Park board chair responds to Kitsilano Beach Park bike path controversy

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      Vancouver park board chair Sarah Blyth issued today (October 18) the following statement regarding the planned separated bike path in Hadden and Kitsilano Beach parks:

      The Park Board recently approved the concept for a long-awaited separated bike route connection through Hadden and Kitsilano Beach Parks. Park Boards going back 30 years have sought to provide this missing link along a seaside route which includes the seawall commencing in Coal Harbour, around Stanley Park, through English Bay and False Creek, and then picking up again in Jericho Park.

      In recent days, there has been considerable concern from community members about the exact route and potential impacts on the park. Recent media stories of the Park Board moving memorial benches, cutting down large trees and paving large swathes of the grassy fields are completely untrue. White chalk lines outlining a wide route through the Park were not painted by the Park Board and do not in any way reflect the route to be taken.

      The final route has not been determined. What the Park Board approved was a preliminary route, which will be followed by an external consultant team developing a specific route that takes into account all uses in the park as well as trees, benches, and picnic areas.

      In response to the concern we've heard from park users, the Park Board will be establishing an advisory group to work with Park Board staff and the consultant in the final design of the route. The group will be comprised of park users such as sports groups, seniors and youth, as well as local residents.

      Separated paths are already in place on the seawall, English Bay, Sunset Beach, and the western part of Kits Beach near the pool. A separated path for Hadden and Kitsilano Beach Parks will ensure safer access for people of all ages. We look forward to working with the design consultant and the broader community as we develop a final design for a separated bike path that works for all park users.

      Comments

      34 Comments

      Mark

      Oct 18, 2013 at 3:18pm

      Seems pretty reasonable to me.

      Lets save the wailing and teeth gnashing for more important things, like I don't know...

      How about ensuring that Metro Vancouver has adequate transit for the future (or today!), or ensuring that those of us who grew up here will actually be able to afford to continue living here?

      Way too much attention for this minor league BS. We have more important things to worry about.

      spartikus

      Oct 18, 2013 at 3:42pm

      The response to this most mundane of all the bike lane proposals lacked any sense of proportionality to begin with. And now we find out the white lines that feature so prominently in the photos of the "Save Kits Beach" group are a sham.

      Ridiculous.

      skippy

      Oct 18, 2013 at 4:28pm

      Re Sparticus
      The white lines were not a sham. They were an approximation of the route approved by the City Council and adopted/approved by the Parks Board. This was confirmed in tweets by Kevin Quinlan from the Mayors office that the lines simply took liberties with the actual route and referred folks to the diagram from the Parks Board approved motion. If you take the time to look at that proposed route and are aware of the "white line" you will see they are very similar and Kevin Quinlan is accurate in that some liberties may have been taken but not that the white lines are a shame. Folks forget, there are many of us not in Kits Point but who are long time renters in plain old regular kits (ie three story walk ups). For us, this is our local park and the only local greenspace. The proposal that the Park Board was pursuing was significant given the size of the park and the impact of the proposed route to park users. As for the proportionality of the response, given Aaron Jaspers initial position that the route was a done deal and there was no going back to the drawing board and that no changes would be made despite concerns of the local residents, what would you expect.

      Riccardo

      Oct 18, 2013 at 4:40pm

      Well, who did paint the lines? Is the Parks Board disavowing any knowledge of this action?

      SouthVancouver

      Oct 18, 2013 at 5:34pm

      Kitsilano, you are the latest neighbourhood to experience the "pleasure" of interacting with Vision Vancouver. You have dared question a unilateral decision by our Visionary leaders! So watch out!

      For wanting a little say in your neighbourhood prepare to be demonized, to be called crybabies, wailers, teeth gnashers, ultimately devolving to the every popular NIMBYs (City Hall's official term for Vancouver citizens).

      What is important to understand is that when Vision decides to start dropping luxury thirty story condo towers in your neighbourhood (and trust me they will try) they will behave exactly the same. Only much, much worse.

      skippy

      Oct 18, 2013 at 5:46pm

      Riccardo
      Kind of moot at this point. Jasper was quoted in the Sun, Province and the Courier and he himself tweeted that there was no going back to the drawing board and that the lanes outlined in the ParK Board motion (pictured above here in the Straights article) were a done deal. Jasper further commented that extensive consultation had occurred regarding he approved route. Well, now thanks to the "white lines" kits folks were made aware of the route ( note the Parks board dispatched 3 employees in two vehicles to pressure wash the line out of the grass). I don't mean to vilify Jasper, just quoting him as the Park Board spokesperson. Due to the awareness created by the "white line", kits neighbours raised concerns, the Board has now walked back Jaspers statements and labelled the approved route "preliminary" .

      Community Observer

      Oct 18, 2013 at 11:32pm

      Nice PR bs piece. I guess it was written by one of the 22 Vision PR flacks at city Hall. None of the Vision PB members has the ability to do so.

      Martin Dunphy

      Oct 19, 2013 at 12:18am

      Community:

      The article was written by board chair Sarah Blyth, as noted at the top.

      gregorsatwit

      Oct 19, 2013 at 8:36am

      does the entire city need to be rezoned and rebuilt within gregors two terms? whats the rush- settle down gregor......take a step back and see what has happened to this city . you've approved everything to be torn down and replaced with crap.

      Call for Reason

      Oct 19, 2013 at 8:47am

      Disappointing to see this comment:

      "White chalk lines outlining a wide route through the Park were not painted by the Park Board and do not in any way reflect the route to be taken."

      Really? They "do not in any way reflect the route"?

      Like, the route actually runs on Broadway instead of through the park?

      In a time when there appears to be no shortage of "Jasper-esque" and "Save the Park!" hyperbole, it might be best for Ms. Blyth to stick to the facts and avoid contributing further acid to this mis-handled exercise.