A riverfront park slated to house an urban beach and a public art installation has garnered another award bringing the total to nine.
In recent weeks, the city has received two more awards for Westminster Pier Park.
The British Columbia Parks and Recreation Association recently awarded Westminster Pier Park its Parks and Open Spaces Award, which exemplifies the value that recreation services and innovative facilities have on the high quality of life in communities. The award takes into account key design elements such as accessibility, environmental protection and the benefits to the community. It also recognizes the value and need for community engagement to ensure public and stakeholder input and acceptance.
The most recent award for the park comes from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the Canadian Institute of Planners, and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects who named PWL Landscape Architects as the winner of the Civic Design Projects Award for the design of Westminster Pier Park. The Civic Design Projects Award recognizes urban design and architectural excellence within a municipal context. The Urban Design Awards program has been established to recognize individuals, organizations, firms and projects that have contributed to the quality of life in Canadian cities and their sustainability.
“I am very proud of the recognition Westminster Pier Park, the park designers, and our city continue to receive,” said Mayor Wayne Wright in a press release. “The transformation of this previously underutilized area in our downtown to a beautiful and sustainable green space for our community to gather and play is an achievement worth celebrating.”
This is the ninth award Westminster Pier Park has received since the $25.9-million facility opened in June 2012. The park includes pathways, playgrounds, a building that’s home to a concession and a lookout area and other features.
Upcoming additions to the timber wharf section of the park include an urban beach and an area for group fitness activities. Future additions for the timber wharf, which gets its name from the fact that the original timber piles and decking are located on this portion of the park, will include a labyrinth, a small off-leash dog enclosure and enhancements to the volleyball area.
As part of the Vancouver Biennale, a major public art installation is set to be located in Westminster Pier Park. Although the park is currently only accessible by a parking lot located between the park and River Market, construction of a new pedestrian overpass at Fourth Street is underway and expected to be complete in the fall.
