BC Hydro giving $8M to Vancouver Park Board for downtown substation
The Vancouver Park Board will receive millions of dollars from BC Hydro for allowing construction under a downtown green space.
The park board says it approved a request from the utility to have property rights in part of Nelson Park for its West End substation project. For that approval, BC Hydro is giving the park board $8 million, which it says will be used to improve parks in the neighbourhood.
"Knowing the substation project at the Lord Roberts Annex property adjacent to Nelson Park was moving ahead meant shifting from our more familiar role as those who build and maintain parks and public amenities, to ensuring the least amount of disruption possible to the park," said Donnie Rosa, general manager of the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, in a news release.
"Another aspect of our role in this was to ensure reasonable compensation from BC Hydro on behalf of the park users who will be impacted by this project."
The board calls Nelson Park "critical access to nature" for residents in the West End, adding that 20,000 people live within a 10-minute walk of the park.
Work on the substation is expected to begin as early as 2024 and is estimated to be finished in 2029. Power line construction under the park will happen over the course of one or two winter months, when fewer people are using the green space.
"We're committed to delivering safe and reliable power to our customers in downtown Vancouver," said Chris O'Riley, president and CEO of BC Hydro, in a news release.
"The rights of way access in Nelson Park is an important component for a new underground substation in the West End that will serve the downtown core for generations to come."
The new substation will replace the Dal Grauer substation, which was built more than 70 years ago.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.