Burnaby Mountain Gondola | Proposed

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by madog222

The environmental screening review has be added to the project page and has a few bits of fresh information.
Towers will be up to 100m tall, for comparison the Peak 2 Peak’s tallest tower is 65m.
Also, for the report they are assuming standard lattice towers but do state “Innovation in tower design is being considered to minimize at-grade footprint effects.”

https://www.translink.ca/-/media/transli...ndola-environmental-screening-review.pdf

good to see this project keep progressing. such an easy, cheap (relatively) project that should have been done back in 2009. so many benefits.

lets hope it gets funded by that 2025 they note in the report. 3yrs of construction is what theyre expecting it seemed.

would be nice to have Langley SkyTrain, Broadway Subway, SFU Gondola all open by the end of the decade.

UBCx maybe by mid-2030s. probably not.

[chowhou]

It's a little bothersome to me that such a no-brainer project hasn't even gotten to the planning stages yet.

The capital cost is extremely low for a transit project.
The construction process is pretty trivial compared to other transit projects. (Terminal stations + a couple of towers)
BC has probably some of the most experience world-wide building and working with gondolas.
The project will take busses off the road reducing emissions, maintenance, and driver salaries.
The gondola will be able to operate in all conditions as opposed to busses.
It will be a tourist attraction.

But I guess $200m is too much to ask for for all those benefits?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Until 2018, TransLink was up against ex-mayor Derek Corrigan siding with the NIMBYs and questioning the cost-benefit. After 2018, they were up against the NIMBYs directly. They could be shovel ready by 2026.

[CanSpice]

In TransLink's current financial shape, what are the odds that this gets pushed back substantially?

[Metro-One]

Can some crazed billionaire who attended SFU at one point just step up and say, "Fuck it, I'll pay for it, let's get this started today."

Seriously, the endless lack of movement on this most obvious, simplest, most straight forward project is the perfect example of everything wrong with our system.

[Helvetia]

Originally Posted by CanSpice

In TransLink's current financial shape, what are the odds that this gets pushed back substantially?

It's a capital expense, yes, but it would actually save operating funds in the long term compared to running buses IIRC.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by CanSpice

In TransLink's current financial shape, what are the odds that this gets pushed back substantially?

It is a provincial election year. I have a feeling we’ll see a new funding model for Translink promised by the NDP.

[BaddieB]

Gondola to SFU seems like the easiest campaign promise the BCNDP could do.

Although my theory is they're going to announce the North Shore to Metrotown Skytrain instead, on a new second narrows bridge with 3 or 4 car lanes too. A bridge helped them win in 2017 so they might try that strategy again. It just seems like a project that has been long overdue. Same goes for the federal Liberals as they would want to keep their North Shore seats.

And if that project happens, it's going to cost a whole lot more and take funds and attention away from SFU.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by BaddieB

Gondola to SFU seems like the easiest campaign promise the BCNDP could do.

Although my theory is they're going to announce the North Shore to Metrotown Skytrain instead, on a new second narrows bridge with 3 or 4 car lanes too. A bridge helped them win in 2017 so they might try that strategy again. It just seems like a project that has been long overdue. Same goes for the federal Liberals as they would want to keep their North Shore seats.

And if that project happens, it's going to cost a whole lot more and take funds and attention away from SFU.

A firm promise of the Purple Line combined with a new expanded Iron Workers' Memorial Bridge would be nice, but that is far too down the pipeline and in the very early stages of study and far far far too ambitious for this NDP government to be on the table. Honestly, since they took office all they have gotten off the ground is a six station subway extension that wont open until 2027 now and the 8 station Expo Line extension that has yet to officially begin construction, and both were projects long in the the planning before the NDP took power.

At best they will promise the second phase of the Broadway Extension to UBC, which I guess will have an opening date as far away as 2032 at this point, with a vague promise of assessing the Purple Line after that.

Oh, and they will promise the George Massey Tunnel replacement, again, and we are now 2 years after what would have been the completion of the new bridge, interchanges, and centre lane rapid bus system with dedicated free flowing ramps had it not been cancelled.

As for the SFU Gondola, it feels like a carrot that is used every election cycle but is never given firm action. So again, I expect the same.

In short, the full extension to UBC is the only firm promise I'm expecting transit infrastructure wise in the province.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

A firm promise of the Purple Line combined with a new expanded Iron Workers' Memorial Bridge would be nice, but that is far too down the pipeline and in the very early stages of study and far far far too ambitious for this NDP government to be on the table. Honestly, since they took office all they have gotten off the ground is a six station subway extension that wont open until 2027 now and the 8 station Expo Line extension that has yet to officially begin construction, and both were projects long in the the planning before the NDP took power.

At best they will promise the second phase of the Broadway Extension to UBC, which I guess will have an opening date as far away as 2032 at this point, with a vague promise of assessing the Purple Line after that.

