Let’s Preserve Vancouver’s Views
Jan 11th, 2010 | By Godfrey von Nostitz-Tait | Category: Features, LocalThis is my 3rd year in Vancouver and I continue to be bowled over whenever I witness the amazing landscapes which frame the city. I took this natural beauty for granted until I was informed that our multiple views of the mountains aren’t there by accident. Our fantastic views onto the Grouse, Cypress and Seymour Mountains are not just there by chance – they are the result of a forward-thinking urban planning policy which protects a whole bunch of “view corridors.” This started with a city planning initiative 30 years ago, when citizens were asked what their top priorities for the city were and preservation of views came out on top.
By the late 1980’s view protection rose on the city’s priority list as anticipated development around downtown south and north False Creek meant that views of the mountains from the waters of False Creek could be permanently compromised or entirely lost. Communities mobilized and progressive individuals in the urban planning office at City Hall took action. After a lot of uphill work, pioneering View Protection Guidelines were issued in 1989 containing 26 protected view corridors.
View Corridors from False Creek
The policy protects views of the North Shore Mountains, the downtown skyline and the waters of False Creek from a number of public view points located along the south shore of False Creek, arterial roadways, and from the Granville and Cambie bridges.
According to the City, “In the intervening 20 years a significant number of new buildings have been added to the downtown skyline. The view corridors have had a visible effect on the site location and design of buildings, resulting in the retention of panoramic and narrow views in and around the downtown area.” Check out this walking map and video to explore the view corridors for yourself.
Today, these views and the policies protecting them are coming under threat. The city is conducting a review of the view corridor policy seeing if “ the Council adopted heights limits and view corridors” could undergo changes “to achieve additional development capacity.” The city claims that, with this study it’s 100% behind “the objective underlying the current height and view corridor policies.” Not exactly – this is just window dressing: the purpose of this “study” is really to see which of our views the city could eliminate, paving the way for more downtown skyscrapers: It will “ determine which views the public values most, and work to preserve those views, while possibly altering others.” How noble. Not only does it look like that the vision of Vancouver’s city’s planners will be eroded, the unique harmony between the city and the mountains could be permanently disrupted. Once a view is gone, it is gone. There is no turning back.
So, I have two simple requests:
1) If you hear from the city and are asked which view you value most, say “All of them”
2) Tell everyone you know that, or don’t for that matter, that Vancouver’s amazing views have been put there by us and that we need to keep them there.
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Do cities like Toronto or Montreal have view corridors as well? Or is this something particular to Vancouver? Great post Godfrey!
They even consider this in midsized German cities, albeit we mostly don’t have the landscape Vancouver does in terms of mountains. But in Solingen, building skyscrapers was expressly forbidden in the 1950ies for exactly these reasons – obstructing vies etc.
But then, Germany is know for its strict construction-regulations.
Keep going – don’t let ‘em take the mountains and the sky from you!
Sorry for the spelling – I guess I need more coffee!
Kurt you’re an asshole. Why wpuld Toronto have view corridors? So we can see the lake better? Pelase don’t rub in how much nicer the natural landscape of Toronto looks compared to Vancouver because we get it. Tdot has other emenities too you know.
- Real Pete
Well, at least you spelled a-hole correctly, Pete. For the record, I don’t think Kurt was going in a negative direction with that question. Which begs another question: what’s got you so edgy and upset about Toronto’s environmental/urban/cultural landscape? Do I see a minor complex developing?
Toronto is great in all the ways Vancouver is not. Just like Vancouver is aesthetically beautiful and not named after a hog. Once we all embrace such things I’m sure the conversation will go much, much more smoothly.
Also, I think you’ve got a strike or two against you, good sir. And we’d hate to block our biggest fan who nobody knows. Keep it classy from now on, or we’ll demote you to “Fake Pete”.
- JCH
That’s an interesting question Kurt. I’m just speculating, but my guess is that Toronto already has natural view corridors due to its grid lay out running down to the lake…Not sure about Montreal – it has a bit of mountain of its own, but likely not something its city planners have deemed worthy of protection. Thanks for the props.
For the record – I love Toronto in some ways as much as I do Vancouver, albeit for entirely opposite reasons. Pete, can’t we all just get along?