south false creek seawall study results - vancouverseaside greenway in vanier park, north of whyte...

The South False Creek

Seawall Study

Study Update

Spyglass Place to Stamps Landing

Over the last, year we have collected public feedback and reviewed

the information from the user survey conducted in the summer

of 2013. We have also completed a study evaluating the existing

physical conditions on the seawall between Vanier Park and the

Cambie Bridge including potential areas for improvement. A

summary of the results of this study are included below.

We are working closely with the City’s Sustainability Group, which

is currently conducting a coastal fl ood assessment to better

understand the potential fl ood hazard and consequences now and

in the future with sea level rise and storm surge. The assessment

started in the summer of 2013 and will continue until mid-2015.

With a more comprehensive knowledge of future fl ood potential, a

variety of resilience-building solutions will be explored.

The results of the coastal fl ood assessment will have an impact

on the type of solutions recommended to address the existing

conditions on the seawall from Vanier Park to the Cambie Bridge.

We will continue to work with various City departments to assess the results of the South False Creek Seawall Study and

formulate solutions that meet the goals of the study for more immediate improvements and address the effects of anticipated sea

level rise and storm surge potential once the coastal fl ood assessment work is fi nished in 2015.

For additional information on the City’s Sustainability Group coastal fl ood assessment,

please visit: http://vancouver.ca/green-vancouver/climate-change-adaptation-strategy.aspx


Seawall Study

Study Area

Kits Point

Lo

Beach Ave

Beach

Beach AvePacific Blvd

Pacific Blvd

Beach Cr

Beach Cr

Thurlo

w S

t

Thurlo

w S

t

Beach Ave

Beach Ave

Burra

rd S

tHorn

by St

Hornby

StHow

e S

Howe

Stt

Howe

S

Howe

Stt

Seym

our S

t

Seym

our S

t

eSt

Granv

ille

St

Davie St

Davie St

Richa

rds S

t

Richa

rds S

tHom

er S

t

Homer

St

Hamilt

on St

Hamilt

on St

Mai

nlan

d St

Mai

nlan

d St

Pacific Blvd

Pacific Blvd

Drake St

Drake St

Helmcken St

Helmcken St

NelsonSt

Nelson St

Mar

inas

ide

Cr

Mar

inas

ide

Cr

Smithe St

Smithe St

Beatty

St

Beatty

St

onSt

on St

GG

Dunsmu

Dunsmu

Cambie

St

Cambie

StHam

ilton

St

Hamilt

on St

2nd2nd

5th Ave5th Ave

4th Ave4th Ave

3rd Ave3rd Ave

Yu

kon

St

Yu

kon

St

Alb

ert

a S

tA

lbe

rta

St

Co

lum

bia

St

Co

lum

bia

St

ott

St

ott

St

Tayl

or

St

Tayl

or

St

Man

ito

ba

St

Man

ito

ba

St

6th Ave6th Ave

7th Ave7th Ave

He

ath

er

St

He

ath

er

St

Ash

St

Ash

St

Cam

bie

St

Wil

low

St

Wil

low

St

Lau

rel

St

Lau

rel

St

Oak

St

Oak

St

He

mlo

ck S

tH

em

lock

St

Bir

ch S

tB

irch

St

Ald

er

St

Ald

er

St

Sp

ruce

St

Sp

ruce

St

Gil

lS

Gra

nvi

lle

St

Fi

St

Fir

St

Pin

e S

tP

ine

St

Whyte AveWhyte Ave

McMc

OgOOg

Cyp

ress

St

Cyp

ress

St

4th Ave4th Ave

5th Ave5th Ave

6th Ave6th Ave6th Ave

7th Ave7th Ave

8th Ave8th Ave

8th Ave8th Ave

3rd Ave3rd Ave

2nd Ave2nd Ave

1st Ave1st Ave

York AveYork Ave

Cornwall Ave

Creelman AveCreelman Ave

Bd

SB

urr

ard

St

Wal

nu

t S

tW

aln

ut

St

Cyp

ress

St

Cyp

ress

St

Map

le S

tM

aple

St

Arb

utu

s S

tA

rbu

tus

St

Kits Point

Charleson Rd

Lamey’s Mill Rd Commodore R

d

Granville Loop Park

Beach AvePacific Blvd

Beach Cr

Thurlo

w S

t

Beach Ave

Burra

rd S

tHorn

by St

Howe

St

Seym

our S

tGranv

ille

St

Davie St

Richa

rds S

tHom

er S

tHam

ilton

St

Mai

nlan

d St

Pacific Blvd

Drake St

Helmcken St

Nelson St

Mar

inas

ide

Cr

Smithe St

Beatty

St

P

Georgia St

m

Cambie

StHam

ilton

St

1st A

ve

2nd Ave

5th Ave

4th Av

6th Ave

Sp

ygla

ss P

l

6th Ave6th Ave

hyte Ave

cNicoll Ave

gden Ave

1st Ave

Cyp

ress

St

Whyte Ave

4th Ave

5th Ave

6th Ave

7th A

3rd Ave

2nd Ave

1st Ave

rk Ave

rnwall Ave

Wal

nu

t S

t

St

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

SEGMENT 1

SEGMENT 2

SEGMENT 3

SEGMENT 4

SEGMENT 5

SEGMENT 6

SEGMENT 7

SEGMENT 8

Skytrain Station

School

LEGEND

This study is an assessment of the existing physical conditions and usage of the seawall section between Vanier Park at Chestnut

