Broadway Plan virtual open house: Emerging policy directions for future of community

A virtual open house for the Broadway Plan was launched online on Tuesday to introduce the emerging policy directions on ways to integrate new housing, jobs and amenities around the Broadway Subway and receive public feedback on them, according to a City of Vancouver press release. 

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 health orders around public gatherings, open house materials and information are available online for the virtual open house at: shapeyourcity.ca/broadway-plan.

The accompanying survey on the emerging directions will be open for input until March 31. Anyone unable to access the online materials or participate in engagement opportunities may contact the Broadway Plan team at broadwayplan@vancouver.ca or phone 3-1-1. 

Open house materials detail the proposed policy directions for land uses, housing, jobs, parks, public spaces and connections and amenities, with an overall focus on how neighbourhoods will grow and manage change. These directions were shaped by the Council-approved Broadway Plan Guiding Principles, what the City has heard from the community and stakeholders so far, and city-wide plans and strategies.

The emerging directions reflect a neighbourhood-based planning approach that recognizes the distinct communities, places, issues, and opportunities in Mount Pleasant, Fairview and Kitsilano.

The virtual open house is part of the latest phase of the Broadway planning program, which began in March 2019. The program will create a comprehensive 30-year plan for the area of Broadway generally located east to west from Clark Drive to Vine Street, and north to south from 1st to 16th Avenues.

The plan will leverage the opportunities created by the Broadway Subway, and address the need for: increased job space; deepening housing affordability and minimizing displacement of existing tenants; new or improved connections; improved parks and public spaces; and new and renewed public amenities.

The work on the Broadway Plan is being developed in coordination with the Vancouver Plan, a strategic city-wide, long-range plan that will guide our city to 2050 and beyond. The Broadway Plan is one of the key building blocks within the Vancouver Plan, and City staff are working collaboratively to ensure that input we receive as part of this process informs the Vancouver Plan and vice versa. 

Public feedback on the emerging policy directions will help staff further shape the directions. Refined directions will be presented in late spring for more public input, which will inform the draft Broadway Plan. The plan is expected to be presented to City Council for consideration before the end of 2021.