Councillor proposes an East Van Greenway

As Vancouver moves forward with the Arbutus Greenway expansion, one city councillor is pushing for a similar East Vancouver plan.

Andrea Reimer has put forward a motion calling for a greenway in the city’s northeast quadrant, which stretches from Main Street to Boundary Road, and Grandview Highway to Burrard Inlet.

Reimer says most of the city’s green spaces are on the west side — for example the massive Arbutus Greenway, also on council’s Wednesday agenda. Council will vote on the design vision for the Arbutus Greenway, a nine-kilometre green space that links False Creek to the Fraser River.

Reimer, who is not seeking another council term, told Postmedia News she’s been hoping for years for the city to build an East Van City Greenway.

They are the ones who would most benefit from a greenway.” Councillor Andrea Reimer

East Vancouver has the city’s lowest per-capita incomes and highest number of renters. Both demographics are least likely to have access to private green space and most likely to use public transportation, said Reimer.

“They are the ones who would most benefit from a greenway and so I just wanted to make sure that got on the agenda,” she said.

The motion notes that while strides have been made in improving Vancouver’s greenway network, including filling the Kits beach to Jericho park gap and adding four new greenways, there are still none in the northeast.

Reimer also said the region has the least percentage of tree canopy at almost half that of the city-wide average, and has fewer plazas, parks, and neighbourhood public spaces than other parts of the city.

The city created a greenway program in 1995, and defines them as linear public corridors for pedestrians and cyclists that connect parks, nature reserves, cultural features, historic sites, neighbourhoods and retail areas.

The motion asks council to support an East Van City Greenway in the northeast quadrant as a priority in the greenway program and that the funding for all or part of it be considered in the city’s 2019-2022 capital plan.

The motion goes to council on Monday.