Shipyards in Vancouver receives international waterfront design award

VANCOUVER: Makeover of the waterfront area in the City of Vancouver in Lower Lonsdale received top honours at the Waterfront Centre’s Excellence on the Waterfront Awards Program. It was the second time in this year that the city’s effort in transforming The Shipyards into a vibrant destination received recognition. Waterfront Awards Program was established in 1987 in the United States of America to recognize top-quality waterfront planning, design, and development work from around the world. In March this year, the city’s work was recognized by the British Columbia Economic Development Association.

In 2009, the Vancouver city council had endorsed the vision to create a highly accessible waterfront that transformed the particular site into a dynamic community amenity and regional tourist attraction, while simultaneously supporting the port industry. Over the past decade, Vancouver worked to transform its waterfront lands into a unique, interactive, year-round public space. Presently, it features restaurants, cafes, shops, and services, two hotels, a community event space, markets, and the region’s largest outdoor skating rink in the winter and a splash park in the summer. The revitalized area had officially opened in July 2019 and has been a hit ever since.