The DRA Land Use Committee received some initial comments from members and residents specific to the proposed designs put forward by City staff on Saturday June 9, 2012 at the Ocean Point. Below are the comments we will bring forward to City staff:
The proposed South-east Plaza is shown graded from the harbour pathway sloping up aprox. 4m to Wharf St. This will create a “Tunnel” affect between the proposed development and the Bridge approaches effectively eliminating interaction between the building and the Plaza and the street and eliminating much potential for a quality public gathering space. The reason given for this proposed design is for “accessibility” which is also accounted for by elevator within the development proposal. To produce the maximum appeal as a public gathering place this Plaza should match with the developments commercial level and the street. The Harbour pathway can be accessed by an elegant stair which can become a feature.
The trailhead of the multi-use trail on the downtown side needs to be designed to accommodate the flow of bike traffic as it transitions from the trail to the roadways both north and south.
The triangular green space in the middle of the roadways would be a great location for an iconic piece of art. Something large, interactive that is designed and planned for the context of the given space.
The new entrance planned for the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort is unnecessarily large. They currently have a one lane entrance with exiting off the rear of the property. This entrance should be reduced to one lane, creating a more pedestrian-friendly experience in this area and freeing additional land for plaza space.
Johnson Street between Wharf Street and the Bridge are up to 6 lanes wide plus two bike lanes. This is an excessive expanse of asphalt and provides no traffic calming. A traffic island wide enough to support trees should be created (reinstated as earlier plans showed this) between the eastbound and westbound lanes to reduce the expanse of asphalt and provide traffic calming at the Wharf Street intersection. This can be accomplished by shifting the westbound lanes northward into the large traffic island aprox. 3m.
Members have expressed interest in continuing to provide input into the uses and design of plazas and green spaces through a meaningful and collaborative process.
View the Johnson Street Timeline Strategy
Let us know if you have a comment to add. The next public workshop is planned for July.