Last month Vancouver City Council decided to proceed with a second series of studies that would concern the future of the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts [The Province]. The current viaducts, installed in 1972, serve as passage for tens of thousands of vehicles (and bikes) into the downtown core from False Creek, Chinatown, and East Vancouver. The City’s vision is to modernize transportation and traffic flow, but they’re just not sure how to go about doing so just yet.
Vancouver’s actually had viaducts in place, in that area, for close to 100 years so I thought it may be worth looking at their history to see where we might go in the future.
1913 – Georgia viaduct under construction. Imagine Rogers Arena to the right, BC Place to the left.
Vancouver Archives item# CVA 99-1303. Photographer: Stuart Thomson
On July 1st, 1915, the first Georgia viaduct opened for streetcar use. It extended over the CPR’s Beatty Street yard and it was named the “Hart McHarg” bridge after a World War I hero. Apparently the viaduct was so poorly constructed that within a few years of it going up, chunks began to fall on, endangering pedestrians below.
1915 – Georgia Harris Street viaduct opening. Vancouver Archives item# PAN N100B. Photographer: W.J. Moore
1915 – Car on the Georgia Viaduct, Sun Tower in the background. Archives# CVA 99-18.
It wasn’t until 1963 that, under the leadership of Bill Rathie (the first mayor of Vancouver that was actually born in the city), a 20-year program was drawn up that would involve redevelopment, transportation solutions, low-cost housing, and a downtown revitalization. A new Georgia viaduct was thought up for cars to allow easier access to downtown.
But the replacement viaduct in the 1960’s and into the 1970’s was also part of a larger plan. There was a movement to build a freeway system right into and through downtown Vancouver. Can you imagine Highway 1 ploughing right through East Vancouver, Strathcona, and Chinatown? This was the grand idea and it was thought that the viaducts would nicely connect the freeway to the city’s centre.
Between 1971 & 1981 – Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts from the air. Vancouver Archives item# CVA 780-8.
Before the freeway plans were solid, buildings were being razed in anticipation. This included the Hogan’s Alley community, which was bulldozed to make room for the new Dunsmuir and Georgia viaducts. Buildings on the East side were reduced to rubble and wiped off the city map — and this is where residents stepped in. Strathcona community activists created much opposition to the grand plan and ended up saving their corner of the city.
Now, forty years later, the issue has been raised again. So far I’ve heard both opposition and support for getting rid of the Dunsmuir and Georgia overpasses. For example, during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics the viaducts were closed to public traffic. Some felt it was a blessing while others found it terribly inconvenient and had to find alternate routes to get around.
From The Tyee: “The demolition and removal of the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts could begin in as little as five years, opening a wide swath of virgin land to public space and development — and forming the eastern core of Vancouver’s new 21st-century downtown.”
“Bev Davies, a punk rock photographer who fought against the original freeway (in particular, the plan to bore a tunnel beneath Burrard Inlet) wants the viaducts gone because more than 40,000 cars pass her front door every day at Princess and Prior streets.”
From Councillor Geoff Meegs: “For the next year residents will be invited to put their ideas forward in an “ideas fair” and international and local experts will make their own recommendations. The project also opens the door to planning of the False Creek Flats, the last major area slated for development in the city core.”
From The Georgia Straight: “Public consultation over the coming months will come in the form of an “ideas fair”, an expert panel of local and international experts, and a series of public discussions and consultations.”
At this point, residents and concerned citizens will be able to voice their opinions at these “ideas fairs” and learn more about proposed plans over the course of the latest year-long study.
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Please note that reference material was found thanks to the research of the late, great, historian Chuck Davis.
Mitsubishi City Chase returns to Vancouver this month as teams compete in the world’s largest urban adventure series.
Photo credit:
tyfn on Flickr
Last year over 30,000 people participated in City Chase around the world, enduring various physical, intellectual, adventurous and humourous challenges. Taking off from Granville Square on the morning of August 27th, teams can only get from checkpoint to checkpoint by city bus, ferry, train, subway, or streetcar — so be sure to wear your running shoes.
Photo credit:
tyfn on Flickr
For registering, each team will receive a reserved entry, a participant gift bag, official City Chase t-shirts, race numbers, one-day all access transit pass, access to the ChasePoints Challenges, access to the City Chase after-party, and a memorable experience exploring Vancouver.
If you’re up for the challenge, Urban Rec has offered up three team spots to Miss604.com readers. Here’s how you and a partner can enter to win your place in City Chase Vancouver:
Leave a comment about why you and a partner would like to participate (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw three winners, who will each be able to sign up their team, at 9:00am on Friday, August 12, 2011. Each registration is worth $150. Read full City Chase rules and regulations.
