A planned 'improvement project' at White Rock's Five Corners that had neighbourhood businesses and residents up in arms last year has been revised by staff.
Gone is the least popular feature 鈥� closure of the south leg of Johnston Road, which would have removed parking and cut off some long-established businesses from vehicle traffic.
Instead 鈥� as explained to council Jan. 27 in a report from city engineering and operations manager Jim Gordon 鈥� the alternative design concept calls for re-landscaping in the area, traffic safety improvements and an option for temporary traffic closure of the area for one-day special events only.
Also gone from the revised project is a proposed public washroom.
A majority of council voted to direct staff to proceed to a preliminary design stage for the alternative concept, which will be brought back to council. Gordon said the intention would be to develop a detailed design that would be subject to further public input, with a 'likely' construction date of 2027.
Gordon said that the original concept designs were developed in alignment with the city's Integrated Transportation and Infrastructure Master Plan (ITAIMP), and at council's direction, staff proceeded with extensive public engagement through the spring and summer of 2024.
"The online survey results were slightly unsupportive of the initial concept design, while the hard-copy results were strongly opposed," he noted.
"We developed an alternative concept listening to the feedback...to reflect the input while still meeting the needs of the ITAIMP traffic improvement."
Gordon said the alternative concept keeps the south leg of Johnston "open for through traffic and the same parking on a regular basis."
"There's an opportunity to be flexible, if there's a one-day event 鈥� and I don't think there's very many. I can think of the Christmas tree lighting, there was a Concert for the Pier there once. In the case of those events we could close the road.
"The focus is on traffic safety improvements at the intersection."
In answer to a comment from Mayor Megan Knight, Gordon confirmed that that the alternative plan would mean Five Corners would not lose any existing parking, and no trees would be taken down.
Speaking to a question from Coun. David Chesney, Gordon said there was $40,000 in the budget for the improvement project, and the preliminary design work would be less than that.
"Watching this scenario unfold, I've come to two conclusions," Chesney remarked.
"The community really doesn't support this, and the businesses in the area certainly don't support it, and I don't believe the majority of council, from the beginning, supported it. I would suggest we pretend this never happened and move on and leave it exactly the way it is.
"I would like to say, though, that the washroom be moved uptown where the foot traffic is far more intense than it is right there."
Coun. Christopher Trevelyan said what he liked best about the updated plan was that it included improvements to traffic safety.
"That Five Corners spot is known to be a bit of a traffic hazard, so I'm really supportive of that 鈥� that's a great start."
In response to Trevelyan's questions, however, Gordon declined to speculate on overall costs for the project as he said the design would be dependent on specific safety features and also input received from council and the public.
"It's important to note that it's not just a beautification project," Coun. Elaine Cheung said.
"There were safety concerns that were brought to the city. A study was done by professionals. I think it's important that we move forward to be a safer city."
Council voted to endorse preliminary design work, with Chesney opposed.
Five Corners Cafe co-owners Catherine, Jessica and Shannon Honeywell, who attended the meeting, said they were pleased that their concerns about closing off traffic to the area 鈥� and their own and neighbouring businesses 鈥� had been heard.
"I don't have any objection to temporary closures for special events or traffic safety improvements," said Catherine Honeywell.
"Although, frankly, I've been at Five Corners most days for years and I can't recall any serious traffic incidents there 鈥� and I would have seen or heard them, or seen the emergency response vehicles."