Oh, and they will promise the George Massey Tunnel replacement, again, and we are now 2 years after what would have been the completion of the new bridge, interchanges, and centre lane rapid bus system with dedicated free flowing ramps had it not been cancelled.

As for the SFU Gondola, it feels like a carrot that is used every election cycle but is never given firm action. So again, I expect the same.

In short, the full extension to UBC is the only firm promise I'm expecting transit infrastructure wise in the province.

Don't forget all of these projects you mention are contingent on the federal government kicking in their portion of the bill, which for the GMT and the new 10-year transit plan (which includes funding for UBCx and the SFU gondola), hasn't happened yet.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

i wouldnt count on federal funding for projects out west. the federal liberals are going to be concentrating on the east, where they will try to buy seats.

we just dont have enough seats for them to want to try and buy us off, unlike ontario and quebec.

[BaddieB]

Trudeau tried to buy out Surrey and Langley with SLS in 2021. But yes, we get less attention.

[jollyburger]

Burnaby council to sign Burnaby Mountain gondola agreement on transit-oriented development

Burnaby council has endorsed an agreement committing to designating higher density mixed-use areas around the Burnaby Mountain gondola’s two planned terminals at the top and bottom of the mountain.

The “supportive principles agreement” with TransLink and Simon Fraser University allows TransLink to include the gondola project on its initial application for senior government funding, according to a city report presented to council Feb. 25.

The gondola project, part of TransLink’s 10-year priorities plan, remains unfunded. The most recent cost estimate to build the gondola, as of 2020, was $210 million.

The agreement will not be legally binding.

Burnaby’s proposed commitments and intentions are laid out in the report.

Selected city commitments in Burnaby Mountain gondola agreement
Commit to developing both terminals as higher density mixed-use areas in the Official Community Plan (OCP)
Encourage affordable housing in the lower terminal area (at Production Way-University SkyTrain station) and purpose-built rental housing for both terminal areas
Encourage retail and office development including Lake City Business as a preferred location for major business centres and commercial facilities at Brighton Village
Identify opportunities for retail, service, office, residential, research, educational and other compatible uses near the upper terminal
Encourage appropriate types of industrial and mixed employment in the lower terminal area
Consult with other agencies on the managing of the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area for preservation of biodiversity, forest health, tree canopy and wildfire risks

The city's public affairs department told the Burnaby NOW the upper terminal will not be designated as a transit-oriented area within the city's Official Community Plan at this time.

"If provincial regulation requires a TOA (transit-oriented area) designation for the upper terminal, the TOA bylaw and OCP would be amended," Chris Bryan, public affairs manager, said in an emailed statement.

He added the city has no plans to touch the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area.

The agreement will also consider creating a monitoring committee to review the progress of each organization in meeting its commitments, but the committee wouldn’t be formed until after funding and project approval are secured, according to the report.

Similar agreements have been used for other major TransLink projects, including the Surrey-to-Langley SkyTrain and the Broadway Subway.

https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/bu...on-transit-oriented-development-10264854

[officedweller]

Burnaby should extend the catchment area for the Production Way Station
to the single family housing area south of Lougheed Highway.
There's currently very difficult access to the area to the south.

[madog222]

Construction of BMG is to be part of Translink's 2027 Investment Plan which is banking on significantly increased senior government funding.


https://www.translink.ca/-/media/transli...council--public-mtg--oct-2-2025--web.pdf

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by madog222

Construction of BMG is to be part of Translink's 2027 Investment Plan which is banking on significantly increased senior government funding.


https://www.translink.ca/-/media/transli...council--public-mtg--oct-2-2025--web.pdf

Outstanding news!

[jollyburger]

Behind a paywall but says it's the gondola line site at Production Way.

TransLink acquires Vancouver-area flex building for $9.4 million

https://www.costar.com/article/478247204...ouver-area-flex-building-for-9-4-million

[idunno]

Go Gondola Go!

[waves]

Has Translink bought the property at 3290 as well? (the property between the bus loop at 3280)

I had imagined that they would construct the gondola along the alleyway to the east of these properties, but if they need to buy 3280, then that seems like a clear indication they will need to go through those properties.

I now imagine they will need to demolish those buildings. I wonder if perhaps new builds could be built that envelope the gondola similar to the way the VanCity building does for Skytrain at Main St-Science World

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by waves

Has Translink bought the property at 3290 as well? (the property between the bus loop at 3280)

I had imagined that they would construct the gondola along the alleyway to the east of these properties, but if they need to buy 3280, then that seems like a clear indication they will need to go through those properties.

I now imagine they will need to demolish those buildings. I wonder if perhaps new builds could be built that envelope the gondola similar to the way the VanCity building does for Skytrain at Main St-Science World

I can't any find any information on any sale. The two units are stratas.

The stalls in the parking lot facing Production Way is part of 3280 but it seems like a tiny sliver of land around where the stairs are next to the bus loop is part of 3290. I guess they can just expropriate the land.