As instructed by and taking direction from Council, Engineering Services and Real Estate Services staff have reviewed this situation and agree there is a City obligation to provide for ongoing street access to the 2600-block Vanness Avenue. Staff did not favour this alternative due to its cost and the impact on existing commercial establishments. Staff favoured this alternative due to its lower cost and lesser disruption. Based on the foregoing, staff recommend that Lots 8 and 9 on the 4200-block Penticton Street, east side, be retained in the Property Endowment Fund and reserved for road purposes. In short, while the staff recommendation commits the site to potential roadway use, it also maintains beneficial use of the site in the short-term for informal park and children's play area and it preserves some future options for the balance of the site which would not be used for a roadway.
Staff also wish to note that there are several trees on the site.
As these grow and become more mature, they could be jeopardized be the construction of a roadway. It might be desirable that the potentially affected trees be relocated to facilitate later roadway construction. Engineering staff will investigate this matter further.