Six-storey structures near the Stanley Park Train and Rose Garden could reach to the treetops
On September 15, 2025 at the Park Board Committee meeting, the City of Vancouver will seek approval from the Park Board commissioners for the Stanley Park Mobility Study. The study lays out six options for the future of Stanley Park, including “time-based vehicle restrictions,” a dedicated bus lane, a dedicated bike lane, and a ban on cars altogether.
The report acknowledges that there is broad public support for car reduction in Stanley Park:
. . . based on historical studies of transportation in Stanley Park, and through past public engagement, it is clear that the public still favours options that reduce private vehicle access and there is significant public support for a car-free vision for the future. (p.83)
The potential move to make Stanley Park car-free has been identified in previous transportation studies and in the dialogue of the community for over five decades. It's something that is often talked about but never realized. (p.83)
Despite such public support, the report is skeptical of car reduction options—in part because of reduced revenue:
Any option that involves reducing vehicle travel significantly, or removing it altogether, scored low on the principles of a connected transportation network and economic vitality. This is because it reduces the number of modes in the park, and because there will be immediate impacts on revenue for the Park Board through the loss of parking revenues (unless revenue is generated in other ways). (p. 29)
The truth is that car-free options in Stanley Park are highly complex and have a long list of challenges and barriers. (p.83)
The report then provides an elaborate set of proposals for two parking garages up to six stories high, which would be built on top of the current service yard and train parking lots on Pipeline Road. (pp. 78-79)
We will be appearing before the Supreme Court of British Columbia in the fall of 2025 to block further logging of Stanley Park. We are in need of financial support for this legal effort. Please contribute.
Donating on this change.org page helps promote the partition, but cannot be used for our legal costs.