Arbutus track removal ahead of schedule as city starts work on bike path

The City of Vancouver is ahead of schedule on itsplanto remove train tracks from the Arbutus corridor on the city's West Side.

Crews have already begun installing a temporary asphalt path along the route, said Lon LaClaire, the city'sdirector of transportation.

Thatpath will allow cyclists and pedestriansto use the route until apermanent greenwayis complete, LaClaire said.

Work to remove the tracks began in Juneand was expected to last a couple of months, but crews finished removingthe last rails last week.

As a result, parts of the pathway will be open to the public possibly as early as next week, LaClairesaid.

"The key thing is that people will be able to be on the path earlier than planned," hesaid.

The transformation of this coveted stretch of land was the result of a historic deal reached earlier this year between the city and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd..

Under that agreement, the city bought the land from CP for $55 million, ending a bitter dispute between the two.

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Theformer transportation corridorruns nine kilometres through the city's West Side from False Creek to Marpole.

It's been years since trains have used these tracks. Beds ofcommunity gardens have since sprung up on either side of the idled tracks.

Track removal ahead of schedule

CP Rail was responsible for the rail removal along the corridor, with the exception of street crossings.

Construction ofthe pathwill take place between7 a.m. and8 p.m. PT MondaytoSaturday,, and10 a.m. to 8 p.m.Sundays and holidays.

Prior to the agreement,CP Rail hadowned the land for more than a century, buthadn't run trains on it for about 15 years. Vancouver hadpreviously offered to buy the land, but the two sides could never agree on a price.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson described the final arrangement between the city and CP as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, saying the planned greenway designed forcyclists and walkerswill enhance Vancouver's international reputation as a tourist destination.

Beginning this fall, the city will hold public consultations for input on the greenway's design.Plans for the new route also include a streetcar.