So you would think.
But:
.
I would have thought by now that it would hardly be necessary to raise a stink over the obstructions in the way of the final link – the piece of the seawall connecting downtown (and the Hornby bike lane) with Coal Harbour and Stanley Park.
But there it is: a blank wall, unsigned, telling Vancouverites and visitors that, no, you don’t get to go here. See if you can find your way around. Good luck.
Neither the cycling community, public space advocates, Coal Harbour residents, City Council and staff, the Park Board, Pavco, the media – and ultimately the owner of the terminal, Greg McDougall – have not been able (or cared enough) to get this right-of-way open to the public.
September, we’re promised. But we’ve heard that before.
In the meantime, we lose another summer.
Nothing that an urbanism inspired flash mob couldn’t fix on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
I see the Velo-City 2012 ‘tours’ page is currently unavailable due to updating. Perhas this because so many people are rushing to add a visit for visitors to this particular example of how much the CoV actually values free access to public thoroughfares (compared to how much they say they do).
What about the Sea Wall meeting the Carral Street Greenway? I envision an extension of Crab Park, similar to the angles of the Coal Harbour side how they eventually meet the green roof of the convention centre. Picture a passerelle over the tracks meeting an arced land bridge. Of course there’s gotta be condos invilved somewhere, perhaps over a new hub and sea bus station. I’m sure Kerfoot still wants a stadium there but oh well. It would meet, and reference, the cliff that is the end of the failed Project 200. A new park for Gastown.
You know, there are lots of reasons that this segment of the seawall is not complete and open tothe public yet. But think of it this way for a minute. 15 yerars ago you could not traverse coal harbour on foot or on a bike except by riding/walking along an industrial trucking road with no sidewalks.
2 years ago, it was the same to get from coal harbour to the east convention centre, plus having to go up and down some long, unattractive flights of stairs. Now, with the expenditure of $800 million on the convention centre west, and who knows how many billions of dollars on the Aspac coal harbour development, it is almost finished.
Show some patience. It bothers me too that it is not finished, but there are a couple of not-too-bad routes around the blockage.
If ninnies complain that every urban improvement is not good enough, then developeers will be just that more reluctant to offer them. Why do so when there is no gratitude?
Author
It’s been two years since the Council massed a motion on June 11, 2010:
… continued use of the Temporary Float Plane Terminal in Coal Harbour for a further period of time, not to exceed two years from permit issuance or the completion of the new permanent facility at 1001 Canada Place, whichever is first and with no option to renew.
I agree about being too impatient. But is this impatience? Why couldn’t they come up with an agreement in the last two years to at least open the seawall?
Why can’t they now?
Gordon, I’m afraid I have some bad news for everyone. Harbour Air is applying for yet another extension, take a read. Perhaps you can have some influence on our current council to put an end to this game.
http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/developmentservices/devapps/1075wwaterfront/app3.pdf