A big vacant chunk of land sits out behind Pacific Central Station. Standing at the corner of Union and Jackson, looking across Prior along Malkin, the fresh grading looked tidy against the litter and overgrowth along the roadside. Curiosity was rewarded with photographs to share and the web search offered city documents. The development plan for 1000 STATION STREET (PHASE 1) – DE405656 – ZONE I-3 has been in the making since it was reviewed by the Development Permit Board, June 2001.

At the edge of the property from Malkin, is a nicely graffiti-decorated sign that has seen better days. The map shows four segments to the plan, cleverly nicknamed Future Block A, Future Block C, and Future Block D. Interestingly, Phase I is Block B, leaving me to wonder why they didn’t name that segment Block A in the first place. Confusing the enemy?

It would be great to find more detail than what is currently available online. Most of the focus is on the current development phase of Block B, leaving less to the curious to discover about the areas closer to Strathcona. That said, current documents do indicate a number of changes that are supposed to take the impact into consideration with the development of these parcels.

With the four blocks currently slated as high-tech business park – as my cursory read understands – the document also forewarns of the traffic impact on the various existing roadways neighbouring the parcel. Prior Street and Strathcona are mentioned, with the idea of introducing “some flexibility” for the impact of the future. One strategy is to leave a buffer of 7M alongside prior, which will also leave room for a left-hand turn into the park from Prior Street for westbound traffic coming into town.

With the grading farther back along the parcel, I wondered why so much of it has been graded, if there is only work slated for Block B. The web didn’t offer any further insight. With a call to the Project Facilitator at 604-871-6478, as per the signage, I hope to share more with you about the project as it comes available.

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