Public input sought on Kitsilano road design changes for Senakw

First phase of road design changes for Senakw. (City of Vancouver)

Public consultation is underway on the initial City road network design changes to accommodate the thousands of residents that are expected to live in the Senakw neighbourhood at the south end of the Burrard Street Bridge.

The municipal government is currently looking for input on the road design changes in the area to the west of the bridge to serve the first phase of Senakw, which is being developed by the Squamish First Nation on their reserve.

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The first phase of road design changes spans segments of the minor local streets of Cypress Street, Chestnut Street, and Greer Avenue within Kitsilano Point, which all lead to the major arterial road of Cornwall Avenue.

The design changes focus on making significant improvements to the street uses by pedestrians and cyclists.

Senawk is being designed as a “car-lite development,” with its provided facilities and infrastructure intended to encourage its residents to walk, bike, and ride public transit. Upon full buildout by 2033, all building phases of Senakw will provide 6,000 homes for up to 9,000 residents, plus 171,000 sq ft of commercial uses, such as retail and dining. There will be just about 850 vehicle parking stalls serving the entire development.

Construction is well underway on Senakw’s first phase, specifically with site preparation. The first phase entails three towers containing over 1,400 rental homes, including 282 affordable units.

The proposed first phase of road works include a new protected intersection at Cornwall Avenue and Cypress Street with dedicated signal phasing, unidirectional bike lanes extended north along Cypress Street, bidirectional bike lane on the south side of Greer Avenue, wider sidewalks on the south side of Greer Avenue and pedestrian islands at intersections, and an extended bidirectional bike lane on the east side of Chestnut Street.

Proposed first phase of road design changes within Kitsilano Point. (City of Vancouver)

Existing street parking regulations within Kitsilano Point. (City of Vancouver)

These road design changes were outlined in the recently finalized services agreement between the municipal government and the First Nation on how the City will accommodate and serve Senakw, and the First Nation’s specific projects and funding commitments.

The remaining three future phases of road design changes will focus on the same type of pedestrian and cyclist improvements for streets on the east side of Burrard Street — including West 1st Avenue, Pine Street, and Fir Street, which all link to the Arbutus Greenway. It is expected separate rounds of public consultation will be held in the future for these remaining road work phases, which primarily serve Senakw’s buildings on the east side of the bridge.

Phasing of road design changes for Senakw. (City of Vancouver)

The Squamish First Nation is covering the cost of over $40 million of the road design changes and utility upgrades required for Senakw, including the estimated $15 million cost of a new major TransLink bus stop on the south end of the bridge, which is not part of the current public consultation.

It is also noted by the City that the new Park Lane roadway being built on the south side of Vanier Park, fronting Senakw’s first phase, will provide a cycling path connection between Chestnut Street and the False Creek seawall. This road will be operated and maintained by the municipal government.

The online survey on the first phase of road design changes within Kitsilano Point is open through March 2, 2023.

senakw squamish nation vancouver september 2022

September 2022 artistic rendering of the refined detailed design of Senakw: perspective looking northwest from Granville Street near West 4th Avenue. (Revery Architecture/Kasian/Tandem Studios/Squamish Nation)

September 2022 artistic rendering of the refined detailed design of Senakw: perspective looking southeast from Sunset Beach. (Revery Architecture/Kasian/Tandem Studios/Squamish Nation)

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