Ambleside waterfront concept plan unveiled

How does snacking on fish and chips from a seaside bistro at Ambleside sound?

Or going for a stroll or bicycle ride for blocks along a continuous scenic path with places along the way to stop in distinctly themed Ambleside waterfront zones: heritage, kids, green, arts and marine.     

After chipping away at it for 40 years West Vancouver district planners are ready to unveil the Ambleside Waterfront Concept Plan to the public, after receiving unanimous council approval on Wednesday.  

“I think this is very exciting, an integrated vision for the waterfront will really enhance West Vancouver residents’ quality of life,” said West Vancouver director of planning Jim Bailey.  

West Vancouver has taken a piecemeal approach to opening up the waterfront since 1975 when a policy with that mandate was formalized.

Consecutive councils stayed the course and to date have secured 30 out of a desired 32 private waterfront properties along Argyle Avenue between 13th and 18th streets for future public use. At the same time council adopted strategies in areas of arts and culture, shoreline protection and streetscapes, to name but three, to integrate into the overall plan.

Now there is a clearly defined vision for those six waterfront blocks in Ambleside. Improving connectivity for pedestrians coming from the commercial area to the waterfront is a key component of the plan.

“I do hear from people ... they really feel that they only need one car and are starting to walk about in a 5, 10, 15-block area,” said Coun. Bill Soprovich.

Soprovich’s concern with the waterfront plan is the removal of parking on Argyle to make way for the Spirit Trail, which he doesn’t think is significant enough in length to justify losing those parking spots.

Bailey said they would be looking at phasing the removal of parking on Argyle and finding alternative places for people to park, including a proposed underground parkade at 13th Street below the existing tennis courts.

Coun. Christine Cassidy called for a parking strategy that would help offset the cost of the Ambleside redevelopment. “You only have to ask the City of Vancouver how much money they are making off of their parking in their parks,” said Cassidy, adding she has learned White Rock’s waterfront parking revenues are close to $2 million.  

Soprovich expressed apprehension about the size of any future buildings along the Ambleside waterfront.

There could be one or two new buildings, around the Ferry Building Gallery, that would be small in stature and keeping with the scale of existing buildings, one or two storeys, explained Bailey.   

Soprovich also broached the question on many meeting attendees’ minds: “Did you have a consulting process with Hollyburn Sailing Club?”

Bailey said he has walked the sailing club site with the commodore to better understand their needs. “The Hollyburn Sailing Club to be clear is a valued, important part of this waterfront and we’ll be working with them as we move forward,” said Bailey.

The intention for the sailing club, said Bailey, is to have non-motorized boats, with plans for the new facility to include a bistro and public facilities.

Cassidy said she was pleased to see waterfront plans that include preserving a knoll west of the Ferry Building, adding there was a 3,500-signature petition to save the green space.

During question period West Vancouver resident Scenery Slater sparked a later debate with her plea to council about keeping the proposed Centre for Art, Architecture and Design, for which council has given conditional approval for the John Lawson Park parking lot site, as part of the waterfront consultation.

“To consult on this separately when so much of this waterfront plan is arts based doesn’t make sense,” said Slater.

Fielding the CAAD question, West Vancouver CAO Nina Leemhuis said the proposed centre, which is to be privately funded, has been talked about a lot but in isolation of any arts and culture strategy for the waterfront because more clarity is needed.  

Council was divided on including CAAD as part of the public consultation for the Ambleside concept plan.

“To involve it now with the waterfront plan I think is wrong, it’s an entirely separate consideration,” said Soprovich. Cassidy disagreed, saying “It’s again what’s been happening in this community which is … the horse is always coming after the cart.”    

Mayor Michael Smith talked about Ambleside waterfront achievements to date, including upgrades to the John Lawson Park playground. “And what we are talking about tonight is taking the good work from the past and adding more good work in the future to something where we have a complete plan for our waterfront,” said Smith.

Click on link below (under the heading "related to this story") to see a PDF version of the Ambleside waterfront concept plan. Image supplied by the District of West Vancouver.