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How much density should communities accept? After two years of discussion about EcoDensity in Vancouver communities need to think about what makes them livable.
Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the most “livable cities” in the world, but what makes Vancouver a great place to live and how do we make it better? The acceptance of density by neighborhoods has to make them more affordable, livable and ecologically sustainable. What will make our communities and healthy and happy in the future needs to be understood now and planned for.
Past Planning for Success
Some of the success that Vancouver enjoys today is the result of past planning and policy making. That Vancouver does not sprawl like Toronto is a result of concerted efforts by planners, decision makers and citizens. Vancouver’s compact geographic footprint is one the reasons why the city is so livable. Since Vancouver was able to avoid the inclusion of a freeway through its centre like most North American cities the city has endeavored to plan around people rather than cars. In conjunction with the rejection of the expressway the Provincial legislation of the Agriculture Land Reserve has saved and preserved land for food production and stopped development pressure from moving out from the city. Lastly the Livable Region Plan of encouraging living and working in the same communities and not promoting commuting has enhanced the livability of the whole region (Livable Region Plan). These policies have had the effect of making Vancouver a more compact city and hence more densely populated, but also one where walking, cycling and taking public mass transit become more viable.
How tough is Vancouver density compared to the world?
The most common way to think of density is how many people live in a square kilometer.
On the City Mayors a website which is site dedicated to studying cities,
there is a ranking of the largest 125 cities based on population density (CityMayors). Number one in the ranking is Mumbai, India with a population of 14,350,00 living in an area of 484 sq km., which works out to a density of 29, 650 people per sq km. London is ranked 43 with population of 4,900,00 in area of 1, 623 with a density of 5,100. Surprisingly New York is ranked 114 with a population of 17,800,000 in an area of 8,683 with a density of 2,050 people per sq km. Vancouver is ranked as 123 just above Antwerp and Denver with population of 1,830,00 in an area of 1,120 with a density of 1,650 people. Obviously this must be the Metro Vancouver region and not the city proper. The numbers on the City Mayor's website are old. According to the Metro Vancouver using 2006 census data the population of Metro Vancouver is 2,116,581 which would put our density at 1889 persons per sq km and this would put our ranking at 116 just ahead of Auckland, New Zealand, New Orleans and Copenhagen.
The West End is often spoken of as the most densely populated part of Vancouver and indeed it is. The West End encompasses an area of 1.9 km squared, has 31028 apartments, 44556 and a 23,125 persons per sq km density. In the City Mayors rank of the 125 largest cities by population that would put the West End at 3rd in behind Mumbai, India and Kolkata, India.
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Planning for people not cars.
What are the qualities that make the West End so livable? Christopher Alexander an architect and design theorist coined the term “Qwan” which stands for “quality without a name” as one commentary describe as “…. the ineffable combination of factors that make a neighborhood Pleasant. What is the Qwan for the West End or to try to describe it self-defeating? (QWAN)
One of the critical components to the success of the West End is the densities level in the neighborhood. There is a feeling to the community that is exciting. The streets are busy with people walking. There is relatively good access to transit. OK, the #5 and #6 buses could come more often in the morning and they could be free, but relatively speaking, transportation planning is going in the right direction. The Downtown Transportation Plan has set the priorities of Planning to be in order walking, cycling, public transit, commercial cargo and last privately owned cars. (Downtown Transportation Plan). With this plan Vancouver has taken the brave step of planning for people and not cars. The key factor to the success of the West End is that its density makes walking, cycling and using public mass transit more viable. Residents are located closer to stores and are able to walk to buy their supplies. There are enough folks using transit that works to have more transit thus the waiting times are reduced the experience is more satisfying.
The Multi-modal transportation Future
This is the future: we will all use our car less and use other modes of transportation to a greater extent. Some of the consequences of this new direction for Vancouver will be a radical re-examination of land use policy. The built form of the city will have to change. Pedestrian and cycling infrastructure will need to be better. More of the road space will need to be allocated to public mass transit. Parking space would be better use to improve the pedestrian space and for use for business to have seating outside. In short there is a sea change coming and everyone is going have to adapt.
Density has to land somewhere
Change is inevitable. To try to resist change is a mistake. If change is to be embraced it can be an empowering force and not something to be feared. Should the West End have more density? There can be a strong argument to be made that we should not accept any more density given that we have already accept more than our fair share. Kerrisdale has a density of 2221 people per sq km and Dunbar-Southlands has 2251 people per sq km. Perhaps it is time that some of the development in Vancouver should be in these areas? Perhaps the density that developers are proposing should land where they live. “Density has to land somewhere “, is what planners, developers and politicians from the West Side say. What they really mean is: ” you guys down there in the West End already have that environment of high density living and you are use to, so have some more.” Maybe they are right that the density is what has made the West End so great.
The raison d'etre of the developer is to develop and make money. The raison d'etre of residents is to live the good life, to be healthy and happy. So when change is proposed in the West End it should be evaluated on how it facilitates livability and affordability. Is the development planned for people and not cars? Is it going to add to the affordability of the West End? Is it going to reduce CO2 emissions? Is the development going to facilitate folks using multimodes of transportation? Is it going to reduce the use of privately owned cars and provide space for Co-op Cars? The West End needs to embrace change, but it also needs to ensure that change is going to improve the livability, affordability and ecological sustainability of the community. When theses three areas are covered off we will have a most excellent critical mass of happy and healthy West Enders.