From 'crisis' to 'optimism': A host of major changes are in the works for the

east end of False Creek where 2,200 Olympic athletes will be housed
Vancouver Sun
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Page: B2
Section: Westcoast News
Byline: Frances Bula
Column: The Daily Special
Source: Vancouver Sun

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the beating heart of the 2010 Winter Olym-pics in Vancouver.

Here in east False Creek, where we expect the world to arrive in just under five years, we have on our south shore a
dirt-dumping facility, the about-to-fall-down buildings of the city works yard, and a decor best described as "early
abandoned industrial gone to seed."

On the north bank, which 2,200 Olympic athletes living in our village will see every morning, we have an equally
compelling expanse of industrial fill, whose main feature is the large rectangle of asphalt used previously as a
storage space for the Molson Indy -- our own little piece of south-central L.A. right here in Vancouver.

Looks bleak, you say? Well, yes.

But these Cinderellas and their pumpkins are about to be transformed in a fashion that will be startling even for
a-new-building-a-day Vancouver.

In fewer than 1,800 days, this forgotten corner of the city will arrive at the ball decorated with parks, seawalls,
refurbished streets, community centres, boathouses, banners, and a shiny new "green" athlete's village -- an
environmental model of sustainable development -- with a mini-shopping complex attached.

Condos will sprout, new roads will materialize, and by February 2010, the harbour will bustle with water shuttles
carrying thousands of people between the village and the downtown.

All of that will happen at the same time as a raft of city projects surrounding east False Creek also come to a head:
the ambitious Woodward's complex, the Richmond rapid-transit line with a stop at Second Avenue, the Carrall Street
greenway, the plan to introduce more housing into Chinatown, a remake of Second Avenue, so that it becomes part
of a U-shaped "great boulevard" that connects with Pacific, the creation of a new identity for the formerly industrial
False Creek Flats, and the redevelopment of the Plaza of Nations.

The whole image of the downtown's eastern end will change, says the city's director of current planning, Larry
Beasley.

"It will turn from an image of crisis to an image of optimism. And the Woodward's project will be a beacon for that."

But, ironically, the Olympics may actually force some plans for transforming this part of the city's mini-harbour to be
put on hold temporarily, particularly on the north side.

One of the biggest questions is what will happen to the park planned for the northeast corner of False Creek, a park
that Citygate residents have been waiting for with growing impatience over the past several years.

The park board's director for the Stanley district, Jim Lowden, has always had dreams of turning that part of that area
into a unique space for city celebrations and events.

"The city lacks formal celebration sites," says Lowden, who jokes that he's been working on False Creek for 20 years
and he's not going to retire until he sees the park finished. "This area makes a nice amphitheatre for the east end of
the creek -- it's like a giant set of naturalized bleachers."

It could become the home to dragonboat festivals and any number of water-oriented events.

But he says the indications he's had so far from the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee -- Vanoc -- are that it
wants a big, clear space of hard surface. As well, there's been talk of Concord Pacific temporarily relocating its sales
centre to that final piece of its land.

"It's kind of up in the air now. We're all wrestling with how much we can get done, given Vanoc's needs and
Concord's sales needs. Unfortunately, they don't produce a single, clear answer."

That same uncertainty is surrounding the Concord site just east of the Plaza of Nations, which is supposed to see
either a commercial or residential development.

The city's director of real-estate services, Bruce Maitland, said Olympic planners are excited about the idea of being
able to shuttle athletes by ferry to the north side for B.C. Place events and for entertainment in Yaletown.

"If we bring athletes across on a ferry, we would have to have a security zone on the north side," he said. "We would
also need a large area behind B.C. Place for staging and that would have to be secure too. So that area may not be
much more attractive than it is now because of the need for 'back of house' space."

None of that is welcome news to Concord.

"We would like to see those lands developed," says company spokesman Matthew Meehan.

Finally, on the south side, private developers are still in negotiations over what they will be allowed to build -- if
anything -- inside the area defined as the Olympic security zone. Those developers are champing at the bit to get
going on projects that promise to go for prime prices.

Realtor Bob Rennie says that area is going to become the city's new Coal Harbour, with stunning views of the city.
For those who get to build ahead of 2010, it will also provide front-row seats for the Olympic bustle around False
Creek.

Some owners along Second Avenue are free to go ahead. But Olympic planners have set up a 100-metre "security
zone" around the athletes village where they have said no new building can take place. The line means that owners
with property along First are inside the zone.

