Plans approved for a new West End waterfront

Good morning, 

Nate here with you. It’s been a beautiful month of spring, with sun, rain, and blooming buds showering us in equal measure (apologies if you have allergies). It really feels like the city is coming alive again after the torpor of winter. 

But I wanted to note that it can be a hard time of year as well. Personally I know many people who are struggling with grief, loss, depression, and hardship. While it’s wonderful to celebrate all the good we have in our lives I think it’s also important to name and shine a light on the struggles we face, both as individuals and a collective. 

So if you’re feeling gassed up and energized by the change of seasons and the prospect of summer, then maybe take a moment to check in on someone in your life and share that good energy. 

And if you’re struggling right now, know you’re not bad or wrong for that. It happens to all of us to different degrees, and in that way none of us are alone. 

That being said, let’s get on to the news.  

— Nate Lewis

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WEATHER

Wednesday: 12 🌡️ 8 | 🌧️

Thursday: 12 🌡️ 8 | 🌧️

Friday: 14 🌡️ 8 | 🌧️

CITY PLANNING

Plans approved for a new West End waterfront

What happened: The embattled Vancouver Park Board approved plans for a massive redevelopment of English Bay Beach and the surrounding West End Waterfront. The 30-year plan would bring numerous new amenities to the area, reorganize transportation routes, and do away with the existing seawall in some sections. 

• The redesign of the area is intended to deal with stronger storms, higher tides, and rising sea levels — impacts of climate change that have already been felt across Vancouver’s waterfront.

Highlights: Elevated pathways, habitat islands, a renovation of the existing English Bay bathhouse, an active area featuring a skate park, sports courts, playgrounds, and a fitness area, are among the many highlights in the plan’s ambitious scope.  

• A redesigned concession, plaza, expanded dog park, and non-motorized boat pavilion are some cool additions to the Sunset Beach area.

Avoiding conflict: Rerouting the road that currently cuts between Morton Park and English Bay Beach would be a big step in reducing conflicts amongst park users, particularly between pedestrians and cyclists. 

• The crosswalk there is notoriously busy, with hoards of people coming to and from the beach, Denman, and Davie, while scores of cyclists fly headlong through the area on their way to and from Stanley Park. 

A restructured crossing that allows pedestrians easy access through an expanded Morton Park, while funneling bikes and electric scooters into less crowded areas, would make English Bay a more enjoyable place for everyone. 

The expanded park would feature a welcome pavilion, splash pad, and plaza, leading straight onto the beach. A protected bike lane would swerve northeast around the park, continuing along Beach Avenue into Stanley Park.

Ok, but when?: Construction could begin as soon as 2026. Some parts of the project, like adaptations for climate change, would start in the near future, while other big ticket items won’t be built for decades, according to the West End Journal. It’s important to remember this is a 30-year plan. 

Politics of it all: The plan got park board approval on coalition lines, with the newly-independent councillors (who dramatically defected from the ruling ABC party in December) and the Green Party’s Tom Digby voting in favour, while two of the remaining ABC commissioners voted against it, according to City News.

• It’s worth noting that the ABC commissioners, Jas Virdi and Angela Haer, support Mayor Ken Sim’s plan to dissolve the park board – effectively choosing to remove themselves from public office, while still participating in it for the time being. 

What it means: The plan will now go to city council, where ABC still enjoys a majority. It’s unclear how councillors will vote but I wouldn’t expect it to sail through given the current animosity between the park board and city hall. 

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

📈7%: The tax increase in Surrey’s newly-approved budget. Comparatively, Vancouver’s property tax increase this year was even higher, at 7.5% [CTV] 

🏝️11.33: The number of square kilometers on Nootka Island won by the Nuchatlaht First Nation in a B.C. Supreme Court decision. It’s only the second time a B.C. court has granted Aboriginal title to a First Nation. [CBC]  

🙅3: The number of city councillors in Metro Vancouver who are calling on the B.C. government to end a pilot project which decriminalized small amounts of some illegal drugs. [Global]

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TREES

A local scientist’s legacy

What happened: Dr. Suzanne Simard was recently named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people. Simard, who grew up in the B.C. Rockies, has researched and taught at UBC’s Vancouver campus since 2002. She’s gained fame, influence, and international recognition for her study of underground fungal networks, which are used by trees to communicate and share resources.  

Yes, but: A critique of Simard’s most famous research, undertaken by academics at the University of Alberta, questioned how widespread these networks are in different types of forests. They point out that this research has only been conducted on Douglas Fir and pine forests. 

The reviewers also point to other possible ways that these processes are taking place, which Simard agrees with:  

• "The article really focuses on a very narrow part [of the research]... all the papers acknowledge that all of those pathways exist together," Simard told CBC.  

Issues of interpretation: Another matter that has been raised is how Simard’s research is being interpreted by writers without subject matter expertise (like yours truly). Books like The Hidden Life of Trees, based generally on Simard’s research, have been criticized by academics for cherry picking forest science, according to The Tyee. 

The bottom line: Critique and conversation are a normal, and essential, part of the scientific process. More research is always a good thing in the quest to understand more about the world we live in. It is undeniable though that over the past 25 years Simard’s work has raised public consciousness about the world of trees, and that is what makes her influential. 

