Still Creek Enhancement Project - 3003 Grandview Highway

CITY OF VANCOUVER

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

A. THAT Counc

il endorse the plans for enhancing Still Creek at 3003 Grandview and

approve the expenditure of $157,850, with funding of $118,100 from the Still

Creek Greenway Enhancement Fund, $20,000 contribution from the GVRD, a

$10,000 grant from the TD Friends of the Environment, a $7,250 grant from the

Public Conservation Assistance Fund (PCAF), and a $2,500 grant from the Pacific

Salmon Foundation as outlined in this report.

B. THAT a Professional Services Agreement be entered into with Kerr Wood Leidal

Associates Ltd to provide construction management services as detailed in this

report for a fee of $35,700 funded from the Still Creek Greenway Enhancement

Fund, and that the Agreement be in a form which is satisfactory to the Director of

Legal Services and General Manager of Engineering Services.

C. THAT upon approval of the Professional Services Agreement pursuant to

Recommendation B above, the Director of Legal Services and General Manager of

Engineering Services be authorized to execute and deliver same on behalf of City

Council.

D. THAT the Streets Operating Budget for Horticultural Maintenance be increased in

2006, subject to Budget Review, by $2600, without offset.

Report Date: May 9, 2005

Author: H.Weidner/B.Verde

Phone No.: 871.6538/873.7817

RTS No.: 04991

CC File No.: 8008

Meeting Date: May 26, 2005

TO: Standing Committee on Planning and Environment

FROM: Director of City Plans and the General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT: Still Creek Enhancement Project - 3003 Grandview Highway

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A, B, C & D.

2 Still Creek Enhancement Project - 3003 Grandview Highway

COUNCIL POLICY

In July, 1988 Council endorsed Still Creek to be maintained as an open water course, and to

pursue day-lighting, enhancing the Creek, and providing public access to a continuous

pedestrian/bicycle pathway linking Burnaby Lake to the B.C. Parkway at 29

Avenue Station.

In April, 1990, Council adopted the Still Creek CD-1 zoning and guidelines which apply to this

site.

In June 1994, Council approved an Inflow and Infiltration Reduction program in the Still Creek

area to eliminate sewage discharges to the Creek resulting from sanitary and storm sewer

cross-overs.

In May 2000, Council endorsed the draft Brunette Basin Watershed Plan and that it be

considered when carrying out City activities in the Still Creek drainage basin.

In July 2000, Council established the Still Creek/Greenway Enhancement Fund with

contributions from the Vancouver Film Studios for the lease of Cornett Road.

In July 2002, Council adopted the Grandview Boundary Industrial Area Rezoning and

Development Policies and Guidelines which contain specific guidelines to protect and

enhance Still Creek. At that time, Council also adopted the ten year actions and endorsed in

principle the long-term (10 - 50 year) enhancement plan contained in the Still Creek

Rehabilitation and Enhancement Study.

Other relevant policy

In May 1992, the Park Board approved the Vancouver Park Board Management Plan which

identifies Still Creek as a natural feature within the City that should be respected and

enhanced.

SUMMARY AND PURPOSE

This report seeks Council approval to spend $118,100 from the Still Creek/Greenway

Enhancement Fund to enhance and naturalize a portion of Still Creek at 3003 Grandview

Highway (Danier Leather site). The total project cost is $157,850 with the remaining funds to

come from the GVRD and grants from TD Friends of the Environment, the Public Conservation

Assistance Fund and the Pacific Salmon Foundation (see Appendix 1 Budget Summary). This

enhancement project is the first of several improvements recommended in the Still Creek

Enhancement Study (adopted by Council in 2002) as part of a ten year action plan to

revitalize the Creek. If approved by Council, construction of the Danier Leather site

improvement would occur in July 2005 (see Appendix 2).

BACKGROUND

Still Creek is part of the Brunette Basin Watershed and is the last remaining stream in the

urbanized portion of Vancouver not completely buried. Council has a long-standing policy

(1988) to enhance, daylight culverted portions and link the 29

Avenue Skytrain Station to

Burnaby Lake via a Still Creek Greenway. An important step to implementing this policy

occurred in 2000 when Council established the Still Creek/Greenway Enhancement Fund with

annual lease payments from the Vancouver Film Studio (VFS) for a portion of Cornett Road.

3 Still Creek Enhancement Project - 3003 Grandview Highway

This fund is accumulating at a rate of $79,000 per year with a current balance of $344,252.

In 2002, as part of adopting a new plan and rezoning policies for the Grandview Boundary

Industrial Area, Council endorsed the Still Creek Enhancement Plan for the Creek which

included ten year actions estimated to cost $1.2 million and endorsed in principle a long-term

plan (10 to 50 year) which included daylighting culverted sections, and creation of several

wetlands (see Appendix 3). The Danier Leather site project (Figure 1) is one of the 10 year

actions to enhance Still Creek.

Figure 1 – Danier Leather Site Context

N L

GRANDVIEW HIGHWAY

SUPERSTORE

DANIER

LEATHER

IMPROVEMENT SITE

All these actions will soon be supported by a related Still Creek initiative - the Still Creek

Integrated Stormwater Management Plan (ISMP) which will be forwarded to Council later this

year for review and endorsement. This Plan addresses the entire Still Creek Watershed (all

lands in Vancouver and Burnaby draining into the Creek) and identifies public and private

actions to improve stormwater management, recreational opportunities and Creek health.

