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Cambie Corridor Planning Program
For more information email cambiecorridor@vancouver.ca
or call 604-871-6947.
http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/cambiecorridor/public/index.htm
Cambie Corridor Comments by Joseph Lin
1. Canada Line capacity Hinders Cambie Corridor Development
2. Rezoning bigger blocks for functional eco-density
3. Keep height lower than 6 stories as Oakridge Mall at four corners of Cambie & West 41st Ave.
Rezoning bigger square blocks for eco-density planning:
Rezoning should not limit to one block on both sides of Cambie Street. We need bigger square blocks to create more complete communities and reduce our carbon footprint by having housing diversity within walking distance of shops
and services, and accessible to transit.
Canada Line Traffic Hinders Cambie Corridor Development
Joseph Lin, President of Green Club
As the Phase 2 of the Cambie Corridor Planning Program moves forward, the public is invited to provide feedback at
two Open Houses. The first one was held at the Chown Memorial and Chinese United Church on June 3rd. This open house attracted many local residents, individual investors, realtors, developers, and citizens concerned about
the community & the environment.
Although the eco-density development plan proposed along the rapid transit line is sensible and most likely
inevitable, Joseph Lin believes that the Canada Line, which already reached its maximum capacity, will be the bottleneck for this Cambie Corridor Planning Program. At present, the Canada Line is already overcrowded and
jammed packed during the daily traffic peak hours.
Unless this problem can be resolved first, the Cambie Corridor Planning Program to increase the density of local
population would be meaningless. Joseph strongly suggests that the rezoning process should be postponed. It is
essential and imperative to set an upper limit for the population size in this eco-density development planning before any further action.
Less than one year after its initial operation, the Canada Line has reached its full capacity, at 100,000 riders per
day now, 3 years ahead of the initial scheduled time. The situation of overcrowding is particularly serious at the Brighouse station, the transit hub for all Richmond buses, and at the Bridgeport station where buses shuttle
long-distance commuters from Delta, south Surrey and White Rock, during rush hours.
The rapid transit has proven to be more convenient, faster and cheaper than driving, especially with the expected
increased parking prices due to the HST. That increase in ridership, as well as an increase in the numbers of commuters from Richmond, Delta and Vancouver, has contributed to passenger crunches along the Canada Line.
Joseph Lin urges the City of Vancouver to obtain up-to-date reports on the current traffic situations and project evaluations regarding the Canada Line from the Translink. As well, the City of Vancouver should communicate and
coordinate with the City of Richmond and the Vancouver Airport Authority regarding any future development, such as Cambie Corridor Planning Program, that may affect or rely on the service of Canada Line. Joseph sees this as
the only sensible way to resolve the issue of traffic bottleneck as manifested in Canada Line.
Joseph Lin further suggests that the City of Vancouver should keep informed of any development plans or
initiatives in neighbouring municipalities, conduct ongoing assessment, thus adjusting her development plans to limit the overall additive or synergistic environmental impacts in the Metro Vancouver Regional District. City of Vancouver needs a capacity limit for the eco-density development.
Green Club has always been concerned about city planning and community development, said Joseph Lin. Aside from the Cambie Business Association, Green Club was the only organization sent its concerned letter to the BC
Environmental Assessment Office
against the construction of Canada Line by the cut-and-cover method that generated enormous social and environment impacts.
Green Club is a self-funded non-profit organization dedicated to environmental education on biodiversity and
sustainability in the Metro Vancouver since 1993. We have 1~2 eco-tours, 4 healthy life seminars, 4 heritage walks and 6 nature walks, and over 20 community healthy walks every month. We were accredited to World Summit on
Ecotourism in Montrel (2002), World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (2002), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2005~2009), and UN World Urban Forum in Vancouver (2006). More
info at Green Culture Website http://www.greenclub.bc.ca
Comments, in English or Chinese, are welcomed at
greenclub@gmail.com and by telephone at 604-327-8693.
More photos: http://picasaweb.google.com.tw/Linhcsam6/20100603CambieCorridor
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