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The Vancouver Greenway Network was set forward by the City of Vancouver in 2011 in Vancouver, B.C.[1] Anticipated ecological benefits of a greenway network include linkage of conservation and recreation areas, protection of natural assets along corridors, and improving resiliency.[2] In addition, the City of Vancouver hopes that city greenways can encourage recreational opportunities in urban areas for citizens, increase trips by foot and by bike, and strengthen links between nature and urban areas.[1]

The network is partly constructed and several greenways are either still under development, or in the consultation phase.[3] The completed greenway network will be 140 km long, and serve as a pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly network of trails and paths throughout the city.[1]


City Greenways

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Arbutus

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The project is in its initial phase of "Visioning". The phases are:[4]

  1. Temporary Path
  2. Visioning
  3. Conceptual Design
  4. Preliminary Design
  5. Detailed Design
  6. Construction

In 2016, the City of Vancouver purchased 42 acres of land from the Canadian Pacific Railway for the construction of the greenway. Arbutus Greenway will be connecting people, parks, and communities from False Creek to the Fraser River. The goal is to create a space mainly for non-motorized modes of transportation. The construction of a section of the greenway is scheduled to start by late 2019. It will run parallel to Arbutus Street and West Boulevard, from the neighbourhoods of Kitsilano to Marpole.[4]

Proposed benefits of the Arbutus Greenway

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  • Connect neighborhoods
  • Provide a place for socializing
  • Provide a safe space for commuters
  • Provide a place for events[4]

Central Valley

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Main article: Central Valley Greenway

The Central Valley Greenway is a 24-kilometre pedestrian and cyclist route that runs from Science World in Vancouver to New Westminster, through Burnaby. The greenway officially opened on June 27, 2009, with opening celebrations, guided bike tours, and walking tours on sections of the route. Despite its official opening, some sections are complete on an interim basis and are anticipated to be upgraded in the future.[5]

The total cost of the greenway was approximately $24 million. Funding was provided by the government of Canada, the province of British Columbia, TransLink, Metro Vancouver, and the cities of Vancouver, Burnaby, and New Westminster. The greenway was catalyzed by a grant given to Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST) by Vancity Credit Union, in recognition of its transportation advocacy efforts, such as advocating for the construction of the greenway.

Route

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The greenway provides a safe corridor for commuters and a green route to local parks. In the Burnaby and New Westminster sections, the route runs near the Millennium SkyTrain Line. The route follows the Central Valley, providing a flat route through a hilly region. Most sections of the trail, a combination of off-road paths and quality on-street routes, are suitable for many users (pedestrians, commuter and recreational cyclists, wheelchair users, in-line skaters, etc.). In Burnaby there are some gravel paths less suitable for in-line skating. Sections of the trail in Burnaby passing through Burnaby Lake Regional Park (pedestrian route) and along the Brunette River are open during daylight hours only.

Along the way, the Central Valley Greenway connects major destinations, including

Comox-Helmcken

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The Comox-Helmcken Greenway was first approved by City Council as part of its 2002 Downtown Transportation Plan, and Section 1 of 2 is now complete. Section 1 travels from Stanley Park to Hornby Street in the neighbourhood of West End, while Section 2 will extend to the False Creek Seawall.[6]

A study called, "Active Streets Active People"[7] was conducted by the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility for the Comox-Helmcken Greenway, where the purpose of the study was to evaluate the health, mobility and social connectedness of older adults living along the greenway. Through questionnaires, activity monitors, street audits, and interviews, researchers were able to learn the following:

  • Gardens and space for local artists to showcase their talent would increase traffic in the greenway
  • Benches or street chairs along the greenway is essential
  • Sidewalks have to be wheelchair accessible by being wide with smooth curb cuts
  • Parking, cycling and pedestrian zones are essential[7]

Benefits of Comox-Helmcken Greenway

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  • Improve community connectivity
  • Encourage non-motorized transportation such as walking and cycling
  • Improves safety for pedestrian and cyclists
  • Improve aesthetics with gardens and trees
  • Provide a place for social interactions[6]

North Arm Trail

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The North Arm Trail runs east-west, mainly along 59th Ave, in the southern part of the city. This 8 km trail will connect major bus routes, five bike routes, and four other greenways and is partially complete. The construction began in 2011 with the Ontario Street section complete as of 2012.[8]

 
The North Arm Trail passes by Everett Crowley Park.

