RENFREW’S Ravine Park’s wildness and steepness had made it one of Vancouver’s less accessible parks … until now.
The Vancouver Park Board’s renewal of Renfrew Community Park and Renfrew Ravine Park will provide easy access to the magical habitat of the ravine and Still Creek, the longest remaining visible creek in Vancouver. In 2012, spawning salmon returned to the creek for the first time in 80 years.
“The $1 million project is a significant achievement for this Board as it reflects many of our core values—biodiversity, accessibility, renewed parks, and arts and culture—as well as neighbourhood priorities,” said Vancouver Park Board Chair Stuart Mackinnon.
Improvements include:
- Staircases with better access to trails
- Accessible walkway into the trail system north of 22nd Avenue
- Bridges across Still Creek
- Dog off-leash park near Renfrew Street and 22nd Avenue
- Fencing and benches
- Enhanced trails and wayfinding
Trail layout was coordinated with members of the Still Arts Moon Society, whose yearly lantern festival is a highly celebrated community event. The Park Board also consulted with Metro Vancouver, which manages the channelized portion of Still Creek in Renfrew Community Park, as well as the culverts.
The six-hectare Renfrew Ravine Park acts primarily as a nature sanctuary with some community art, while the five-hectare Renfrew Community Park houses several community facilities, including a community centre, pool, library, football field, field house, and playground.
The improvements will increase recreational and educational opportunities and enhance the ecology of the ravine, creek and surrounding areas.
A master plan for Renfrew Ravine and the Renfrew Community parks was developed through a comprehensive design and public engagement process. Elements in the master plan will be implemented in phases over time and are based on community priorities.
