Jim Pattison’s former West Van home to be removed for waterfront space

The District of West Vancouver will remove Jim Pattison’s former home at 1448 Argyle Avenue to create more park space and enhance public access to the waterfront, it said in a press release.

Since the mid-1950s, the District of West Vancouver has committed to establishing open park spaces and facilitating public access to the waterfront, the press release states. Over the years, the District has acquired and cleared cottages and houses to pave the way for the creation of Ambleside Park. In the 1970s, it turned its attention to buying properties along Argyle Avenue, a crucial component of the long-term vision for the waterfront.

The Council’s endorsement of the Ambleside Waterfront Concept Plan in 2016 was another major step. The plan, designed to unfold in phases over several years, envisions more green spaces, public waterfront access, multi-use plazas, and improvements to community facilities. The removal of the house at 1448 Argyle Avenue to make way for Brissenden Waterfront Park is part of this plan.

Last year, the District purchased the property at 1448 Argyle Avenue.  Upon completion, the continuous green space and dedicated park extending from Ambleside Park to John Lawson Park will redefine the waterfront experience, the District noted. The parks will offer public access to the ocean, expansive green spaces, opportunities for heritage and cultural activities, festivals, garden plots, and a continuous foreshore path accessible to all, including those with mobility challenges.

The new green space from removing the house at 1448 Argyle Avenue is expected to open to the public by late spring 2024.

“When complete, the waterfront parks from Ambleside to John Lawson will provide public access to the ocean, green space, heritage, cultural activities and festivals, garden plots, and a continuous foreshore path accessible for everyone, including people with mobility challenges,” District added.