Park Board to receive $8 million from BC Hydro for new West End substation

Artistic rendering of the excavation process for the underground substation at Nelson Park in downtown Vancouver. (BC Hydro)

In return for allowing a major substation to be built under a public park in downtown Vancouver, the Vancouver Park Board will receive $8 million from BC Hydro.

The electric utility is using a large portion of the West End’s Nelson Park — located at the southwest corner of Nelson Street and Thurlow Street, west of St. Paul’s Hospital — to build an underground substation.

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The funds, achieved through negotiations, are for compensation on the temporary loss of park space during the years-long construction timeline, and the right-of-way in the park allocated for underground transmission lines.

The Park Board states it will use the funds towards improving parks in the West End.

nelson park west end substation vancouver

Footprint of the underground substation and new replacement Lord Roberts Annex elementary school project at Nelson Park. (BC Hydro)

Artistic rendering of the excavation process for the underground substation at Nelson Park in downtown Vancouver. (BC Hydro)

“Knowing the substation project at the Lord Roberts Annex property adjacent to Nelson Park was moving ahead meant shifting from our more familiar role as those who build and maintain parks and public amenities, to ensuring the least amount of disruption possible to the park,” said Donnie Rosa, general manager of the Vancouver Park Board, in a statement.

“Another aspect of our role in this was to ensure reasonable compensation from BC Hydro on behalf of the park users who will be impacted by this project.”

The new substation is needed to replace the aging Dal Grauer Substation on Burrard Street (located next to Scotiabank Theatre), and provide more electrical capacity for the downtown peninsula to accommodate new developments that bring more residents and jobs. The West End alone is expected to see 30,000 additional residents over the next 30 years.

Dal Grauer Substation Burrard Street Vancouver BC Hydro

Existing condition of the 1953-built Dal Grauer Substation on Burrard Street in downtown Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Artistic rendering of the new replacement Lord Roberts Annex elementary school and playing field over the underground substation at Nelson Park. (BC Hydro)

Construction could begin in early 2024 for a completion in 2029. A deck will be built over the substation to return the park design to an improved state with a playing field.

The substation also necessitates the demolition of Lord Roberts Annex elementary school at the park.

In 2018, BC Hydro reached an agreement that provides the Vancouver School Board with $75 million to fund the cost of new replacement and additional elementary schools to accommodate the substation project.

This includes covering the cost of building the new Coal Harbour elementary school, which is integrated with a municipal-driven childcare facility and social housing. Construction recently began on the Coal Harbour waterfront complex next to the existing Coal Harbour community centre. Upon completion in early 2024, the school will become a temporary replacement school for students at Lord Roberts Annex, allowing substation construction to commence.

A new replacement Lord Roberts Annex school will also be built at Nelson Park, right next to the substation footprint. After the new Lord Roberts Annex reaches completion, students at the Coal Harbour school will return to Nelson Park, at which point the Coal Harbour school becomes much-needed additional elementary school capacity for downtown.

480 broughton street vancouver coal harbour elementary school social housing

2021 artistic rendering of the Coal Harbour elementary school, childcare, and social housing complex at 480 Broughton Street, Vancouver. (Henriquez Partners Architects/Vancouver School Board/City of Vancouver)

$coal harbour school social housing construction may 14 2022 \$

Construction progress on the Coal Harbour complex with an elementary school, childcare facility, and social housing, as of May 14, 2022. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

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