Broadway Subway - Millennium Line Extension to Arbutus | U/C

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

What’s going on with that former gas station. It’s been fenced off for over 5 years now

Real estate lots with gas stations are a bit of a hot potato because of the remediation required to process and/or remove the contaminated soil. It may be that they're having a hard time finding a buyer. Once someone does decide to develop it, it will take quite some time for the remediation work before they can do anything with it.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

Real estate lots with gas stations are a bit of a hot potato because of the remediation required to process and/or remove the contaminated soil. It may be that they're having a hard time finding a buyer. Once someone does decide to develop it, it will take quite some time for the remediation work before they can do anything with it.

There's a rezoning in the works on that site

Rezoning - Application recently submitted. Staff preparing notification - B. Plan - to rezone 1368-1398 W Broadway from C-3A to permit the development of a 35-storey building with a hotel, strata residential and a seniors centre. The proposal is 12.51 FSR and height of 123.1 m (404 ft.) and includes 257 hotel rooms, 172 strata units and five levels of underground parking.

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=272161388

Liquid hydrocarbons were detected at the water surface between 1992 and 1993, but
have not been since the report date (1998).
• A groundwater recovery and treatment system was installed and since action,
monitoring of the site was conducted at regular intervals.
• The average depth to the groundwater table was 2.8 m in 1997 and the historical
groundwater flow has been to the north.
• Both offsite and on-site concentrations of dissolved hydrocarbon constituents have
declined to levels below the referenced standards (1998) except for ethylbenzene in
WP1. When compared to present-day standards, results did not exceed CSR Schedule
3.1 – Generic Numerical Water Standards.
• As of 1997, 366.6 m³ of water has been recovered and treated.
• The consultant recommends replacing the pump and treat system with bioventing and
hydrogen peroxide additions to reduce the concentrations of residual hydrocarbons in
the subsurface soils.

https://www.broadwaysubway.ca/app/upload...s-Technical-Data-Report-October-2019.pdf

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

Real estate lots with gas stations are a bit of a hot potato because of the remediation required to process and/or remove the contaminated soil. It may be that they're having a hard time finding a buyer. Once someone does decide to develop it, it will take quite some time for the remediation work before they can do anything with it.

No. This is false. The remediation does not necessarily need to take a long time to complete. For example, the one that recently closed and is being developed on arbutus

[jollyburger]

Seems like it depends on the extent of the contamination and whether they remediate in the ground or just remove all the soil.

According to NAIT researcher Dr. Paolo Mussone, one alternative to conventional reclamation includes is a low dose of fertilizer which makes bacteria hungry. The bacteria will eat the hydrocarbons in the contaminated soil once the low-dose fertilizer treatment has stopped. The process will take two to four years as compared to decades.

https://bolson.ca/gas-station-remediation/

Or they also use dissolved oxygen

A total of 14 Waterloo Emitters using LDPE tubing were installed in 4″ wells screened at and below the water table. Emitters were placed to form a “fence” solinst waterloo emitters creating effective aerobic reactive zones natural attenuation biodegradation gas station remediation technologies cleanup gas station petroleum hydrocarbon cleanup natural biodegradation of BTEX natural bidegradation of PHC natural biodegradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons btex biodegradation phc biodegradation petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation imagealong the down gradient property boundary to cut off the contamination plume. Dried air containing 21% oxygen was released through the tubing into the plume to provide immediate bioavailability of molecular oxygen for aerobic biodegradation.

https://www.solinst.com/onthelevel-news/...n/remediation-gas-station-site-6-months/

[jollyburger]

Work to remove the remaining four traffic decks along Broadway will be staggered as much as possible to minimize the impact on people moving through the corridor. The conditions at each station site are unique, and each site will require a customized approach to complete this work efficiently. We’ll have more details to share in advance of work beginning at each station block.

https://app.webtrackz.com/?q=email/view/14U6K4yY9lOgsO0T9RrdVKbrsykn0dGUEY_uhI94AE3nsLSbgiqv17sg

[gaviscon]

Wait, if the subway is replacing the 99 (from commercial to arbutus) does this mean we're getting rid of the trolley bus power lines along Broadway?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by gaviscon

Wait, if the subway is replacing the 99 (from commercial to arbutus) does this mean we're getting rid of the trolley bus power lines along Broadway?

What would be the connection? The 99 isn't a trolley, and there's no reason to think that the #9 will stop running.

[Glow Fun City]

Originally Posted by Changing City

What would be the connection? The 99 isn't a trolley, and there's no reason to think that the #9 will stop running.

I thought the 9 was being replaced with diesel buses? Hence the rerouting of the 14 and 17…

[madog222]

Originally Posted by Glow Fun City

I thought the 9 was being replaced with diesel buses? Hence the rerouting of the 14 and 17…

It currently is but only for construction, the trolley overhead has been removed at the station blocks and will be restored.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

https://app.webtrackz.com/?q=email/view/14U6K4yY9lOgsO0T9RrdVKbrsykn0dGUEY_uhI94AE3nsLSbgiqv17sg

So a 4 month closure confirmed for Mt Pleasant station (and they've missed every duration estimate so far), and no published plans for the rest. So there could be more multi-month closures of Broadway.

