City Unveils Richmond Oval Precinct Site Preparation Plan
July 21, 2005
The Richmond Oval Precinct Site Preparation Plan will be discussed at a Public Open House to be held at Richmond City Hall on Wednesday, July 27, 2005.
The next phase of the site preparation for the Richmond Oval will begin on August 1, 2005. This phase will include clearing and levelling necessary to allow preloading of the Oval building site.
Site clearing will occur in three stages. Initial clearing will begin on August 1, 2005. The first phase will include clearing of the actual Oval building site and some immediate surrounding area where construction activity will occur. Clearing will include the transplanting of some trees now located on the property, as well as removal of other trees not suitable for transplanting. This will allow the City to commence with preloading of the building site in mid-August.
The second phase of clearing will occur in late November, 2005, and will include the area immediately adjacent to River Road. This will allow the City to proceed with preloading in support of construction of a new waterfront plaza and park and proceed with the realignment of River Road between No. 2 Road and Hollybridge Way.
The final phase will be clearance of the remaining westerly portion of the Oval site, which is slated for future development. A schedule for this phase has not yet been determined.
Interested members of the public are invited to a learn more about the plan by attending the Public Open House from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 at Richmond City Hall, 6911 No. 3 Road.
The City has had the flora and fauna on the site assessed by a wildlife biologist and an arborist. Based on these assessments, the City has made a number of commitments through the Canadian Environmental Assessment process to minimize and/or mitigate the environmental impact of the site clearing and development, including:
- No trees will be removed unless necessary. Existing vegetation will also be retained where possible, particularly in foreshore areas along the river and canal
- Trees designated for removal will be considered for relocation. Where possible, relocation will be scheduled at optimal times for survival. The City has committed to transplanting at least 36 trees from the site to local parks or other City property
- Extensive tree planting will be conducted on and off the Oval site, as well as in the City nursery, to compensate for any tree loss. Plantings will range from seedlings to significantly mature trees, representing both indigenous species and to replace historically significant trees from the Oval site. Plantings will meet or exceed the City’s general standard of planting two trees to replace any tree it removes
- A landscape plan is being developed for the Oval site, which will include a significant amount of new tree plantings once construction is complete. The landscape plan will also maximize the use of native vegetation and ecological plantings and minimize the potential for introduction of invasive species
- Staff will take cuttings from designated Oval trees to maintain the genus of hereditary and historically significant trees. Some tree cuttings have already been replanted
- Suitable wood generated from tree removal will be used in the construction process and/or provided to community artisans and craftspersons to produce public amenities/artworks for community use or to be milled for similar or other applications
- Tree management will be in keeping with Olympic sustainability values and in keeping with the Sustainability Management System established by VANOC
Once site preparation and preloading is completed, actual construction of the Oval building is scheduled to begin in May, 2006.
Scheduled to open in 2008, the Richmond Oval will be home of the long track speed skating venue for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Post-Games, the Oval will become BC’s premier multi-purpose sports, recreation and community facility. The project also includes creation of a major new City Centre park and plaza surrounding the Oval and a new City Centre neighborhood along the banks of the Fraser River.
For more information on the Richmond Oval project visit the City’s website at www.richmond.ca or call 604-276-4399.
