Bulldozing on the Arbutus Corridor is expected to resume within days after talks between Canadian Pacific and the City of Vancouver broke down.
Mayor Gregor Robertson said CP walked away from the negotiating table Friday after rejecting multiple offers from the city to purchase the land.
“I’m very, very disappointed to see CP being absolutely inflexible and refusing to make a fair deal on this important corridor,” Robertson said.
“The City of Vancouver will not be railroaded into paying CP too much.”
CP hasn’t publicly stated how much it wants for the corridor, but Robertson said the company is asking for around $100 million.
Robertson said that figure factors in potential development opportunities on the land, but that the city is only interested in using it as a transportation corridor and greenway.
Area residents have tended gardens along the unused 11-kilometre rail line for years, but were handed notices over the summer warning them to remove all property by July 31.
Crews started tearing through community gardens, benches and sheds along the corridor on Aug. 14, but CP agreed to suspend work during negotiations about its future.
After talks failed Friday, CP issued a statement accusing the city of “significantly” undervaluing the property.
“The Arbutus Corridor remains a valuable asset to the railway and as such CP will resume work to return the corridor to operating standards in the coming days,” it said.