Along the North Arm Trail greenway, the following landmarks and features can be found:

Ridgeway

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The Ridgeway Greenway is 13 km long and runs from west to east across the city. It starts at Pacific Spirit Park, and continues to Vancouver’s boundary with Burnaby, where it ends at Central Park.[9] This Greenway passes by attractions such as the VanDusen Botanical Garden and Queen Elizabeth Park.[9] Pedestrians and cyclists do not share a path along the Ridgeway Greenway, except for a small section by Jones Park. For the majority of Ridgeway, cyclists must bike on traffic-calmed streets alongside vehicular traffic, while pedestrians use the sidewalks along this greenway.[9]

Seaside

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A section of the Seaside Greenway in Vancouver's West End.

The Seaside Greenway is the longest existing greenway in the City's network, as most of it is already completed. It starts in Coal Harbour, includes Vancouver's seawall around Stanley Park, and extends around False Creek, then westward past Vanier Park towards Spanish Banks Beach. The section along the False Creek seawall is the oldest and one of the most popular greenways in the network, dating back to 1975.[10] Both the North and South False Creek Seawalls are being improved by the City. Upgrades include separating paths between pedestrians and cyclists, as well as widening pathways and new signage.[10] [11] In the western section of the Seaside Greenway, there is a 2 km section within the Kitsilano neighbourhood along Point Grey Road that is not yet completed. [12][13] Improvements being made on Point Grey Road include the widening of sidewalks and traffic-diversion measures. [13][14] The end goal of the Seaside Greenway project is a 28 km walking and cycling route that begins at the Vancouver Convention Centre and ends at Spanish Banks Park.[12]

Criticisms

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Following the sale of the Arbutus rail corridor to the City in 2016, there have been some criticism from citizens and disagreements on how to proceed with its re-design and use as a green transportation corridor.[15] The City had started paving a temporary asphalt path in the summer of 2016 in the hopes of encouraging the public to use the corridor more often, in preparation for public consultations that were launched in January 2017. [16][17]However, some citizens had raised concerns over the temporary asphalt, citing issues related to rain run-off and to the potential of increased collisions and accidents between pedestrians and cyclists sharing the paved path.[15]

Sources

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  1. ^ a b c City of Vancouver. (2013, March 22). City greenways: Improving connections across Vancouver [text/xml]. Retrieved January 30, 2017, from http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/city-greenways.aspx
  2. ^ Metro Vancouver. (n.d.). Regional Planning Services. Retrieved January 30, 2017, from http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/PlanningPublications/Map9.pdf
  3. ^ "City greenways plan" (PDF). April 2011. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Vancouver, C. of. (2017, January 16). Arbutus Greenway Vision [text/xml]. Retrieved January 30, 2017, from http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/get-involved-in-development-of-arbutus-greenway.aspx
  5. ^ Vancouver, City of (2014-02-24). "Central Valley Greenway". vancouver.ca. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  6. ^ a b Vancouver, City of (2015-06-16). "Comox-Helmcken Greenway". vancouver.ca. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  7. ^ a b City of Vancouver. (2016, May 4). Active Streets / Active People Consultation & Key Findings [text/xml]. Retrieved March 5, 2017, from http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/ASAP-Consultation-Summary-and-Key-Findings-2016-04-28-FINAL.pdf
  8. ^ Vancouver, City of (2013-02-14). "North Arm Trail Greenway". vancouver.ca. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  9. ^ a b c Vancouver, City of (2013-02-14). "Ridgeway Greenway". vancouver.ca. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  10. ^ a b Vancouver, City of (2017-01-23). "South False Creek Seawall". vancouver.ca. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  11. ^ City of Vancouver. (2015, June 30). North False Creek Seawall improvements [text/xml]. Retrieved January 30, 2017, from http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/north-false-creek-seawall.aspx
  12. ^ a b City of Vancouver. (2016, September 14). Seaside Greenway Completion and York Bikeway [text/xml]. Retrieved January 30, 2017, from http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/point-grey-cornwall.aspx
  13. ^ a b Vancouver, City of (2016-09-26). "Point Grey Road Seaside Greenway completion and water/sewer construction". vancouver.ca. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  14. ^ "Vancouver city council approves bike route for Point Grey Road and York Avenue". Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly. 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  15. ^ a b O’Connor, Naoibh. "Arbutus Greenway asphalt paving put on hold". Vancouver Courier. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  16. ^ O’Connor, Naoibh. "City paves way for Arbutus Greenway". Vancouver Courier. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  17. ^ Little, Simon. "City of Vancouver launches Arbutus Greenway consultations". News Talk 980 CKNW | Vancouver's News. Vancouver's Talk. Retrieved 2017-04-04.


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