Find City Chase on Twitter & Facebook and sponsor Urban Rec on Twitter & Facebook.
Update The winners are Jessa, Julia Falci, and @chrisvales!
I’ve been tracking the BC Place construction progress since it began in May of 2010, following the Vancouver Winter Olympics, and this past weekend public were able to check out the renovations in person during an Open House.
With BC Place being the home of the BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps FC (as of this September) there has been speculation over sponsors and in particular naming rights for the refurbished stadium. It was announced that Budweiser will be the official beer of both teams, and Bell has rights with the Whitecaps. However, Telus has stepped into the picture as well.
This morning Bob Mackin shared a link to an article he wrote for the Vancouver Courier where questions about naming rights for BC Place come up with BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo) chairman David Podmore. “I can’t comment on any Telus deal,” David Podmore told the Courier during Sunday’s public open house. “We’ll have an announcement around naming rights and sponsorship, probably I’d think around the middle of September.”
Seeing as how BC Place is next door to Rogers Arena (which already has nicknames like the “Call Centre”), I put the word out on Twitter asking what the area around Rogers Arena and (potentially) Telus Place would be called. Here are a few of the responses I received:
With more and more corporate sponsorships of prominent buildings (like Telus World of Science aka the Telusphere aka Science World) and even talk of having sponsored SkyTrain stations, this step comes as no surprise for the currently un-attached BC Place. We’ll have to wait until mid-September, around the time of the re-opening, to get any official word or confirmation.
The forecast for the rest of August is looking a lot brighter than our soggy summer so far and with that, more people are taking to the beach to enjoy picnics, sunbathing, swimming, and strolls. One thing I noticed this weekend was a lot of traffic congestion downtown and in West Vancouver near the beaches. The same thing happened when the Summer Live festival was taking place in Stanley Park. Although sometimes there’s no choice but to bring the car out, if you’re capable and willing, here are some transit options for some of the region’s most popular beaches:
Taking Transit to the Beach
English Bay & Sunset Beach
Facing West, these are two of Vancouver’s most popular beaches and are usually sun-soaked (when we don’t have a wet June and July like this year). You can take a #6 Davie bus to the corner or Davie and Denman to get the closest to English Bay and a C21 community shuttle (originating at Main Street) to get between the two along Beach avenue.
Trip Planning Link
Second Beach & Third Beach
Stanley Park’s beaches are right along the sea wall so they have great pedestrian, cycle, and rollerblading access. If you’d like to transit in, you can walk over from English Bay or take the #19 Metrotown/Stanley Park bus into the park. It will let you off near the miniature railway and you can enjoy a stroll under the cool tree-lined canopy before reaching your seaside destination at the end of one of the park’s many trails.
Trip Planning Link
Kitsilano Beach
Lined with bodies, bikinis, and beach-goers year-round, Kits is a local favourite. Take the #22 MacDonald bus from downtown or Burrard SkyTrain or the #32 Dunbar and hop off along Cornwall.
Trip Planning Link
Cates Park
Nestled along Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, Cates is great for family picnics, renting a kayak, or laying out along the rocky shore. Take a #212 Deep Cove bus along Dollarton Highway, via Phibbs Exchange (just across the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge) and originating at Burrard SkyTrain.
Trip Planning Link
Spanish Banks, Locarno, Jericho Beaches
Kayak and boat rentals, ponds, grass and sand (that goes on as far as the eye can see during low tide) are features of these West side beaches. To get to one or all, grab a C19 community shuttle that will loop along Marine Drive (update: this runs on weekends only). You can also get close to Jericho with a #4 along 4th Avenue.
Trip Planning Link
Ambleside
With grassy areas, sandy beaches, athletic fields, a playground, pitch & putt and more, there are dozens of activities to enjoy at Ambleside and almost as many route options. #250, #251, #253, #255, #256, and #257 buses, will all get you between Park Royal and 13th Street where you can access the beach.
Trip Planning Link
Crescent Beach, White Rock
Surrey’s own beaches have concessions, sand flats, views of Washington State, and more. Access them with a C51 White Rock Centre community shuttle or C52 Seaside, Ocean Park shuttle. Both go through White Rock Centre bus exchange which has connections to Surrey SkyTrain stations and the Bridgeport Canada Line station.
Trip Planning Link, Trip Planning Link
If driving is a must, remember to carpool if you can and avoid idling when waiting in lines.
