Meeting Notes / Past Surveys

• The traffic interface with our community
• What will happen under the Cambie Bridge, and
• The access to the RAV line station at 6th and Cambie

The Planning Committee, which includes representatives from most of the housing enclaves east of Moberley, is undertaking a design process to engage our own residents in crafting neighbourhood-oriented solutions to each of these issues.

Public meetings are to be held regularly.  These public meetings will identify 3-4 participants from each building and will be followed by several workshop sessions wehre these residents work up designs to address the issues.  Professional resources will be made available to these groups as required.

We expect to complete our planning, seek confirmation from the neighbourhood that these are indeed solutions, and present to city planning before the begin their planning of the area.  If you want to be involved in this process, come to any of our meetings.

September 4, 2008, Planning Meeting
June 11, 2008, Planning Meeting
June, 2008, Steering Group Discussion
March 29, 2008, Planning Meeting
August 31, 2007 , Community Planning Update
March 12, 2008 , Planning Meeting
June 1, 2007 , Meeting with Vancouver Engineering

Traffic Through the Neighbourhood

Updated
09/2009

This means the residents along Commodore - Connaught Co-op, Newport and Discovery Quays - will be looking south over Commodore, the continuation of First, west to Ash that includes the rail lines, the RAV station and 6th Avenue .... wall-to-wall pavement, tracks, train, and cars.  THEY ARE UP IN ARMS!

Through meetings and a petition, the residents of Newport, Discovery and Connaught Co-op have opposed Engineerings' plans.  They say they do not want the SEFC traffic dumped into the neighbourhood.
 

Canada Line - Olympic Village Station

Updated 
09/2009

• Canada Line rapid transit is now up and running.
• Transit planners estimate 10,000 people/day will be using the Olympic Village Station.
• Pathway from the station to Spyglass expected to be completed by the end of October.
• Expect a significant increase in pedestrians and cyclists along Spyglass since the seawall east of the Cambie Street Bridge will be closed during the Olympics.
• Right angle parking along Spyglass will be eliminated.  Meters and/or limited parallel parking along the east side of Spyglass is planned.

At this time, the planned access to the Canada Line station at 6th and Cambie is limited to the 6th Avenue side.  There is no plan for access from the south side of 6th, under the street, and no access from our community on the north side of the station.  We thnk there should be better access, and with neighbours, expect we can contribute to an improved design.

Safety and Security Concerns

Updated 
09/2009

• Police aware of our concerns.
• TransLink installing lighting along pathways.
• Police believe residents are the best "eyes and ears" in dealing with safety concerns.
• FCSNA is looking into a Neighbourhood Watch program.

2010 Demonstration Streetcar

Updated 
09/2009

The Arbutus Greenway

Updated 
09/2009

Earlier in the spring, City Engineering made a drastic change to our quality of life, especially for the residents who live closer to the tracks. They took a chain saw to most of the green that has grown up and buffered us from the 40,000 cars a day that use 6^th Ave. Felling the trees was to protect the overhead wires being installed for the demonstration streetcar run from the Olympic station to Granville Island. 

Next, huge amounts of crushed rock were dumped and the rail line raised up 3 or 4 feet above the original rail bed. It now looks more like a national rail line, not a streetcar line. The aesthetic has disappeared. We met with engineering and they promised to re-green the line. Landscape architect Paul Lighfoot met with 17 interested residents and we walked the line, discussing where greening could/should occur. Paul drew up a map of these plantings which included many of the good ideas of the people on the walk.   

On September 15^th, our committee inspected the new fencing and the newly installed transformer building. We were dismayed by its size and requested that a screen of plantings hide the building. Secondly, we requested some top soil be dumped so additional plantings could be make to screen the line and 6^th Ave from the residents nearby Sitka Square. We also reminded Paul that a cross section of this track showing possible room for a bike/skate lane was promised and not yet delivered. We have a long term view of this right of way, and believe it should accommodate bike traffic so the seawall pedestrians are not stressed with commuter bike traffic.  

Finally, we want to green the crushed rock to repair the industrial look.  City engineers say that it compromises the integrity of the foundation if the track had to be moved. We don’t buy that and have said this demonstration of the streetcar line will be a demonstration to the whole city on how ugly the line will look. We need them to reassess the ability to green the crushed rock. Such an email has been sent. We look forward to working with Engineering in a constructive way.