Downtown Port Coquitlam street to undergo pedestrian-friendly transformation

Apr 16 2020, 8:50 pm

Efforts to revitalize Port Coquitlam’s downtown will receive a boost from the municipal government’s upcoming placemaking project for McAllister Avenue.

Earlier this week, city council approved the project to transform McAllister Avenue between Shaughnessy Street and Mary Hill Road — where city hall is located — into a pedestrian-friendly street.

The two-way street will be completely rebuilt into a one-way eastbound street, and the parallel parking on the south side of the street will be removed. This accommodates the required space for a significantly widened pedestrian sidewalk on the north side, as well as space for patios, street furniture, trees, and landscaping.

Angled vehicle parking stalls on the north side will be retained, and the Donald Pathway will be extended into the area.

Before:

port coquitlam mcallister avenue transformation

Existing condition of McAllister Avenue. (Google Maps)

After:

port coquitlam mcallister avenue transformation

Design of the McAllister Avenue transformation. (City of Port Coquitlam)

The sidewalk on the south side will be turned into a multi-use path for both pedestrians and cyclists.

Travel lanes, parking areas, and sidewalks will be visually and physically separated by the use of different pavement materials and barriers, such as removal posts and planters.

And to improve the feel of the public realm and support the space’s purpose for community events, overhead wires will be buried, underground drainage will be added for a level surface street, and electrical hookups will be installed to support food trucks and the needs of event organizers.

Future redevelopments along the street will include ground-level retail and restaurant space to activate this new public realm.

Before:

port coquitlam mcallister avenue transformation

Existing condition of McAllister Avenue. (Google Maps)

After:

port coquitlam mcallister avenue transformation

Design of the McAllister Avenue transformation. (City of Port Coquitlam)

“We have all seen examples around the world of amazing streets that complement and promote adjacent commercial uses and are bustling with activity and excitement,” said Mayor Brad West in a statement.

“McAllister will be a showcase in our community, with unique features seen nowhere else in Port Coquitlam. The improvements will activate the space, creating a unique outdoor and social environment that is a destination for the community.”

Detailed design will reach completion later this year, with construction beginning sometime in 2021.

port coquitlam mcallister avenue transformation

Artistic rendering of the McAllister Avenue transformation. (City of Port Coquitlam)

Much of this section of McAllister Avenue, as well as the surrounding areas of downtown, have been deemed by the city appropriate for both redevelopment and infill development.

The city is in the process of reviewing a development application submitted by Quarry Rock Developments to turn the site at 2241-2251 McAllister Avenue — a vacant property within the section of rebuilt street — into a five-storey building with retail and restaurant space on the ground level, and up to 65 homes within the upper levels.

It is anticipated the new public realm improvements will provide a catalyst for further economic development in the area.

2241-2251 McAllister Avenue Port Coquitlam

Artistic rendering of 2241-2251 McAllister Avenue, Port Coquitlam. (Quarry Rock Developments)

Kenneth ChanKenneth Chan

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