Street and Spyglass Place at the south end of the Cambie Street Bridge. Please see the map below for the study area. The results

of this assessment are summarized below for each segment of the study area.

Hadden Park

Vanier Park

HR Macmillan

Burrard Brid

ge

Ch

estn

ut

Str

eet

Lim

it o

f S

tud

y A

rea

Granv

ille

Bridge

George Wainborne Park

Coopers Park

Charleson Park

Stamp’s Landing

Leg in Boot Square

False Creek

Granville Island

David LamPark

Ca

mb

ie B

rid

ge

Lim

it o

f S

tud

y A

rea

SutcliffePark

Sunset Beach

1

2

3

45

6 7

8

Please click on the segment numbers to go directly to the information pertaining to that particular segment.

*


Seawall Study

Study Approach

*Subject to public consultation and capital budget planning process.

Solutions in this category generally have low impacts to users, some benefits, low costs, easy to implement, and no or minimal impacts on environmental/green space.

These upgrades serve to provide additional clarity and guidance to all users on existing facilities.

Some examples may include additional signage, pavement markings, and landscape maintenance.

Potential Implementation Timeline: 2015-2018*

Immediate Term Medium/Long Term Interim

Solutions in this category generally have some impacts to users, high benefits, medium to high costs, higher degree of planning and consultation required for implementation, and minimal or some impacts on environmental/green space.

These upgrades will create an environment with significant comfort to meet growth in capacity as well as opportunities for placemaking.

Some examples may include separation of the pathways for different modes, space and access reallocation, widening of the pathways, and creation of public spaces.

Potential Implementation Timeline:2016-2020*

Solutions in this category generally are temporary in nature and will be developed in the impacted areas identified for high risk sea level rise in the City’s Sustainability Group Coastal Flood Assessment.

These upgrades will serve to provide better facilities that will best meet the demands and comfort of the users until a more permanent solution is determined. Some examples may include partial separation of the pathways for different modes, space reallocation, and modest widening where available.

Potential Implementation Timeline:2015*

The next steps of the Study is to develop potential solutions that will take into consideration the impacts and benefi ts to all users,

costs, ease of implementation, and environmental and green space impacts. The potential solutions will be categorized in the

following approach:

Once the solutions are developed, they will be categorized and assessed such that an implementation plan can be determined.


Seawall Study

Assessment of Existing Conditions

Seaside Greenway in Vanier Park, North of Whyte Avenue

The seawall is a shared gravel pathway through Vanier Park. At

Whyte Avenue, there is an option for cyclists to bypass the seawall

and travel on a marked path across the Burrard Civic Marina

parking lot. This marked path is linked to Creekside Drive by a

separated pathway under the bridge.

Areas for Improvement:

• In Vanier Park, there are potential confl icts with vehicles where

the gravel pathway crosses two wide vehicular accesses at the

public boat launch near the Whyte Avenue junction.

• At the Burrard Civic Marina and its parking lot, there are

potential confl icts between cyclists, vehicles with boat trailers,

and pedestrians.

SEGMENT 1: Chestnut Street to Creekside Drive

BACK


Seawall Study


Creekside Drive north of West 1st Avenue

This segment of the Seaside Greenway is on Creekside Drive. Along

with parking and private building accesses, cyclists share the road

with two-way local traffi c (average 800 vehicles per day), which

is in excess of what a comfortable AAA (All Ages and Abilities)

route typically experiences. Pedestrians are fully separated from

cyclists by the wide sidewalk, which has a row of trees between the

walkway and the street.


• On Creekside Drive, cyclists share the street with moving and

parked cars.

• On Creekside Drive, sight lines from the driveways are

constrained by walls and the angle of the pathway bend.

• Along the laneway connection west of the seawall, there are

potential confl icts with vehicles where pedestrians and cyclists

cross an underground parking garage access, a local service

driveway, and a series of private garage driveways.

• At the connection to the seawall, the bollards that separate the

laneway from the seawall can be potential hazards when the

seawall experiences high pedestrian and cyclist traffi c during the peak summer months.

• On the seawall, there is a pedestrian access to a public fi sh market, which can generate high pedestrian foot traffi c during

peak summer months, and potential confl icts.

