General Vancouver Updates

[csbvan]

Reducing traffic makes sense. Currently Granville Island is hardly a public space given the constant crossing of busy roads.

I don't care if it makes it more difficult for people with out of country or province plates, it should be a public space for Vancouver first and foremost.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by csbvan

Reducing traffic makes sense. Currently Granville Island is hardly a public space given the constant crossing of busy roads.

I don't care if it makes it more difficult for people with out of country or province plates, it should be a public space for Vancouver first and foremost.

Well the cement trucks aren't going anywhere. Or are they?

[s211]

Originally Posted by csbvan

Reducing traffic makes sense. Currently Granville Island is hardly a public space given the constant crossing of busy roads.

I don't care if it makes it more difficult for people with out of country or province plates, it should be a public space for Vancouver first and foremost.

He said, talking about Vancouver's #1 tourist destination.

[Anorak]

Originally Posted by s211

Considering how many out of province and country license plates one sees at Granville Island, going car free is just another example of the ass-backward mindset of so many in the social engineering cabal.

A solution to this would be rebuilding the Olympic Village tram line and building a large parkade near it. It could even be built with more parking spaces than existing capacity at Granville Island, allowing for even more visitors, while removing cars and roads. I imagine it would be difficult to make the whole island car free as some roads will be necessary for service vehicles (supply delivery, waste, etc.) and emergency vehicles at the very least.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Anorak

A solution to this would be rebuilding the Olympic Village tram line and building a large parkade near it. It could even be built with more parking spaces than existing capacity at Granville Island, allowing for even more visitors, while removing cars and roads. I imagine it would be difficult to make the whole island car free as some roads will be necessary for service vehicles (supply delivery, waste, etc.) and emergency vehicles at the very least.

Keep in mind that not everyone in a car at Granville is nimble of foot or kid-free. Add granny or kids and strollers into the mix, and playing the shuttle game from an off-site parkade is folly.

And no, I'm not playing the "who will think of the children" card. I'm playing the "think of everyone, for once" card.

[phesto]

Originally Posted by csbvan

Reducing traffic makes sense. Currently Granville Island is hardly a public space given the constant crossing of busy roads.

I don't care if it makes it more difficult for people with out of country or province plates, it should be a public space for Vancouver first and foremost.

Traffic reduction is great but any solution has to take into consideration that there are 275 businesses on Granville Island, many of which are not simply souvenir shops catering to tourists off of the cruise ships. They need to survive during the winter months too. This is where there is a disconnect between the planners and the stakeholders in coming up with a vision right now. The initial concepts don't appear to have been particularly well thought out yet, but I know there is a lot more study required.

Mind you, with some of the gimmicks now being discussed (ie. elevator, zip line etc) there are definitely stakeholders intent on seeing it simply become a tourist destination rather than something that locals would visit regularly.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

More of them get to Granville Island on tour shuttle buses and the 50 then by driving. If transit is more convenient with better attractions then parking a car at a hotel and taking the bus when travelling seems like a fair trade.

That amount of "car free" would kill Granville Island. The families who bring visiting friend and relatives from Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey would just abandon it. This plan just picks up all the "of the moment" planning clichés.

That bit about less parking equaling more night time pop-up events made me laugh. There are already four performing arts spaces, numerous restaurants. In the wet winter not that many people want to hang about in the dark pouring rain. More importantly, it's dead at night because nobody lives right on the island. Disappointed not to see some CMHC residential rental proposed to be built on the Island, preferably where the buzzkill concrete plant is.

[Vin]

Agreed. G.I. has to be a lot more accessible before they make it "car-free". Like some of the forumers pointed out: Good idea to put a parkade at OV station, charging a minimal rate of $3 or so, then provide free shuttle buses (and I mean the big buses) every 5mins that go right into the island, with stops at the major landmarks, like the Toy shop/Granville Brewery, Performance Works/Dockside, Emily Carr University/Floating houses, Market, etc. This would help those who can't walk too much to get in. Then we can make G.I. car-free.

[WarrenC12]

Hello streetcar...

[wrenegade]

So taking two lanes out of the middle of the Granville bridge isn't enough, now they're talking about adding a bus stop (presumably on either side), reducing free-flowing traffic from 4 lanes in either direction, down to two? I still can't get over the fact that they want to add a bike/pedestrian route with 3 lanes of traffic on either side. Who wants to walk down that? The great views are from the sidewalks, where you can look down over Granville Island/False Creek, not from the goddamn middle of the bridge. Sorry this really pisses me off.

Getting more back on topic, I think the Alder Bay Bridge is a fantastic idea. I'm not so against making Granville Island more car-free, its a mess there in the summer anyways. A good compromise might be to make the northwestern section around the market car-free for the summertime (like Robson Square used to be) but retain car traffic for the less busy months. It would allow temporary exhibitions to setup, more seating, opportunities for gatherings, etc, but when demand for that is gone, car traffic and parking as usual. Definitely a step that they could start with.

