Arbutus Greenway to be formally designated as a public street for retail

Future frontage possibilities on the Arbutus Greenway after public street designation. (City of Vancouver)

A new official designation of the Arbutus Greenway as a public street will assist the integration of the public spaces and active transportation uses along the corridor with adjacent developments.

This week, Vancouver City Council is expected to approve City of Vancouver staff’s recommendation to formalize the designation for the 9 km long corridor spanning from Fir Street (at West 5th Avenue) near Granville Island to Milton Street near the Fraser River.

City staff had proposed this designation in May 2022, but the previous makeup of City Council expressed a desire to consider this request after the approval of the Broadway Plan, which was approved in June 2022.

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The Broadway Plan’s prescriptions call for activating the Arbutus Greenway through new adjacent development by encouraging active commercial retail/restaurant uses to directly front onto the greenway’s pedestrian and cyclist pathways and public spaces. Such uses fronting the greenway would help generate additional foot traffic and improve the corridor’s vibrancy.

Some major development proposals along the greenway already incorporate active frontages, such as TransLink and PCI Developments’ proposal to build a 30-storey mixed-use tower at 2096 West Broadway.

“Development projects located directly adjacent to the Greenway continue to emerge, particularly in relation to the Broadway Plan,” reads a City staff report.

“The ability to have these projects contribute towards the development of the adjacent Greenway will be most effective upon the formal establishment of the lands comprising the Arbutus Greenway as street.”

Existing condition:

Site of 2096 West Broadway and 2560 Arbutus Street from the Arbutus Greenway. (Google Maps)

Future condition:

2096 West Broadway 2560 Arbutus Street Vancouver TransLink PCI rental tower Arbutus Station SkyTrain

Arbutus Greenway perspective; Artistic rendering of the rental tower at 2096 West Broadway and 2560 Arbutus Street next to the future SkyTrain Arbutus Station. (MCMP Architects/TransLink/PCI Developments)

By designating the greenway as a public street, there can be increased design flexibility of adjacent developments to incorporate additional windows and door openings, instead of the current limitations due to the greenway’s designation as existing property parcels. As well, future adjacent redevelopments would be more clearly able to use the street as a reference point for calculating building setbacks.

“Establishing the Greenway as street will enable a more animated interface with neighbouring developments allowing for additional windows and doors directly facing the Greenway, as well as improved daylight and access to the buildings,” continue City staff.

Existing frontage possibilities on the Arbutus Greenway due to current City policies:

Existing frontage possibilities on the Arbutus Greenway due to current City policies. (City of Vancouver)

Future frontage possibilities on the Arbutus Greenway after public street designation:

Future frontage possibilities on the Arbutus Greenway after public street designation. (City of Vancouver)

The municipal government acquired the Arbutus railway corridor from Canadian Pacific in 2016, and subsequently, a temporary asphalt pathway design for pedestrians and cyclists was put in place. Over time, some spot improvements, such as new additional traffic signals at busy cross streets, were also made.

In July 2018, City Council approved a permanent design concept for the greenway that replaces its current temporary design with high-quality materials, landscaping, and community amenities and features over the long term. To date, the permanent design concept has yet to be built for any segment of the greenway. As well, the permanent design sets aside space for the future Arbutus streetcar line.

Since 2021, the continuous greenway has been temporarily severed in the area of West Broadway to accommodate the construction of Arbutus Station of the Broadway Subway, requiring pedestrians and cyclists to take a detour through local streets.

North of the greenway’s northernmost extent, the City has disposed of some of the former railway corridor’s lands for development potential.

Artistic rendering of the Arbutus Greenway’s permanent design. (City of Vancouver)

Artistic rendering of the Arbutus Greenway’s permanent design with streetcar. (City of Vancouver)

Artistic rendering of the Arbutus Greenway’s permanent design. (City of Vancouver)

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