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Vancouverites weigh in on plans for new St. Paul’s hospital campus

Massive development slated for 18.4-acre False Creek Flats site
new st. paul's
An open house about the rezoning application for the new St. Paul's Hospital and health care campus was held at Creekside Community Centre Nov. 20. Photo Naoibh O'Connor

Although she has one quibble about the plans, Christina Wolf welcomes the new St. Paul’s hospital and health care campus envisioned for an 18.4-acre False Creek Flats site.

Wolf was among a steady stream of visitors at a Nov. 20 open house at Creekside Community Centre about Providence Health Care's rezoning application for its massive development project that's in the works for property at 1002 Station St. and 250 to 310 Prior St.

It includes the new hospital, health care and research facilities, as well as commercial space, office space, a hotel, institutional space and limited residential uses that provide a variety of health-related support functions. It also features plans for retail and commercial space. Proposed building heights range from 20 to 60 metres. Two childcare facilities are planned, as is a new road network through the site to connect existing adjacent streets.

Wolf been following the project since it was announced in 2015 because it’s in her neighbourhood.

“I fully support the hospital being [where it’s planned]. They’ve been really thoughtful about the space needs they have. They’re planning for the future. I really support the research mandate, and the addition of research buildings, and the existence of housing for residents and people who are visiting for the research mandate,” she said. “But I think the hotel is in the wrong place because it’s right across the street from Portland Housing Society and there’s lots of neighbourhood action there…”

But generally speaking, she thinks the land will be put to “great productive use,” it will generate a lot of jobs, and it’s a huge opportunity for St. Paul’s to advance its leadership in a various areas.

“They try to today, but they’re running out of space [at the Burrard Street site] to manage all of the science that they’re leading on.”

 

Site plan for the project.
Site plan for the project.

 

Paul Dragan stopped by the open house because he’s interested in the creation of the development, how it will connect to the new False Creek North development, and how it relates to the city’s active transportation program with respect to routes for cycling, walking and skateboarding.

“I’m more interested in the mechanics of the plan than I am in the health care part because I’m more interested in how people move around and how they move around with or without their automobile,” he told the Courier.

Dragan thinks the plan looks good and there are lots of options for getting to the site without a car.

“I like the transit connections. The initial plans address pedestrian access, pedestrian mobility and bicycle-type activity, as well as people in wheelchairs and walkers and scooters, which we’re going to see more and more of. From what I see here, it looks like a great plan,” he said. “They put a tremendous amount of thought and effort into how everything is going to connect and it will be exciting to see it go forward.”

 

The rezoning application for 1002 Station St and 250-310 Prior St. is to change the properites from
The rezoning application for 1002 Station St and 250-310 Prior St. is to change the properites from their industrial district designation to allow for a mixed-use development. Rendering IBI Group

 

Zoe Ellerton and her husband Noah Budarf dropped by the open house with their toddler and baby to survey the plans. They live in a condo in the neighbourhood where the development is going in. Ellerton looks forward to having a hospital in the community and thinks it’s a great location considering its proximity to the SkyTrain and downtown area.

“I almost wish it was happening faster,” she said. “It sounds like it won’t be breaking ground for years. I’m not looking forward to the construction and ripping off that Band-Aid [but] it’s an empty lot right now so it’s definitely underutilized. It will be nice to have something practical — something that can really give back to the city.”

However, Ellerton said the neighbourhood is terrible for street parking, so she hopes there will be sufficient parking for hospital staff, visitors and overflow.

John Yee said he thought there were pieces missing in the hospital piece such as emergency power provisions and he’s unsure about how the traffic will work in the area.

“And it seems an odd location with the train tracks and CN adjacent to it. I don’t know how that will work and how it will evolve over time,” he said.

“I like the idea of a hospital there. The existing St. Paul’s is decrepit — it really shouldn’t be there. [I’m happy] something is being done about it.”

Rhonda Lui, Providence Health Care’s associate director for design build, told the Courier the hospital will be built to post-disaster standards and the City of Vancouver also has bylaws that govern a post-disaster facility.

“For all hospitals, we create a redundancy for power. So we’ll have generators on site that look after all the emergency power that we need in a crisis situation,” she said, adding that it shouldn’t be a concern for people. “We will have a full functioning hospital post-disaster. There are many standards that are required for a post-disaster hospital and it includes [standards] for electricity, water, heating and how we maintain all that and keep a functioning hospital going.”

The zoning application must still go before the Urban Design Panel and it’s also subject to city council’s approval.

The current timeline sees the project, if approved, being finished in phases but targets 2024 as the completion date for the hospital.

 

A view of the development project fromPrior Street. Photo Naoibh O'Connor
A view of the development project from Prior Street. Photo Naoibh O'Connor

 

noconnor@vancourier.com

@naoibh