Quote:
Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut
IIRC the current problem is the tug of war between Burnaby City Hall and Ivanhoe over who gets the bill.
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I recall reading somewhere in the past that Ivanhoe are
'technically' the ones responsible (in terms of the fact that they were the ones who paid for it, or got ownership of it as part of the purchase of the mall back in the day), but the sticky issues arising come from things like ROW rights and air rights over Central Blvd. if you want to demolish or build a new one and that the city obviously has a final say over, and the logistics over when and how a demolition of the current derelict abandoned structure could be done, as well as the negotiations over who would pay for a new one.
As has been pointed out, the previous capitol budget by the city did allocate funds for an overpass replacement (or at least for the process to start looking at building one) , but a new one can't be built unlessor until the current structure is removed.
I believe the responsibility for removing the current structure would also fall on Ivanhoe
( I stand to be corrected on that).
Underlying all this is the fact that Ivanhoe DON'T want a new pedestrian bridge built (whether paid for by them or the city), for the simple reason that they would rather not have the bus loop sitting where it currently is (.....because,....obviously they want to redevelop that land, which is theirs),...and building another overpass will just crystalize the perception that the bus loop is there to stay permanently - which obviously goes against their long-term mall redevelopment plans.
The hope is that now that the city and Translink are at least looking at the possibility or feasibility of relocating it, that there have been behind-the-scenes discussions and negotiations between the three parties that will eventually not only see the Bus loop and exchange moved to a more convenient location, but also that a replacement overpass will be built as part of that process that will work with Ivanhoe's plans for their long-term mall redevelopment masterplan proposal.
I think everyone is in general agreement that a new pedestrian overpass would be in all parties' benefit.
Even with a relocated Bus Loop, you'd still have skytrain riders/shoppers wanting to get to/from the mall and the current status quo of having so many pedestrians crossing Central Blvd. is not ideal to say the least.
I see this as not that much different as the tiff that Ivanhoe Cambridge had with Concord Pacific on the north side of the mall over the latter's plans to develop the parking lot and Sears store after they purchased it and Ivanhoe's insistence on having a say as to how that would play out.
They eventually worked it out (after a protracted court battle), and there's no reason to think the same won't happen here.
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