SEGMENT 2: Creekside Drive to Connection onto the Seaside Greenway (Seawall)

BACK


Seawall Study


SEGMENT 3: Seaside Greenway (Seawall) to Anderson Street (Granville Bridge)

Island Park Walk between West 1st Avenue and Anderson Street

This segment of the Seaside Greenway is bordered by the water

on the north side and residential developments on the south side

connecting to a busy vehicular street, Anderson Street. Not only is

Anderson Street the single vehicular access to and from Granville

Island, it is also the only four lane vehicle crossing of the seawall.


• The seawall is a shared pathway with several bends, which can

result in limited sight lines between pedestrians and cyclists.

• At Anderson Street, vehicle sight lines for pedestrians and

cyclists crossing are obscured by the bridge piers, which are

located immediately south of the seawall crossing.

BACK


Seawall Study


SEGMENT 4: Anderson Street (Granville Bridge) to The Castings/Sutcliffe Park

Island Park Walk at Alder Bay Walk

This segment of the Seaside Greenway is primarily a shared

narrow pathway adjacent to pocket parks, a children’s playground,

and residential apartments. Boardwalk areas are located east of

Anderson Street and Granville Island providing an area for social

interaction. The pathway east of Anderson Street is bordered by

greenery and fl ower beds that provide a pleasing and shaded

environment.


• The junction at The Castings and the pathway requires

pedestrians and cyclists to share the space with the existing

tree line and bollards, which can be crowded during peak

summer months.

• Along the seawall, greenery and fl ower beds may at times

become overgrown to further narrow the pathway.

BACK


Seawall Study


SEGMENT 5: The Castings/Sutcliffe Park to Ironwork Passage/Spruce Harbour Marina

Island Park Walk at The Castings

This segment of the Seaside Greenway is a mix of separated

and shared pathways. The pathway splits into a boardwalk for

pedestrians and a continuation of the shared bicycle route with

local vehicle loading zones at Spruce Harbour Marina. The path

transitions back to a shared pathway just east of the Marina parking

area.


• East of Sutcliffe Park, cyclists are directed with limited signage

and stencils to travel between a series of bollards and trees to

stay on the seawall. Unfamiliar cyclists may miss the turn and

fi nd themselves continuing on a delivery service road adjacent

to residential buildings on the south side of the seawall.

• At The Castings/Forge Walk junction, there is the potential for

confl ict where the separated cycling path crosses a roundabout

with vehicle access.

• The pathway through this segment includes an uneven paving

stone surface, which can be very uncomfortable to all users

especially those with mobility aids.

• The inconsistency between the mix of separated and shared

pathways often create confusion, and there are opportunities to reduce this.

BACK


Seawall Study


SEGMENT 6: Ironwork Passage/Spruce Harbour Marina to Greenchain Junction

Seaside Greenway at Spruce Harbour Marina parking lot

This segment is primarily a shared pathway adjacent to a

community garden, and parkland with an off-leash dog park. There

is a local load zone for vehicles at the Greenchain Junction.


• At Spruce Harbour Marina parking lot, there are potential

confl icts between pedestrians/cyclists, and vehicles entering

and exiting the lot and parking stalls that share the Seaside

Greenway.

• The pathway through this segment includes an uneven paving

stone surface.

BACK


Seawall Study


SEGMENT 7: Greenchain Junction to Moberly Road

Alleyway that connects Seaside Greenway to Moberly Road

From Greenchain Junction, the pathway is separated by bollards

and benches to create a separate pedestrian area adjacent to the

water, and a cycling path adjacent to residential buildings. The

separated pathway passes through “Leg-in-Boot Square” with

mixed residential and commercial buildings but users do share the

space with loading and delivery vehicles. Cyclists cross Moberly

Road through a parking lot to connect back onto the seawall. There

is local vehicle access to a loading zone.


• The paving stones in this area provide an uneven and

uncomfortable surface for pedestrians and cyclists.

• At the alleyway connecting to Moberly Road, the path

transitions to a shared use area. Bollards and benches at

this transition section may reduce sight lines for pedestrians

and cyclists. Local service vehicles also have access to this

transition section.

• Besides the loading and drop-off zones, seawall users often fi nd

themselves traversing undefi ned space that can benefi t from

additional clear guidance.

BACK


Seawall Study


SEGMENT 8: Moberly Road to Cambie Street Bridge/Spyglass Place

Seaside Greenway between Moberly Road and Spyglass Place

The shared pathway is bordered by the seawall embankment and a

residential complex.


• There are no public vehicle crossings or access points in this

section. However, the pathway curvature and the adjacent

landscaping can obstruct sight lines.

BACK

south false creek seawall study results - vancouverseaside greenway in vanier park, north of whyte...

Documents