Vision
Our ocean waterfront setting and forested mountainside backdrop combine to create an incomparable natural landscape that has long stood as the defining image of our community. As our heritage and our legacy, it is our collective responsibility to protect the natural wealth of our forests, parks, streams and coastal foreshore. And within this context, we should be thoughtfully planning for future growth consistent with preservation of our distinctive residential neighbourhoods.
Some of the key elements supporting the over-arching vision for West Van include major multi-year projects I hope to support along the way to cultivating a visually rich and environmentally resilient community as our legacy to future generations.
Our Waterfront
With the acquisition of the remaining private waterfront homes in Ambleside, a 50 year dream to create a contiguous waterfront park from Dundarave to Ambleside Park has become a reality. The challenge now is to carefully and sensitively manage any future interventions such that the park retains its essential natural character and becomes the best possible version of its current self. Detailed planning and design should engage the community in conversations around a comprehensive enhancement plan that considers extension of the shoreline sea walk, foreshore protection to mitigate against storm surge impacts and sea level rise, connections to the Ambleside business district, and future form and location of the Music Box and Silk Purse community arts venues.
Ambleside Village
With the provincial enforcement of District staff recommendations regarding the Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan, the village scale and character preferred by most residents remains at risk due to the potential impacts of high-rise redevelopment on two special sites. At the same time, the LAP promotes an extensive public realm plan which can (and should) be implemented now as the critical infrastructure piece of the larger plan: this to refresh and upgrade the original streetscape revitalization plan initiated more than 40 years ago. A renewed public realm offers the opportunity to build a network of pedestrian-oriented sidewalks and plazas and associated pedestrian amenities along and adjacent to Marine Drive and integrate active transportation modes to enhance accessibility to local residents.
Taylor Way Greenway
As the last unfinished task remaining from the Official Community Plan process initiated in 2017, the Taylor Way LAP holds the potential to supply most of the medium-term housing target goals set for the District by the Province. Similar in some respects to Vancouver's Cambie St. Corridor, the Taylor Way LAP centres on a high-capacity Provincial arterial highway connecting the Lions Gate Bridge with Trans Canada Highway 1. The configuration of the public roadway flanked by development sites offers the opportunity to build in generous pedestrian sidewalks and separated bike lanes integrated with boulevard street tree planting, hence the proposed 'Greenway' name. Intelligently designed, the Taylor Way Greenway can serve as an attractive gateway to West Van with a high walkability score, accommodation for active transportation, easy access to transit and effective linkages to adjacent neighbourhoods.
Cypress Hollyburn Legacy Park
The Legacy Park dedicated in 2024 has the potential to become a world-class conservation area, a centre for innovation in coastal forest ecosystem research and education and provide for sustainable recreation opportunities accessible to everyone. Thanks to the BC Parks Foundation, this initiative is being supported by the Cypress Hollyburn Legacy Fund with the District engaging key stakeholders to develop a vision for what would best fit the landscape and consider options for management structures. With the right approach, the Legacy Park can be transformational: enhancing a significant natural asset to produce a long-term flow of benefits with impacts beyond its boundaries.