[Anorak]

Originally Posted by wrenegade

So taking two lanes out of the middle of the Granville bridge isn't enough, now they're talking about adding a bus stop (presumably on either side), reducing free-flowing traffic from 4 lanes in either direction, down to two? I still can't get over the fact that they want to add a bike/pedestrian route with 3 lanes of traffic on either side. Who wants to walk down that? The great views are from the sidewalks, where you can look down over Granville Island/False Creek, not from the goddamn middle of the bridge. Sorry this really pisses me off.

Getting more back on topic, I think the Alder Bay Bridge is a fantastic idea. I'm not so against making Granville Island more car-free, its a mess there in the summer anyways. A good compromise might be to make the northwestern section around the market car-free for the summertime (like Robson Square used to be) but retain car traffic for the less busy months. It would allow temporary exhibitions to setup, more seating, opportunities for gatherings, etc, but when demand for that is gone, car traffic and parking as usual. Definitely a step that they could start with.

I agree with your point about making a portion of the island car free during the summer for event space, at a time when more people will be walking anyway. A few notes about your comments on the bridge though; it seems there would still be 3 lanes of traffic each way with the bus stop as the bus stop would cut under the bike pathway in the section where it is elevated. About the views from the bike path in the middle - people will still be able to see a fair amount from the middle, just not what is directly below, but regardless won't be stopping because I imagine it will be quite busy. The elevated portion of the bike path solves these issue as it allows for views more directly down and also creates a place to stop.

[Feathered Friend]

Here's a slide for a proposal from Bing Thom Architects to cover part of the Grandview Cut by extending a plaza off of Commercial Drive between Broadway and Grandview Highway.
There was a second slide showing a ground level perspective, unfortunately I didn't get a chance to grab a photo of it. The room literally oo'ed at the prospect of this becoming a reality.

Also note the massing of the redevelopment of the Safeway site in the background.

[Large Cat]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

Here's a slide for a proposal from Bing Thom Architects to cover part of the Grandview Cut by extending a plaza off of Commercial Drive between Broadway and Grandview Highway.
There was a second slide showing a ground level perspective, unfortunately I didn't get a chance to grab a photo of it. The room literally oo'ed at the prospect of this becoming a reality.

Also note the massing of the redevelopment of the Safeway site in the background.

An exceptionally baller idea. Hope it happens! They could do this all the way from Broadway to Clark, and make it a linear park as part of the Central Valley Greenway. Right now the bike lanes are only on the WB side of Grandview Highway and it's certainly the crappiest park for bikes of the CVG/BC Parkway. That said, I like the idea of increasing the plaza and hanging-out space in general right next to the station. Gotta have a better place to eat that slice of pizza! And much more...

[Vin]

Interesting that they cut off the part showing how high the buildings would go on the Safeway site. Trying hard not antagonize anyone watching, especially the Commercial area residents?

[jlousa]

The Westbank proposal for next to Joyce station is going to council tomorrow. Now is your chance to email mayor and council to support the project and voice your opinion about seeing similar density at 29th and Nanaimo stations.

mailto:[email protected]

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by jlousa

The Westbank proposal for next to Joyce station is going to council tomorrow. Now is your chance to email mayor and council to support the project and voice your opinion about seeing similar density at 29th and Nanaimo stations.

mailto:[email protected]

What should we quote in the subject line? Is there a particular project name or DP/rezoning number?

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

Here's a slide for a proposal from Bing Thom Architects to cover part of the Grandview Cut by extending a plaza off of Commercial Drive between Broadway and Grandview Highway.

Great idea.

They should also contribute to the cost of a new Commercial Station entrance from the plaza as part of the improvements.

... and looking at the drawing - how about filling in the triangle gap between Victoria Drive and Broadway at the other end of the site?

[jlousa]

Just quote Dec 13, 2016 Public hearing item 8. REZONING: 5050-5080 JOYCE STREET.

[Metro-One]

So, for Granville Island I like the idea of the elevators on Granville Bridge.

If they plan on reducing that much parking and vehicle access the better also be planning on getting phase 0 of the Stree Car up and running (Science World to Granville Island)

Again, so much of the infrastructure for the portion is already in place and it just makes so much sense, especially if this is the new plan. A parking structure could be built within a larger development at Olympic Village Station for those going to Granville Island. Would make the perfect little transit hub.

Also, regarding the Grandview Cut. I like that idea, something needs to be done there. For being such a primary hub the amount of trash and generally depressing atmosphere of the area is embarrassing as is. The garbage just thrown over the fence into the cut and on top of the sheds over the skytrain tracks is one of my largest pet peeves in Vancouver.

[jlousa]

The Granville Cut cover is purely fiction. I don't see where the dozens of Millions would come from to pay for it without selling off that very land depicted by park. It would be great just not optimistic in seeing it happen. Heck just the ventilation costs would be huge, anyone see the ventilation put in on waterfront road and they are only dealing with tour buses not trains.