. Further they will only be offering spaces to children enrolled at the Coal Harbour School. Families are welcome to join their wait list now. If there are more families on the list than spaces, they will offer via lottery.
Coal Harbour project layout (Henriquez Partners rendering)
Q: Parents of students living in the West End have expressed safety concerns about students having to cross several busy streets (Robson, Alberni, Georgia, Pender) to access the new school. While we’ve seen engagement regarding the Bute Street Upgrades, what are planned improvements to ensure the safety of students walking, biking, or using other active transportation to access the new school? Will these planned upgrades be completed in advance of the opening date for the new school?
A: VSB is providing some dedicated bike lane improvements along Broughton and Hastings Street. Lord Roberts Annex PAC has requested VSB to forward details of the extent of improvements. We are awaiting a response. VSB confirmed the City of Vancouver is planning improvements to Bute Greenway and associated pedestrian/bike line. Details and timeline are not yet available. VSB will review options to use Crossing Guards for safe crossings.
In an email to TWEJ, the Vancouver School Board says “we are very excited to open a much-needed elementary school in Coal Harbour. This new school will expand in the Roberts catchment with an additional seven classrooms when it opens for the 2025-2026 school year.”
The three-storey school will have room for 340 students plus 69 child care spaces for school-aged kids. A second child care facility will be located on the fourth floor of the City’s portion of the development, which includes social housing.
The Vancouver School Board added the current plan is to relocate Roberts Annex students to the new school. “Additionally, VSB staff are currently working with families that reside in the catchment of Roberts Elementary and Roberts Annex to determine their preferences about attending the new school at Coal Harbour.”
