Conversation continues about development along Cambie Street

The B.C. Catholic



The City of Vancouver has written the archdiocese a letter to allay its concerns about the fate of Holy Name of Jesus Church.

Susan Haid, the assistant director of planning for the city, sent a two-page document to assure the parish the city is not about to uproot its church.

“We understand from our meeting that there are concerns among the Catholic Church and its members about the church-owned sites being included in the Cambie Corridor Phase 3 planning program,” she wrote.

That plan, which outlines housing, transit, and other development projects along Cambie Street from False Creek to the Fraser River, suggests constructing a new SkyTrain station at 33rd Avenue. The church stands on the southwest corner of that intersection.

Hundreds of worried parishioners signed a petition in June, telling city planners they were opposed to building a SkyTrain station or housing on church land or other nearby plots owned by the archdiocese, such as Youville Residence and the old St. Vincent’s Hospital site.

“The Catholic archdiocese’s properties are a place of religious worship … the properties are to remain a centre for care for the elderly and the poor as authorized,” they wrote.

“We vigorously object to any changes to its existing status that run against the Catholic archdiocese’s objectives in the promulgation of its values as a centre for education and community care in the city of Vancouver.”

Archdiocesan representatives then met city officials June 8 to voice these worries. They heard they would receive a “reassurance letter” from the city.

Haid, in the promised letter dated June 20, said the city had heard their concerns.

“We understand from our meeting that the intended role of these sites, under the direction of the Catholic Church, is for church and charitable purposes only.”

She added there is potential to allow 6-storey residential development on part of the Holy Name of Jesus Church site if it ever wanted to look into rezoning. It is currently zoned for church use, child care, community care, offices, classrooms, meeting rooms, and a rectory.

Petitioners also had taken issue with the city labelling archdiocesan properties as “unique sites” in its Cambie Corridor Plan. They argued they should be labelled “Catholic Church sites.”

Father Stanley Galvon, the archbishop’s delegate for infrastructure and property stewardship, explained why this was a problem.

“The designation of ‘unique sites’ was not recognizing the established church character of the site and could be interpreted by some to say that this property was open to sell to some developer.”

In her letter, Haid agreed to remove the label “unique sites.”

“Whatever information comes to me, I pass on to the parish,” Father Lawrence Holland, the pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Church, said. He is not directly involved in dialoguing with city officials.

Father Galvon believes the conversation about development on or near church sites in the Cambie Corridor has only just begun.

“We look forward to more communications with them.”