The District of West Vancouver has begun the process of the Ambleside Local Area Plan. District staff have identified three variations of a plan in order to start community engagement. These three options will help get the ball rolling, conversations started and ideas flowing.
The Ambleside Dundarave Business Improvement Association was invited to meet with District staff to review the concepts. There is certainly something appealing from each of them. Of course, ADBIA is focused on the commercial area and how it will impact businesses. We want to create a vibrant and engaging commercial destination for residents and visitors to Ambleside, with unique shops, services, and restaurants, activated laneways and patio space all with streetscape and beautification top of mind.
The revitalization of Ambleside has been the centre of discussion for almost 77 years. In all, over 30 studies have been completed and a summary of each can be found on the District’s website. Add in the ADBIA’s Imagine Ambleside survey from 2020, and you will find one more to add to the pile. They all have a common thread – vibrant business district, pedestrian friendly, diversity in housing, activated waterfront and maintaining parkland.
The three concepts are unique in their own right and each offers benefits and drawbacks. This is why they are “concepts”, so that staff and the community can work together to create the right vision for Ambleside. A condensed version of each concept follows but the full report explained in detail can be found here.
Concept 1: Frame and Accent
Focus the LAP boundaries in a compact design between 13th and 19th; frame the waterfront and business area between “festival streets” of 14th to 17th and up to Clyde; accent with mixed-use buildings, mid-rise, hotels, office, rentals and senior housing.
Concept 2: Connect and Weave
Follow the creeks that run down into the ocean for a more natural boundary with a north/south activation from the waterfront; mid-rise and townhouses progressively moving up the slope of the land; commercial area would include mixed-use and mid-rise buildings.
Concept 3: Blend and Punctuate
Blend the current and new buildings for a more sawtooth look in building heights; expand the commercial area punctuated throughout the area between 13th and 22nd; additional density to allow for increase in senior housing and apartment infill.
District staff will be engaging with the community through workshops during the months of April and May before reporting back to Council in July. This is an exciting time for Ambleside and the ADBIA looks forward to engaging with Council, District staff, our businesses, and the community as we re-imagine Ambleside.
Maureen O’Brien is the executive-director of the Ambleside Dundarave Business Improvement Association (ADBIA)
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