DISCUSSION

Currently the Creek runs through a straight narrow channel on the Danier site lined with

concrete rip-rap and overgrown blackberry brambles, making the water virtually invisible

from most vantage points. The plan will take advantage of the high-profile Grandview

Highway location to open up the Creek by reshaping and naturalizing the south bank, and

creating a side channel and small planted island. Other improvements will include replacing

non-native blackberries with native vegetation, removing concrete rip-rap and installing

natural gravel, boulders, anchored tree roots and a “green” engineered bank on the north

side. When completed, this 70 metre section of Still Creek will be the first naturalized

4 Still Creek Enhancement Project - 3003 Grandview Highway

section of creek in Vancouver. To enhance public access and understanding of the Creek and

the Enhancement Plan, a public viewing platform with interpretive signage will be provided.

The proposed design has been endorsed by the GVRD staff and area streamkeepers (Still Creek

Stewardship Society). The Department of Oceans and Fisheries (DFO) has approved the plan

and also granted approval to construct the project outside the normal fisheries “window”

which is a 6 week period in August and September. This will allow for reduced construction

costs because of easier access to required contractors in July. The owner of the property has

been involved in the planning of the work and is supportive of the improvement, including

relocation of the Danier Leather sign. He has agreed to provide an expanded Statutory Right

of Way for the entire improvement area south of the Creek to the property line to allow for

construction and access to maintain the Creek area.

The projected cost for the enhancement project (see Appendix 1) is $157,850 including

contingencies of $14,350. The Still Creek/Greenway Enhancement fund will contribute up to $

118,100 of the total cost. As of December 2004, the fund had a balance of $344,252. The

remaining funding will be from the GVRD ($20,000 from the Still Creek Facility Renewal and

Replacement Capital Budget), a grant from TD Friends of the Environment ($10,000), a grant

from the Public Conservation Assistance Fund ($7,250), and a grant from the Pacific Salmon

Foundation ($2,500).

Normally City staff would manage the construction of the work based on the approved plan.

However, in this instance it is recommended that a consultant specialized in managing stream

enhancement work be retained, as there are no City staff with the required expertise. The

design consultant, Kerr, Wood Leidal (KWL) Associates Ltd has provided a detailed

construction plan and budget and has previous experience in supervising and managing

projects of this type for both the City and the GVRD. Given the tight time frame and their

familiarity with this project, the General Manager of Engineering Services recommends hiring

KWL to provide construction management and coordination on behalf of the City for the

estimated $35,700. Similarly, in order to minimize overhead costs, the General Manager of

Engineering Services recommends that the invoicing for works and materials approved by KWL

for this project be directly submitted to the City for payment.

Once the primary construction is complete, native planting by area streamkeepers and other

volunteers, and a public art installation by students from Vancouver Technical School will

occur in the fall. The organization and facilitation of the community volunteer planting

events will be coordinated through Evergreen, a non-profit environmental organization that

assists communities in environmental enhancement projects through their Stewards in the

City program.

While the GVRD will provide the minimal maintenance of the Creek area once plants are

established, watering and removal of blackberry roots is required initially to ensure the new

plantings survive the critical first 2 years. The Engineering Department’s street operating

budget for horticultural maintenance (2006) should be increased by $2600 to address this

need (this will cover the growing season for 2006 and will be reviewed for the 2007 budget).

The remaining improvements, including a viewing platform and interpretive signage to

provide background to the Still Creek Enhancement Plan and public education on Creek

ecology would be constructed in the fall of 2005.

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FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

City staff are available to supervise completion of the enhancement project. The source of

funds will be the Still Creek/Greenways Enhancement Fund (up to $118,100) and grants and

project donations received ($39,750). The total project cost is $157,850. An additional

$2,600 is to be added to the Streets Operating Budget in 2006, subject to Budget Review, for

on-going maintenance.

CONCLUSION

The Still Creek improvement at 3003 Grandview Highway (Danier Site) will be the first project

in implementing the Still Creek Enhancement Plan endorsed by Council in 2002. The project

will be carried out in partnership with the GVRD, local stream-keepers (Still Creek

Stewardship Society) and students and staff at Vancouver Technical School at a total

estimated project cost of $157,850, of which the City’s contribution of up to $118,100 will

come from the Still Creek/Greenways Enhancement fund.

* * * * *

APPENDIX 1

Still Creek Enhancement Project – Budget Summary

Still Creek

Enhancement Fund

Contribution

Other

Contributions

Total Cost

Project Management

Construction planning and

service

$25,700 $10,000

(TD Friends of the

Environment)

$35,700

Project Construction

Materials, equipment,

labour

$56,900 $20,000

(GVRD)

$76,900

Site Restoration

Planting soil, plants etc.

Fence along Creek bank

Danier Sign Relocation

Viewing Platform

Interpretive signage

Public art

$21,150 $9,750

($7250 from Public

Conservation

Assistance Fund

and $2500 from

Pacific Salmon

Foundation)

$30,900

Contingency 10%

$14,350

n/a

$14,350

Total: $118,100 $39,750 $157,850

APPENDIX 2

APPENDIX 3

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APPENDIX 3

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