The Bowen Island Municipality has just gone through an extensive two-year planning process aimed at revitalizing Snug Cove. In one of its last meetings, the previous council reviewed the plans presented by architect James Tuer of JWT Architecture and Planning, narrowed down choices and instructed staff to move forward on costing and policy changes that will benefit the cove. David Wrinch, a previous council member, used one of Tuer's diagrams to produce an additional plan that he presented to council on Monday, January 23.
This plan incorporates the idea of the loop road, Wrinch referred to it as Plan Z. He said, "This plan does not discourage any of the south side development that has been under discussion." Wrinch had prepared a hand-out that summarizes his presentation. It outlines the idea of routing the ferry traffic through Crippen Park, at first parallel to Government Road and then parallel to Miller Road, before connecting with Miller Road. Wrinch calls this four-lane road Government Road North. He also suggests that, for this scheme to work, Miller Road needs to be widened to three lanes for the stretch that runs from Government Road North to Government Road. The flow of traffic coming from the ferry back towards the village would be directed through a roundabout for access to Snug Cove, Valhalla and the west side of the island. A second roundabout, at the bottom of Government Road is proposed to be dedicated to passenger drop off with no vehicle access to the ferry. "Foot passengers are walking across an area that has no ferry traffic at all," Wrinch said.
Wrinch estimates that, in this option, 96 parking spots could find room on Government Road. He said, "Without the ferry traffic, the main street could have parallel parking spots on the north side and diagonal parking on the south side. And we could have a green strip in the middle."
Wrinch also spoke about options for financing. He suggested that BC Ferries would be open to covering the cost for the Government Road North ferry marshalling area. He said, "BC Ferries said that they would pay the cost for marshalling or the lease if they had control over the area."
About the Crippen Park land, Wrinch thinks that Metro Vancouver would agree to trade the land in exchange for rezoning 10 lots. He said, "As to the area north of Government Road and north of the New Government Road, Metro [Vancouver] could leave it as a park or put lots in there. That piece of land could be worth over $3 million. That would be a good source of income for Metro [Vancouver]."
"The heron rookery that we are all concerned about is a good 40 feet further away from the road," Wrinch said. "With the assumption that there is a camera in place, this scheme can handle 150 cars unloading with no interference. The same goes for loading." Wrinch ended his presentation by saying, "I came here when there were 600 people living here and the ferry took 15 cars. Bowen has changed since then but I can't imagine it shrinking."
Rondy Dike spoke during the public comment section. He said, "David [Wrinch]'s proposal solves many of the problems we had in the past." Dike laid out the reasons for creating a loop that connects with Miller Road rather than doubling back to Government Road by citing the distance that is required to load and unload the ferry without interferrence.
In a letter to council, Tuer who completed the Snug Cove Village and Transportation Concepts plan, stated, "If it is seen to be advantageous to study the loop road, my advice would be to put it on the table and cost it out with its benefits and constraints with the other four schemes and let the public weigh in." Tuer also looked at the option with a view of sustainability. He said, "One thing to think about is that the ratio of asphalt to buildings in Snug Cove is currently almost 5:1. A loop road as the first gesture to revitalizing the cove would put that at 7 or 8:1."
Tuer also drew attention to the fact that in his plan "every scheme has allocated two lanes of loading on and off the ferry (the only stipulation BC Ferries has asked for to accommodate a larger ferry)" and that each theme has been vetted and refined by BC Ferries' terminal designers.
Tuer also cautioned that the direction to staff to write policy, research and devise funding mechanisms and cost out the design elements that were embraced by the public, would be on hold by putting another option on the table.
