Public beach access preserved in sale of West Vancouver property
A trail leading to a beloved local beach in West Vancouver will be reconstructed following a controversial sale, thanks to a new agreement from the District of West Vancouver.
According to those who love it, the pedestrian trail down to Altamont Beach is a century old. But it closed to the public in July as the District tried to attract a buyer for the municipally owned land at 3000 Park Lane, assessed at $7.4 million.
The district said the path would need to be replaced either way because it is misaligned and runs through private property.
The sale was controversial and received criticism from locals this summer over the loss of public access to the waterfront. Neighbours launched an online petition and a GoFundMe urging the District of West Vancouver not to take away the path Altamont Beach.
On October 28, the District accepted a proposal from staff to preserve public access to the beach when the 3000 property at Park Lane is transferred to its new owners. It includes plans to build a new trail on the opposite side of the property.
Holly Calderwood/Courtesy
The District had trouble finding a buyer for the land amid Canada’s high interest rate environment. Additional challenges that put off buyers included the steep slope on the lot, an unattractive neighbouring property, and a tax that’s levied when corporate-owned property is put up for sale.
A buyer was finally found after listing agent Holly Calderwood collaborated with Lamoureux Architects Inc. to create renderings of what could go on the property. The initial offer didn’t include a statutory right of way to maintain access to the beach below but was amended after significant public pushback.
The deal still hasn’t been finalized, but the council’s October 28 decision provides a framework for preserving beach access even after the District-owned land is given to a private owner.
District of West Vancouver
“If the property and road parcel is sold to the current prospective buyers, the District will receive a statutory right of way in perpetuity to allow for the installation of a public trail on the east side of the property, to replace the existing trail that requires significant repairs,” the District said in an October 30 news release.
The new trail will go on the opposite side of the property and will be jointly paid for by the prospective buyers and the district.
District of West Vancouver
A staff report to the District suggests the trail will be completed in two years.
“Given the potential unknown geotechnical conditions on the foreshore, the installation could be complex and expensive, however, the majority of the trail will be paid for by the prospective buyers. The removal of the existing path will be completed by the prospective buyers at no cost to the District,” the District said.
The municipality’s rationale for selling the waterfront land is to use the funds to buy ocean-facing lots in Ambleside for future public land as part of its Waterfront Acquisition Plan.
“The selling of underutilized lands is not simply about generating revenue, the appropriate use of the funds of the sale can accomplish many of the policy objectives that have been approved by this Council and previous Councils without relying on the property tax base,” the District’s staff report read.
Locals will still have to wait two years to access their beloved beach again, but if the sale goes through, they should be getting a new path to the waterfront mere metres from the old one.