A campus resident has taken the initiative to address traffic issues in an area of Wesbrook that often sees friction between pedestrians and motorists.
Ian Carter, a retired architect who has lived in the university neighbourhoods for nearly a decade, presented his idea to revamp the main parking lot in Wesbrook Village to the UNA board last fall.
The parking lot, which fronts Save-on Foods, Shoppers Drug Mart, and the Wesbrook Community Centre, has been described by residents and campus officials as problematic due to the number of vehicles that often circle the lot while searching for a parking spot, all while pedestrians and cyclists move throughout the same area.
“It’s not dangerous, but it’s not very welcoming out there,” Carter told The Campus Resident.
During the presentation to the UNA board, Carter provided an artistic rendering of his idea to transform the lot into a public space he called Wesbrook Plaza.
The idea revolves around the removal of almost all parking from the existing lot, which would force drivers to use the currently underutilized underground parking garage.
Instead of parking, Carter envisions a public square with permanent and removable seating, tables, a splash pad for children, and trellises along its edges.
It was the pace of development on campus that prompted him to develop the plan and share it with the UNA. “In nine years, there has been tremendous change; a change in the number of people, a change in the number of cars, of vehicles, not just cars. And there seems to be more anger out there, with people getting upset because they can’t find a parking space.”
“I do have a real concern as to how this is going to develop over the years,” said Carter, who is also a member of UBC’s Development Permit Board, which reviews and approves developments proposals in the university neighbourhoods.
Under his plan, there would be designated parking spots at ground level for disabled people and families with small children, while the existing underground lot would provide ample parking for everyone else. Carter says he uses the underground lot on occasion and “when I do use it, I’m astounded to find that basically, it might be 30 per cent full.”
While he hasn’t received formal feedback, Carter said he would like to see planners move forward with his idea, refine it through further traffic studies, and eventually implement a plan that will remedy problems with the area.
Additionally, he said his plan could also play a role in addressing the broader issue of traffic safety in campus neighbourhoods, particularly after recent incidents, including one last September where a senior was knocked off a wheelchair in a hit-and-run collision.
“You just want something to happen that makes this place to have a more community feel and be safer for families and where families can in fact gather,” Carter said.
Richard Watson, the UNA board chair at the time of Carter’s presentation, said the idea was received with “great interest.”
“We all recognize there is a problem with the amount of vehicle activity in the area and are very concerned about how it might get worse with the increased growth,” he said.
Watson said several factors must be considered before any redevelopment, including addressing the need for some surface-level parking, the needs of community members who use the area as a drop-off and pickup point for University Hill Secondary School, and maintaining access for delivery and service vehicles. “If these needs can be adequately addressed, transforming the space into an open community space or pedestrian plaza is very appealing.”
Carter’s proposal can be “a good reference point” for future board discussions and UNA interactions with UBC’s campus community and planning unit, Watson said. “It would go a long way in making our community more attractive and livable.”
EMMANUEL SAMOGLOU IS THE MANAGING EDITOR OF THE CAMPUS RESIDENT.