DREAM HOME

This house might not be much to look at but as we all know it’s about location, location, location. This places means you could live a stone’s throw from Trout Lake, which for me is one of the best parks in the city. 

But the price for this type of place? Well, in a suprise to no one, it’s not cheap. 

House of The Week is a home selected by the Lookout team and is not a paid advertisement. All ads are labeled as such. If you’re a realtor who wishes to feature your home in our newsletter, please contact our sales team.

THE AGENDA

🛶 A man is dead following a kayaking incident in Deep Cove, after two kayakers fell in the water when their boat flipped. While nearby kayakers were able to bring them to shore one man died at the scene, according to police. [CBC]

📜 The B.C. government introduced legislation on Monday that would formally recognize Haida Nation’s title to the island of Haida Gwaii. The negotiated agreement avoids a legal battle, brewing since 2002, over the province’s right to permit industrial activities like logging on Haida Gwaii. [Times Colonist] 

🧑‍⚖️ Earlier this week, an initial hearing was held for the shocking daytime stabbing of a man outside a downtown coffee shop last year. The judge in the case issued a “sweeping” publication ban on all submissions and evidence given in the courtroom, which would remain in place should the case go to trial. [CBC]

⛔ Prominent climate organizer and activist Zain Haq was scheduled to be deported last weekend, until Canada’s Border Services Agency abruptly called off the removal order. The 23-year-old has been arrested in multiple climate actions targeting forestry, oil, and gas companies. All his alleged offenses have been non-violent. [CTV]

🔥 Speaking of climate change, B.C.’s wildfire season is off to an early start. At least one fire south of Quesnel is out of control and has prompted an evacuation alert in the Cariboo Regional District. There are currently 113 active wildfires in B.C. [Global]

🪴 Pot producers are calling out the City of Vancouver after the city and park board cracked down on the annual 4-20 festivities at Sunset Beach (formerly celebrated outside the Vancouver Art Gallery). The farmers say a sanctioned event could generate “millions” in revenue given our province’s legendary reputation for cannabis culture. [Global]

😭 Horrible news for the Canucks and their fans. Star goalie Thatcher Demko is injured again, and is questionable for the rest of the series against the Nashville Predators. [Sportsnet]

💦 Stage 1 water restrictions in Vancouver will go into effect on May 1. As a reminder, that means you can only water your lawn (if you’re lucky enough to have one) on a specific day of the week.  [City of Vancouver]

🛍️ Have a heap of reusable bags at home? For some people, particularly those who get their groceries delivered from major chains, this has become an unintended consequence of the federal plastic bag ban. [CBC]

Editor’s note — Zain Haq, the person mentioned in the deportation story, is a friend of Nate’s.

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ARTS

Theatre

Beyond the Meadow, the made-in-Canada musical from composer Ashley Lambert-Maberly, is back in Vancouver for a 25th anniversary revival. Catch it May 15-18 at Performance Works on Granville Island.

The Cultch has released their 2024-25 season lineup, featuring 15 shows from companies across Canada and around the world! [Stir]

Music

Vancouver hip-hop artist bbno$ (pronounced baby no money for the uninitiated) is throwing a birthday party/concert at Stanley Park’s Malkin Bowl on May 26. He’s donating all the money from ticket sales to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, which we love, but dubbing him a saint might be going a bit far… [Georgia Straight]

St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church on Burrard and Nelson always has a slew of concerts and accessible musical offerings available to the public. Featuring regulars like Chor Leoni, and the Jazz Vespers, along with one-off concerts, there’s always something interesting playing at this West End church. 

Movies 

Don’t miss the DOXA film festival coming in May. They’ll be screening documentaries at four locations in downtown Vancouver from May 2-12. Festival passes and ticket packages are available here. 

In Flames, a new film from Canadian-Pakistani filmmaker Zarrar Kahn, presents a “horror-tweaked” portrayal of a Pakistani woman’s life in a patriarchal society, according to a review in Stir. The film premiered in Vancouver on April 19. [Stir]

Art

A new exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver shares a decade of photography from Taiwanese artist Yao Jui-Chung. Mirage: Disuse Public Property in Taiwan explores Taiwan’s “mosquito halls,” a nickname for abandoned public construction projects. [Georgia Straight]

The collection of a deceased Vancouver-based art dealer is being displayed at Heffel Fine Art Auction House today. Work from famous Canadian artists such as Emily Carr, Group of Seven, and Gordon Smith highlight the collection, which will be up for auction later in the spring. [Stir]

IMAGE OF THE DAY

The Rog has been rocking for the first two games of Canucks playoffs!

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Ama Bar, a new cocktail bar at 3980 Fraser, is getting rave reviews for its Blade Runner 2049-esque design. Seriously, it looks gorgeous. [Wallpaper]

• A pilot project featuring Silent Trails for forest bathing is coming to Metro Vancouver parks, though the locations are not yet decided. [Vancouver Sun]

• Who’s going to make the NHL Stanley Cup finals? Ea Sports’ simulation says Vancouver versus Boston, which would be incredible since that was the last team the Canucks played in the finals. 

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GAME TIME

Today’s Vancouver Guesser is an iconic intersection, which might be on your mind if you read our recent City Hall Insider story. Reply with the correct answer and name to be featured in the newsletter.