[Lexus]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

So a 4 month closure confirmed for Mt Pleasant station (and they've missed every duration estimate so far), and no published plans for the rest. So there could be more multi-month closures of Broadway.

It’s also reduced to one lane each direction for an additional 4 month. Basically it will be screwed most of 2026

“ After approximately four months, traffic will return to Broadway with one lane in each direction for about another four months while road reconstruction is finished.”

[Hotwax]

November 2025 update from Stainer:

• Video Link

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

No. This is false. The remediation does not necessarily need to take a long time to complete. For example, the one that recently closed and is being developed on arbutus

Every gas station site is different. See this one:
Leak under Vancouver Shell gas station contaminates 78 Kerrisdale properties

That said, I'm surprised the operator shuttered it so early. Why not just keep it open? It's not like they've even started any remediation or leased the site for parking to the subway line workers. What a waste.

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Every gas station site is different. See this one:
Leak under Vancouver Shell gas station contaminates 78 Kerrisdale properties

That said, I'm surprised the operator shuttered it so early. Why not just keep it open? It's not like they've even started any remediation or leased the site for parking to the subway line workers. What a waste.

The former Chevron(?) gas station at Oak and 23rd closed in the late 80s while I was in Emily Carr elementary school next door. It immediately went into remediation and has continued to be in this state for the last 30-ish years.

Edit: this site: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tjxeuqUS7pxVAhv79

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

The former Chevron gas station at Oak and 23rd closed in the late 80s while I was in Emily Carr elementary school next door. It immediately went into remediation and has continued to be in this state for the last 30-ish years.

Seems like it was an Esso? Or maybe another corner property was the Chevron and already got redeveloped?

Doesn't seem like it closed until 1994. I scanned the document but I can't tell at which point they finished any active work on the site. ~2009 there's a bunch of pipes that seem to indicate active remediation

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/2020-034-release.pdf

Their redevelopment permit got approved this year

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/3950-3984-oak-st

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

The former Chevron gas station at Oak and 23rd closed in the late 80s while I was in Emily Carr elementary school next door. It immediately went into remediation and has continued to be in this state for the last 30-ish years.

Yeah that one is weird, it has been empty so long. But have someone pointed out the station at Arbutus and 16th pretty much went straight from station to building site.

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Seems like it was an Esso? Or maybe another corner property was the Chevron and already got redeveloped?

Doesn't seem like it closed until 1994. I scanned the document but I can't tell at which point they finished any active work on the site. ~2009 there's a bunch of pipes that seem to indicate active remediation

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/2020-034-release.pdf

Their redevelopment permit got approved this year

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/3950-3984-oak-st

This might be a case of kid memory not serving me well. I was still in elementary school in 94, if that's when it closed.

As for whether it was an Esso or Cheveron, again, kid brain. Here's the site to which I was referring: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tjxeuqUS7pxVAhv79

Based on Imperial Oil being in the documents you provided (interesting reading - thank you!), ESSO makes sense.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Lexus

It’s also reduced to one lane each direction for an additional 4 month. Basically it will be screwed most of 2026

“ After approximately four months, traffic will return to Broadway with one lane in each direction for about another four months while road reconstruction is finished.”

I walked by the other day and the station roof is now covered in gravel, it's maybe 4-6 feet below the current road plating.

I don't know what is required to bring it up to road level, but it certainly doesn't seem like a ton of work. Compare this to the installation of the road plating which required a significant excavation and dealing with the services under the road.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Every gas station site is different. See this one:
Leak under Vancouver Shell gas station contaminates 78 Kerrisdale properties

That said, I'm surprised the operator shuttered it so early. Why not just keep it open? It's not like they've even started any remediation or leased the site for parking to the subway line workers. What a waste.

For sure, that’s why i said “not necessarily”. I just don’t think we should automatically assume sites are “vacant because of remediation”

Yes it’s weird and a waste.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

For sure, that’s why i said “not necessarily”. I just don’t think we should automatically assume sites are “vacant because of remediation”

It's the most obvious explanation. With a few well-known exceptions Downtown, most long-term vacant sites are former gas station locations. There was an article about it over a decade ago, and nothing much has changed (and some of the sites are still vacant!)

Patrick Johnstone wrote a detailed explanation in 2013 of why some sites can be developed relatively quickly, and other take years, or decades. The era that the station was built partly explains the differences. If it was originally a single walled tank, there will almost certainly be deep deposits of hydrocarbons, even if the tank was replaced. Sometimes developers discover there had been a much earlier gas tank that had been decommissioned, and a different use had replaced it. Qualex Landmark sought compensation for a site in Dunbar that had seen the gas station removed years earlier.