Since taking ownership of the PNE in January 2004, the City of Vancouver had been involved in a Public Consultation Process to define the future of Hastings Park and the PNE.
In December of 2010 a significant milestone was reached in this planning – Vancouver City Council adopted the Hastings Park/PNE Master Plan. The Plan guides the long-range redevelopment of Hastings Park and the PNE.
The Hastings Park of today will be transformed into a greener,
year-round destination for park use that includes Playland, the annual Fair and places for festivals, culture, sport and recreation, leisure and fun. Some of Hastings Park’s diverse range of amenities, open spaces and facilities include:
- Empire Fields – Previously a temporary home to the BC Lions & Vancouver Whitecaps it returned to community sports use in 2012
- Forum, Rollerland and the Garden Auditorium – A collection of Art deco and Art Modern buildings used during the 17 day fair and other activities including Circus West
- Italian gardens – delightful fountains and sculpture garden with a play area
- Momiji gardens – Japanese garden commemorating the WWII detention of Japanese Canadians
- Pacific Coliseum– venue used for city-wide sports, concerts and events, and community & commercial programs. Also was the venue for Short Track Speed Skating and Figure Skating during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games
- Skate Park – three skateboard bowls and a street course
- The Sanctuary – ponds with forested edges, walking path and viewing platforms
The Plan provides for new and renewed facilities for the PNE and an expanded Playland, and will almost triple the amount of park space, currently 27 to an eventual total of 76 acres. The Master Plan is also an opportunity to significantly improve the sustainability and ecological performance of Hastings Park and the PNE, consistent with Vancouver City Council’s Greenest City Action Team priorities. The multi-purpose nature of the Plan reflects the challenging balancing act that the Master Plan achieves:
‘A Fair in a Park’ – a significantly greener and more publicly accessible Hastings Park which renews Vancouver’s historic annual fair and amusement park, while ensuring economic vitality and long-term sustainability.
With the Hastings Park/PNE Master Plan now complete, the focus of work is now on designing the initial park spaces in Hastings Park: Park Greenways, Reinstating Empire Field, the Plateau Sports Park, Creekway Park and a connection to New Brighton Park. These initial park developments focus on community priorities: creating additional park space and improving access to Hastings Park.
For more information on the Hastings Park/PNE Master Plan and to find out more about future public consultation events please visit: http://vancouver.ca/pnepark