The Gordie Award for 2017 for happiest transportation story goes to the Arbutus Greenway. After a bitter battle which spanned a decade and a half an agreement was finally made for the City of Vancouver to buy the nine kilometer long railway bed for 55 million dollars from CP Rail. At the time in 2016 the Mayor of Vancouver got pretty evocative, calling this “Vancouver’s chance to have a New York-style High Line”. Of course Vancouver does not have the supporting density around the Arbutus greenway~yet.
The City of Vancouver has embarked on a public process to look at interim measures for the greenway and to examine proposed long-term measures, which include a tram line, a pedestrian linkage and a bike way. But go to any part of the Arbutus greenway in any weather and you will see Vancouverites running, walking, and pushing baby carriages along this new space. You can also connect with the City’s plans for the Arbutus greenway here.
As well Price Tags Vancouver editor Ken Ohrn has been following the process and and you can review his remarks here.
Yes that is a true win for the city.
Please don’t ruin this ped/bike/relax-way in the future with a tram.
Alternatively, don’t turn this transportation corridor into an oversized pleasure path.
I heard that a tram is a requirement of the purchase agreement. It could be thirty years away though.
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