Directors of the Greater Vancouver Regional District voted
Nov. 28 to approve UBC’s plan for the university’s
main entrance.
Implementation of the plan will include an innovative national
architectural competition, similar to the one that helped
choose Vancouver’s main library, that will broadly engage
the campus community.
"UBC looks forward to working with the Architectural
Institute of British Columbia to ensure that the University
Boulevard design competition meets the standards outlined
in the Rules for the Conduct of Architectural Competitions,"
said Dennis Pavlich, Vice President, External and Legal Affairs.
Key features of the University Boulevard Neighbourhood plan,
one of eight such plans that will comprise a vibrant University
Town surrounding and supporting the academic core, include:
- below-ground transit station beneath a new University
Square, envisioned as a “social heart” for the
campus - university-related shops and services
- university housing
- relocation of Empire Pool to a newly created Athletics
Commons - building height limited to five storeys
The Nov. 28 GVRD vote follows three rounds of consultation
beginning in February, with the plan amended to reflect feedback
after each round. Consultation included 59 meetings with stakeholders,
20 open houses and three campus and community public meetings.
This feedback process will continue when architectural competition
finalists are selected in September 2004 for voting by the
university community before going to the university’s
Board of Governors for November decision.
“Consultation around the University Boulevard Neighbourhood
Plan has been exhaustive and, at times, contentious,”
Pavlich said. “As we start to plan the next major neighbourhood,
for the South Campus, we are committed to working with our
community to plan together from the very beginning of the
process.”
Pavlich explained that planning for the South Campus neighbourhood,
which the university’s Official Community Plan calls
for a mixture of residential, commercial, park and school
use, will not proceed until a consultation plan has been completed.
He said Moodie Consultants Ltd. has been hired to develop
a consultation plan and facilitate consultation.
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