Bute Greenway

North Segment – Eihu Lane to Pender Street

Support for public space expansion to deliver greenway goals

• Greenery is an essential design feature
• Play space should be considered in the design, it is lacking in the area
• Active transportation improvements should connect to the wider network downtown

Keeping vehicle access to residential buildings is key

• Full closure of Bute Street to vehicles could affect access to homes and their parkades.
• Survey comments identified key vehicle access locations.

Need to balance movement needs and opportunities to spend time on the greenway

• Many feel changing how road space is allocated poses more opportunities than downsides.
• Circuitous vehicle routes are a concern for some.

Mid Connection – Nelson Street to Comox Street

A majority of responders support an interim public space block between Henshaw Lane and Comox Street

• Prioritization of walking, biking and rolling is aligned with how people move through this block today.
• Most respondents rarely use this block for driving.
• Residential parkades can be accessed from elsewhere.
• Some skepticism over how successful this additional public space could be if it were closed to vehicle traffic.

Many saw opportunity in a potential interim space

• People identified opportunities for recreation in this space, as well as passing through.
• Most responses on this segment didn’t mention vehicle access. Among those that did (19%), 1 in 3 felt public space expansion could be more ambitious.

Read the executive summary (PDF, 2MB), or full “What we heard” report (PDF, 5.7MB) for more information.

A detailed design for the permanent Bute-Robson Plaza was presented during the second phase of public engagement. The community is excited about the new plaza and the improvements it brings.

Many respondents look forward to spending time in the new, permanent public spaces

• Including to eat and drink, socialize, and rest

The design successfully separates spaces for people to sit and gather, from the paths for people moving through

• This separation helps avoid conflicts and make the space comfortable for everyone

Some worry about how the plaza spaces will be kept clean and welcoming

• Community partners like the Robson Street Business Association (RSBA) can continue to support day-to-day Plaza management. The City can provide additional support to help keep it clean, safe and welcoming.

Read a summary of what we heard about the Bute-Robson Plaza (PDF, 1MB)

View the Construction Design (PDF, 4.7MB)

This second phase of public engagement saw:

• 528 surveys completed (92% of the Phase 1 total)
• 498 visitors at 4 pop-up community events*

During the engagement period, we recorded:

• 2,786 Shape Your City visits
• 5,285 organic social media engagements**
• 34,376 individuals reached via social media advertising

This was achieved by:

• Displaying 30 pole posters along Bute Street and mailing 34,000 West End and downtown homes, to inform residents and passers-by
• Hosting pop-up events at different times, so people could engage when it suited them
• Making paper copies of surveys available at the Coal Harbour Community Centre, Gordon Neighbourhood House and Vancouver Aquatic Centre

*shared with West End Commercial Streets engagement

**includes clicks, likes, comments, or ‘pauses to read’ across all platforms

Thank you to everyone who took part in the second phase of public engagement.

The City of Vancouver is exploring approaches to prioritize Bute Street for walking, cycling, and rolling, with vibrant public spaces for people of all ages and abilities.

As part of this project we are building a permanent Bute-Robson Plaza and enhancing adjacent blocks, including wider sidewalks on Robson Street.

Phase 2 engagement concluded in May 2023.

Thank you to everyone who shared feedback with us. Your feedback will help shape future segments of the greenway.

If you have questions or comments about the future greenway, you can still email us at butegreenway@vancouver.ca.

Next steps

Staff will review the feedback and share learnings from the second phase of engagement with the community. In the next phase, staff will refine and share designs for other selected segments.

The greenway will be implemented in phases, beginning with building a permanent Bute-Robson Plaza and enhancing adjacent blocks in 2024.

The Bute Greenway project complements new community facility and public realm projects, while helping to meet our Climate Emergency Action Plan targets.

In addition, Bute Street has been identified as a key walking, biking and rolling route with additional pedestrian priority measures and public realm improvements in the following documents:

• 2013 West End Community Plan and Public Benefits Strategy
• 2020 Places For People: Downtown Public Space Strategy
• 2018- 2022 Capital Plan

Since Phase 1 engagement concluded in December 2021, we have reviewed the survey responses and Big Ideas as well as feedback received via email.

You can now view our detailed Phase 1 Engagement Summary (External Link) or look at our Engagement Highlights (External Link) for an overview of what we heard.

In 2022, we have been using community feedback to create different design approaches for how a future greenway on Bute St might take shape, and hosting discussions with partners. We are also working on a potential design for a permanent Bute-Robson Plaza, and exploring options for public space improvements on the Bute Greenway at Robson St.

We are aiming to launch a second phase of public engagement in late 2022. Phase 2 will:

• Share refined project goals.
• Review design options for delivering the greenway, showing how we can achieve these goals and the trade-offs associated with different approaches.
• Present the Bute Greenway in different ‘segments’ from shore-to-shore.
• Show a permanent Bute-Robson Plaza design, taking it from conceptual to proposed design.

We expect updated information and an online survey to accompany our Phase 2 launch in late 2022.

Phase 2 gives us a great opportunity to test different ideas and determine design priorities ahead of presenting a ‘preferred design option’ for a future greenway on Bute St in Phase 3. We look forward to hearing from you then.

In summer 2017, the City of Vancouver implemented a trial pavement-to-plaza on Bute Street south of Robson Street, in partnership with the Robson Street Business Association by re-purposing road space. The addition of street furniture such as seating with umbrellas, a piano, playful elements and planters, invited people to stop and stay, which resulted in strong support for the plaza.

In November 2017, with strong community support, Council voted unanimously to approve a permanent plaza and extend the current trial as an interim plaza until a final plaza is designed and constructed.

Public engagements for trial and interim phases of Bute-Robson Plaza include:

• Series of workshops with youth, seniors and key stakeholders to identify opportunities for public space and walking, cycling and rolling improvements along Bute Street.
• Pop-up engagement through Places for People Downtown Strategy to learn what’s working what can be improved at Bute-Robson Plaza and big ideas for Bute Greenway.
• Staff used this input to create draft project goals for Bute Greenway and develop a draft concept for a permanent design of Bute-Robson Plaza.

Over the years, in partnership with the local Business Improvement Association, the City has tested different layouts, measured traffic impacts, observed behavior in the space, and asked for input from community members.

In fall 2021, staff presented a concept design for a permanent Bute-Robson Plaza as part of phase one of Bute Greenway project along with other associated work on adjacent blocks of the plaza. Since then, staff have been refining the design with the Robson Street Business Association, adjacent businesses and residents.

In spring 2023, as part of Bute Greenway phase 2, staff are sharing final designs for a permanent Bute-Robson Plaza and associated work which includes widening sidewalks on adjacent blocks of Robson Street and linking the plaza with the existing Bute-Haro mini-park towards the south.

Construction on the permanent plaza is scheduled to begin in 2024 and will include widened sidewalks along Robson Street and a connection to the existing Bute-Haro mini park to the south.

This project is supported by the Transportation 2040 Plan, West End Community Plan, 2019-2022 Capital Plan, and Places for People Downtown Strategy, all of which encourage the creation of public plazas and gathering spaces across Vancouver.