Reader Fern Jeffries responded to this Conversation, in part as follows: "...after years of Vision Vancouver and and this current crew, the park, promised to be located in the area from Carrall Street to Quebec Street, has been reduced by 3+ acres, and re-aligned so that there is less waterfront. In fact, much of the new design calls for the park to be located under the viaducts. That will be peaceful!" and "...There is a small community park there now -- the result of a negotiation between the FCRA and Concord. While at first I questioned a private park, now our reality is that -- it is the ONLY local space kept clean of needles and excrement. Yet another example of failed municipal government."
Reader Ralph Segal was working with the city as Senior Urban Planner at the time the discussions about reconfiguring the park were initiated. He says this in favour of viaduct removal, in part: "I immediately thought... we’re going to spend $50m to extend the life forever of this nasty testament to urban freeways luckily avoided in Vancouver, when removing it could dispense with all the urban design compromises we were having to make were it to be kept. This, to say nothing of the two full city-owned blocks freed up to the east, Quebec to Gore, Union to Prior, with all the added value and potential for the full range of needed housing (even then!) and knitting together of this easterly precinct (my version of how “Hogan’s Alley” might be reconstituted, right side of sketch). It was not easy convincing others, particularly Engineering, that a re-worked ground level street network could properly connect and accommodate the future traffic load. But finally, in 2015, I was happy to see Council formally endorse Viaduct Removal."
He was not so positive about the park realignment: "I was also disturbed to see shrinkage (no other word for it) of its size as the Plan evolved after I left the City. There is no doubt that Concord has done very well for itself in what has become the now approved Plan. Viaduct removal increases their useable site footprint and realignment of the western edge of the park increases site area available for high density development. I was impressed with the audacious re-aligning of Pacific Blvd. curving to the north which increases slightly Concord's developable site area but also provides a more contiguous open space relationship of the park with Andy Livingston Park. The detailed design of the park as it has evolved contains many high quality features including how it’s waterfront edge engages with pedestrians. Of course, such qualitative park design features would be expected in the design of the larger park footprint of the original ODP. So there can be a debate about quantity vs. quality."
Reader Fern Jeffries responded to this Conversation, in part as follows: "...after years of Vision Vancouver and and this current crew, the park, promised to be located in the area from Carrall Street to Quebec Street, has been reduced by 3+ acres, and re-aligned so that there is less waterfront. In fact, much of the new design calls for the park to be located under the viaducts. That will be peaceful!" and "...There is a small community park there now -- the result of a negotiation between the FCRA and Concord. While at first I questioned a private park, now our reality is that -- it is the ONLY local space kept clean of needles and excrement. Yet another example of failed municipal government."
Reader Ralph Segal was working with the city as Senior Urban Planner at the time the discussions about reconfiguring the park were initiated. He says this in favour of viaduct removal, in part: "I immediately thought... we’re going to spend $50m to extend the life forever of this nasty testament to urban freeways luckily avoided in Vancouver, when removing it could dispense with all the urban design compromises we were having to make were it to be kept. This, to say nothing of the two full city-owned blocks freed up to the east, Quebec to Gore, Union to Prior, with all the added value and potential for the full range of needed housing (even then!) and knitting together of this easterly precinct (my version of how “Hogan’s Alley” might be reconstituted, right side of sketch). It was not easy convincing others, particularly Engineering, that a re-worked ground level street network could properly connect and accommodate the future traffic load. But finally, in 2015, I was happy to see Council formally endorse Viaduct Removal."
He was not so positive about the park realignment: "I was also disturbed to see shrinkage (no other word for it) of its size as the Plan evolved after I left the City. There is no doubt that Concord has done very well for itself in what has become the now approved Plan. Viaduct removal increases their useable site footprint and realignment of the western edge of the park increases site area available for high density development. I was impressed with the audacious re-aligning of Pacific Blvd. curving to the north which increases slightly Concord's developable site area but also provides a more contiguous open space relationship of the park with Andy Livingston Park. The detailed design of the park as it has evolved contains many high quality features including how it’s waterfront edge engages with pedestrians. Of course, such qualitative park design features would be expected in the design of the larger park footprint of the original ODP. So there can be a debate about quantity vs. quality."