Point Grey residents fuming over city's $6.4M sidewalk expansion - Action News
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Point Grey residents fuming over city's $6.4M sidewalk expansion

Residents along Point Grey Road don't understand why the City of Vancouver has decided to spend $6.4 million to expand the sidewalk in front of their homes by 1.2 metres.

'It's a waste of money. It's $6.4M to widen a sidewalk that is obviously not needed,' says resident

Larry Estrin said the houses from Alma Street to Waterloo Street will be most impacted by the construction. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

Residents along Point Grey Road don't understand why theCity of Vancouver has decided to spend $6.4 million toexpand the sidewalk infront of their homes by 1.2metres.

"If you wantto fix the sidewalk, fix the sidewalk. But to make the sidewalk wider when it is not needed on a street where there are no cars allowed that is insane," said Nelson Skalbania, who has lived on the street for 30 years.

Point Grey Road resident Nelson Skalbania said he would support the city if it was spending money on something that was necessary and beneficial to the community. He believes the sidewalk expansion is neither. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

The pedestrian sidewalk expansion will be taking place at one of the city's wealthiest postal codes. The sidewalk is currently 1.8 metres wide, when the city is finished building it out, itwill be threemetres.

"I think there is a lot of better ways to spend the money. When you look down the street, it is beautiful," saidAllan Jones, who lives in downtown but visits friends in the area frequently.

The road once frequented by up to 10,000 cars a day was turned into a cycling route. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

A few years ago the busy road, which was frequentedby up to 10,000 cars a day,was closed to through traffic making it safer forcyclists.

The city saysit wants to expand the sidewalk to provide a high qualitypedestrianwalkway to connectthe 22-kilometreseawallthat runs through the city'swaterfront from the Convention Centreto Stanley Park through toSpanish Banks, Jericho Beach and UBC.

Allan Jones, who lives in downtown Vancouver, says he doesn't think the city should spend money on one of the municipality's richest postal codes. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

The improvements are all on city-ownedland, but many homeowners have landscapedthe easement.

"The city is destroying all the beautiful landscaping and trees that are on this stretch of road ...That's all going to be gone and replaced by concrete," saidJohnCassils, a resident of the area since 1970.

Even though houses cover most of the stretch of Point Grey Road, there are parks along the way with views of the water. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

While the upset residents understand the land is the city's, they say there is no need to expand the sidewalk because there aren't enough pedestrians frequenting the area.

"It's a waste of money.It's $6.4 million to widen the sidewalk that is obviously not needed today," he said, "Pedestrian [numbers]haven't changed at all. It'smostly local traffic becauseit is a long stretch of road."

Many of the houses have been landscaping on city-owned property for years. The hedges, fences and plants that are on the property will have to be removed. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

LarryEstrin who haslived on Point Grey Road for 54 years agrees.

"I can't see it will ever have that density of use that you would expect to see a 10-foot-sidewalk downtown somewhere, you will never have huge crowds walking inboth directions," he said.

Long-time resident John Cassils said there isn't enough pedestrian traffic on Point Grey Road to justify improving and expanding the sidewalk. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

But the City of Vancouver is confident the pedestrian numbers will grow when the improvements are made.

"The cycling numbers jumped from 600 to over 3,000, and as we do the improvements for pedestrians we expect those numbers to grow dramatically," said Jerry Dobrovolny, general manager with the City of Vancouver's engineering services.

Pedestrian walkway improvements are planned for Point Grey Road. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

"I recognize it is a change for residents on the corridor ... but it is not okay to encroach on city property and just set up shop and build a fence on city property and now it is a situation where the whole city will benefit from the project that widens the sidewalk and takes some of that space back," said Dobrovolny.

Upset residents are holding a rally, Sunday, June 26th.Thecity plans to begin constructionthis summer.

Upset residents will hold a rally, Sunday, June 26 to protest the sidewalk improvements worth $6.4 million. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

Corrections

  • An earlier version of this story said Point Grey road was closed to vehicle traffic. In fact, it was (and is still) closed to through traffic.
    Jun 23, 2016 11:39 AM PT