At the end of February 2024, the Renewal Plan was endorsed by City of Vancouver Council, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and Vancouver Public Library Board. The West End Community Centre Association endorsed the plan in November 2023.

Links to the plan

• The community summary of the renewal plan (PDF, 5 MB) includes information about all three phases of engagement.
• The full renewal plan (PDF, 23 MB) includes more detail for each phase of work as well as information about the sequence of development for both the preferred renewal plan and the alternate plans.
• The full renewal plan appendices (PDF, 23 MB) include more details about the three phases of engagement.
• The Council report (PDF, 57 MB) includes the full renewal plan and appendices as well as a summary for City of Vancouver Council.

Summary of the renewal plan

Public input in the renewal plan

Community members have been involved throughout the project.

• In spring 2021, the community was engaged in co-creating the vision and principles for the project.
• In winter 2022, the community was involved in identifying the kinds of spaces and activities they’d like to see in the future West End Community Hub.
• In spring 2023, the community was invited to share feedback on the location of buildings, spaces and activities on the site.

We thank everyone for their participation and input.

Engagement activities

Over 7,000 touchpoints have been recorded in the overall engagement process. Engagement activities and events throughout all phases included:

• Coast Salish Chronicles of the West End (project launch event)
• Visioning workshops
• Open house events at key milestones
• Public surveys and pop-up events
• Focus groups (recreation and ice arena users, arts and culture groups, library users and community organizations serving diverse populations)
• Spaces and activities workshops
• Workshops with secondary school students
• Workshops with elementary and secondary school parents and parent advisory councils (PACs)
• Individual interviews with caregivers, newcomers, Indigenous residents and attendees at Gathering Place Community Centre and the warming centre at West End Community Centre

Outreach

Outreach included:

• Postcards mailed to West End residents
• Posters and leaflets in public spaces    
• Digital ads in The West End Journal and West End Seniors Network
• Social media posts and advertising
• Outreach by partners and key community organizations

Preferred renewal plan: community uses on Denman, education uses on Barclay

In summer 2023, partners reviewed the public engagement findings alongside three site scenarios. Keeping community priorities and feedback top of mind, project partners determined which of the three site layout scenarios they could support moving forward as the recommended renewal plan for the West End Community Hub.

Scenario C from spring 2023 engagement was selected as the preferred direction for the West End Community Hub Renewal Plan due to it being broadly supported by community feedback, complementing other city development initiatives, such as the West End Community Plan, and closely meeting each partner’s objectives and requirements. In this preferred plan, the community centre, library and community plaza are located on Denman Street. The secondary school is located on Barclay Street on the eastern portion of the site. The firehall would be integrated into the community centre building with access to Barclay Street.

Alternate plans

The redevelopment and construction of the renewal plan will take place as funding is secured. Given the different funding sources for project partners, the renewal plan also identifies two alternate scenarios to ensure the plan is a flexible framework that responds to timing and availability of redevelopment funds.

Scenarios A and B from spring 2023 engagement are retained as potential alternate site scenarios that could meet each partner’s objectives and requirements for the sites. While technically feasible, Scenario B is the least supported option by both public and project partners.

What will get built first?

Many community members have asked us what will get built first. This depends on the timing and availability of redevelopment funds from different funding sources.

Preferred renewal plan order

The sequence of steps that would occur for the preferred renewal plan:

1. The preferred renewal plan proposes building the new secondary school first on the eastern part of the site while the existing school remains in service. This will require the removal of the school playing field, sport courts and school surface parking lot to enable construction of the new school in that location. School sport field and outdoor educations spaces are not available during completion of this step.
2. After the new secondary school is complete and operational, the existing school can be removed. The existing community center remains in operational. School sport field and outdoor educations spaces are not available during completion of this step.
3. The existing community centre building would be removed. School sport field and outdoor educations spaces are not available during completion of this step.
4. The new community centre, library, childcare, firehall, ice arena and underground parkade would be built along Denman street. School sport field and outdoor educations spaces are not available during completion of this step.
5. The playing field, sport courts, outdoor education spaces and other exterior landscaped areas would be completed.

More information about phasing for alternate plans can be found on pages 173 to 175 of the renewal plan (PDF, 23 MB).

What’s next?

The Renewal Plan and the West End Community Plan

The West End Community Hub Renewal Plan achieves one of the key 10-year policies set out in the 2013 West End Community Plan to work with on-site partners to develop a renewal and expansion strategy for this site and to explore opportunities to co-locate other community facilities. The community plan also included the goal to renew recreation facilities (including the West End Community Centre and West End Ice Rink) within 30 years, designing those facilities to meet anticipated population growth.

The WECH Renewal Plan is important for project partners to continue to deliver needed amenities and services to a growing community. Project partners will use the WECH Renewal Plan as the basis for renewing and collaboratively transforming the site over the next 15-20 years as funding is secured.

Renewal funding

Work to secure funding for this renewal continues, and construction will not start until funding is secured. Construction will need to be implemented through multiple phases and capital plans, based on funding and renewal priorities.

The Vancouver School District’s Long Range Facilities Plan describes the need for King George Secondary School to be renewed and expanded to address growing student numbers. King George Secondary School is included the district’s annual capital plan to request funding for a future expansion. The proposed expansion is pending approval and funding from the provincial Ministry of Education and Childcare.