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Marine Drive, North Vancouver : Can it become pedestrian oriented?

University of British Columbia

Mixed land use policies are being recognized as a way to help ameliorate the ill s of single land use precincts. Policies which perpetuate these precincts are inflexible, unresponsive to change, and are beginning to make North American cities sterile. Further, economic and ecological pressures dictate that we begin to reconfigure urban space. Mixed land uses and compact form must replace segregation and urban sprawl. Mixed commercial and residential, pedestrian-oriented corridors offer one way of dealing with this issue. Mixed use commercial/residential corridors have attracted interest in the Planning field. In the District of North Vancouver Planners and community members wish to explore the possibility of transforming the municipality's Marine Drive corridor into a lively and attractive, pedestrian friendly, mixed-used commercial street. Recent amendments to the Official Community Plan suggest that the corridor is undergoing changes. However, there is a question as to whether or not Marine Drive would make a viable pedestrian-oriented commercial corridor. This thesis investigates potential for pedestrian orientation along Marine Drive. Two of Vancouver's mixed-use commercial corridors were studied in order to discern the ingredients necessary for success. Analysis focuses on history and policy initiatives, as well as current zoning and surrounding developments. Next, Marine Drive is studied. Evidence suggests that attempting to transform Marine Drive into a pedestrian- oriented, lively, mixed commercial and residential corridor is premature, and may be difficult to achieve in the future. General North Shore commercial and geographic characteristics and specific conditions along Marine Drive are not favourable. However, i t may be possible to begin transforming Pemberton Avenue (an important Marine Drive cross street) into a pedestrian-oriented corridor.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-01-17

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/3744

Planning

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace