Aerial view of the West End and shoreline

Park Board and City invite public to help imagine the future of the West End waterfront

April 20 2023 –

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and the City of Vancouver are inviting the public to have their say on draft approaches for a 30-year vision for the West End’s waterfront parks, beaches, facilities, and surrounding transportation network.

The previous phase of engagement, in fall 2021, asked the public to share how they use and experience the West End waterfront, their vision for the area, and challenges and opportunities that could be addressed through the planning process. 

This round of engagement invites feedback on draft design approaches and ideas that could help the waterfront withstand impacts of climate change, move people efficiently and comfortably to and through the area, and enhance people’s experiences of this beloved public space. 

Feedback will help shape a preferred design concept, which will be shared in a future round of engagement later this year. A final plan is expected to go to the Park Board and City Council for approval in winter 2024.

Opportunities to get involved

About the West End Waterfront Plan

The West End Waterfront Plan is focused on the area commonly known as English Bay, Sunset Beach Park, Alexandra Park, Morton Park, and Beach Avenue. The project area stretches from the Burrard Street Bridge up to, but not including, Stanley Park.

The West End Community Plan identified the need for long-term improvements to the West End’s transportation system, parks, and public spaces to support substantial population growth and increased tourism in the area. This increased demand, along with climate change and an aging infrastructure, will put pressure on the parks’ amenities and the seawall, including the popular Seaside Greenway pathway.

This shoreline is a place of great cultural, spiritual and ecological significance to the local Nations - xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish Nation) and sə̓lílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). It has always been the unceded, traditional and ancestral lands and waters of Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh. 

Consultation with the local Nations as rights holders in these unceded lands and waters, and participation of urban Indigenous residents, will guide how the future West End waterfront could support visibility and cultural access. The project planning process will uphold and build on the many Reconciliation commitments made by the Vancouver Park Board and City of Vancouver. 

The future of the West End waterfront is in our hands and something we can create together. We want to understand how the draft design approaches and ideas can work together, what needs to be considered as we refine them, and how we can create a vibrant and welcoming waterfront that can be used by all.