As noted below, the seawall from Canada Place to Stanley Park is finished – but not connected. Though all the attention at the moment is on the Dunsmuir cycle track, there’s probably no higher priority than creating a route through the floatplane terminal that appropriates the seawall and prevents seamless access to the ramp on the convention centre.
As a consequence, everyone is forced to use the stairs.
If you’re on wheels, that means hiking your bike up or down six flights.
Or not having access at all.
UPDATE: Thomas Guerrero notes the presence of an elevator to the left of the stairs. News to me – I don’t recall a sign indicating availability and directions – but even that is not sufficient to handle demand on a typical sunny day (assuming we get some sunny days!).
I agree that the time has come to connect the seawall, however I would like to point out that there is wheel chair access up to the top of the stairs. If you go to the left of the stairs past the seaplane buildings there is an elevator that takes you to the top. You can see the glass top of the shaft just to the left of the top of the stairs. I use it when I am carrying heavy cases rather than use the stairs.
Next thing you know there’ll be an escalator installed!
Only if they put in a fitness world.
I understand things look temporary at this part of the sea wall but the elevator is a pathetic cop-out. There is also no signage leading to it or that the bike paths stops here. During construction I would ride up the path past the pub/restaurant (I can’t find the name) which I think they should sign as the proper route. I think the pub doesn’t like this option as they’ve extended seating, etc. to block most of the sidewalk.
I agree with the pathetic nature of the elevator, it took me a few attempts to actually find it. You have to walk into the float plane area. Behind the float plane area is a parking lot and in a dark area off to the left is a small elavator – we could barely fit my wife and I, our son in a stroller and my mother.
I understand that there has been a plan for a longtime to move to the seaplane port (mainly because all the people who paid big bucks to own a place near the harbour thought the planes were ‘cute’ until they actually moved in and had to listen to them at 5am – future house on golf course owners), but negotiations are negotiations and there are a lot of reasons to keep the seaplanes where they are. The planning department should have built a proper entrance – a zigzag wheelchair ramp beside the long staircase – until the connection is actually built – this could be up to 5 years from now from what I have heard.