But while some pieces of the puzzle are uncertain so far, what is guaranteed is that the city's $50-million investment
in this first part of southeast False Creek, along with the Olympic money that will be poured in, will set the stage for
everything that follows.

"Through the village," says Beasley, "you're going to be able to discern the neighbourhood of the future."

fbula@png.canwest.com

BIG CHANGES IN STORE BEFORE OLYMPIC ATHLETES ARRIVE:

The east end of False Creek now described as 'early abandoned industrial gone to seed' is to be transformed in a
way that will be startling even for a-new-building-a-day Vancouver. In less than 1,800 days it will get a shiny new
athletes' village, new roads, parks and condos.

Plaza of Nations

This legacy of Expo 86 is on the brink of a transformation. At recent city meetings, the public called for a waterfront
entertainment complex developed. The private owner would like to build condos around it.

Concord Pacific Commercial Development

At the moment, it's unclear whether the Olympic planning team will ask that to remain empty, for either security
reasons or so it can be used as a holding area for equipment needed at B.C. Place events.

Carrall Street Greenway

This ambitious city project is aimed at transforming Carrall Street into a pedestrian- and bike-friendly street that links
the seawalls on Burrard Inlet and False Creek. It will also be used for street festivals and markets.

Community Centre and Boathouse

This full-sized community centre, destined for the future Southeast False Creek community, will be used during the
Olympics as a gym and potentially a medical clinic.

Creekside Park

This is the last of the parks that Concord Pacific is required to build. Citygate residents are furious that it has been
delayed so long. Concord is saying it wants to go ahead with it, but city officials say that Vanoc has indicated that it
might need that space to be empty and paved, as it is now, for security reasons and to provide storage space for
B.C. Place events.

If it is built in time for 2010, park board manager Jim Lowden envisions it becoming a park that is a setting for water-
oriented festivals and public celebrations because of its natural possibilities to be a kind of amphitheatre on the
water.

Vancouver Sun Walkway lined with park

Most of the parks planned for southeast False Creek won't be built by 2010, because they'll be needed as parking
and supply zones. But the city will build a seawall walkway, with a strip of park alongside, on this shore. (Shown in
red.)

International Zone

Next door to the athletes' village, on the waterfront, will be a mini-plaza where athletes and others with access to the
site can get laundry and drycleaning done, rent videos, buy a coffee, and mingle.

Winter Olympics Athletes Village

The athletes' village will house 2,200 athletes in 600 units, with a $30-million contribution of federal money. After the
Olympics, it will become a mix of market and social housing.

Winter Olympics Transport Mall

Someday, this will be a park, but in 2010, it will be a parking lot and drop-off zone for about 50 buses and 400
smaller vehicles responsible for getting athletes to various events.

Winter Olympics Transport Mall

Someday, this will be a park, but in 2010, it will be a parking lot and drop-off zone for about 50 buses and 400
smaller vehicles responsible for getting athletes to various events.

SALT Building

The environmental group Ecotrust has an ambitious plan to create an eco-centre in this heritage industrial building,
similar to a project the group has in Portland's Pearl District.

New high-end condo towners

Developers are champing to start building in the narrow strip of former industrial land between First and Second. But
some of that falls inside a security zone, so there may be a row of towers along First that are built, but empty and
locked up during the Games. Developers whose properties are south of the alley between First and Second will be
free to go ahead, build and occupy before the Olympics. About eight property owners, five outside the security zone,
three inside, have publicly expressed interest so far in developing immediately.

Olympic Supply Zone

At the moment, it's a lumber storage facility and a collection of decrepit city works buildings. In 2010, it will be the
supply zone, where food and bedding, etc., is stored for the athletes' village. Afterward, housing will be developed.

New School

The city's creative head of real-estate services, Bruce Maitland, is hoping to be able to convince the school board to
build a planned school here in advance of the Olympics that could be used as the athletes' dining hall, with the
Olympic committee contributing the money it would have had to spend to build a temporary hall.

RAV line Second Avenue station (not shown)

The city has offered to put up $29 million to ensure this station gets added to the existing RAV line, to be paid for with
development around it. But by 2010, only the basic station will exist and it will be closed during the Games.

Illustration:
• Map: (See hard copy for map.)

Idnumber: 200506140090
Edition: Final
Story Type: Business; Sports; Column
Note: Ran with fact box "Big Changes in Store Before Olympic Athletes Arrive", which has been appended to the end of the story.
Length: 1740 words
Keywords: OLYMPICS; URBAN DEVELOPMENT; GOVERNMENT SPENDING; BRITISH COLUMBIA
Illustration Type: Map