the richmond
Couple’s choirs join together for Valentine’s Day concert 12
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015
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Kids get creative at Children’s Arts Festival
A consultant has found the addition of a new pool and seniors centre in Minoru Park would lead to a deficit of up to 100 parking stalls.
City eyes parking deficit in Minoru Park Solutions include opening Granville to parking, but one councillor says that’s not the answer by Matthew Hoekstra Staff Reporter Minoru Park will have a parking deficit once a new pool and seniors centre building is complete, according to a new report from city hall. A consultant hired by Richmond found the parking shortage could be as much as 100 stalls. As a solution, Daniel Fung of Bunt and Associates is recommending the city reconfigure existing parking, allow parking on Granville Avenue and add a new lot once the existing pool and seniors centre is flattened. Such moves will allow the city to meet a demand projected at 825 to 860 stalls serving patrons of the new building, along with users of sports fields, tennis courts, ice rinks, the library and the cultural centre. Early parking plans are part of the public realm concept design, which was up for city council’s endorsement late Tues-
day. Completion of a detailed design for the $80-million, 110,000-square-foot facility is scheduled for early this year. The building is scheduled to open in June 2017. Parking on the north side of Granville—a busy thoroughfare complete with bicycle lanes—could open up 40 new parking spaces. Vehicles would park inside the existing bike lane, and bicycles would be rerouted. “As the existing on-street bike lane would be utilized to accommodate the proposed on-street parking, no major reconstruction of existing curbs along Granville Avenue is anticipated,” according to Tuesday’s report from city managers Jim Young and Mike Redpath. Coun. Bill McNulty said parking and access issues—including for emergency vehicles—need to be addressed before construction starts. With the high volume of activities in Minoru Park, parking will be a significant issue, he said. “People are coming to use the whole park. It’s not just the people in that building,” he said. “Parking on any given weekend is already a problem. We can’t minimize the aspect of parking.” McNulty said opening Granville up to parking is not the answer, citing traffic safety concerns while noting no other major road in the area has street parking. See Page 3
Katie Lawrence photo The Children’s Arts Festival drew big crowds to Richmond Cultural Centre on Family Day. This hockey player, one of two stilt-walkers at the event, was just a little bit taller than everyone else. See story, p. 19.
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