The Vancouver Courier published pictures of the initial garden clearance which you can view here. While ongoing, the timeline for the removal of specific community gardens at other sites is unclear.

Our experience is captured in a blog article written before the community garden clearances started, and highlights the optimism the corridor provoked in many of us just over a week ago. Even now after over a week of clearances, parts of the central and northern parts of the corridor remain as we found it, but we have no idea for how much longer. Gardeners along the entire route are scrambling to mitigate the damage to gardens and orchards by removing what they can.

Meanwhile, the City of Vancouver and CP Rail seem to be at loggerheads over the possibility of a land sale. At this point, there appears to be a sizeable difference in the valuation of the land. As well, it can be expected that any discussions around the purchase of this railway line/greenspace will continue to have an added pre-election political dimension.

An industrial part of the Arbutus line – near Granville Island. Photo: Neal Jennings

The most striking and heartwarming sights were the lovingly kept community gardens, which on our August amble were sprouting ample crops of vegetables, herbs, and flowers. The largest collection of community gardens were parallel to 6th Avenue, between 50th-57th, around 65th-68th, and to the south of Marine Drive [which was the area cleared by CP on Thursday 14th August 2014]. There were barbeques, greenhouses, water buckets, bee hives, planted toilets, and picnic benches, together highlighting decades of maintenance, improvement, care, and community growth.

One of the many community gardens along the Arbutus Corridor. Photo: Neal Jennings

There was also ample evidence of CP Railway’s threat to run freight trains on the corridor again, with warning signs on top of tall posts, and warning notices attached to individual plots at ground level. Most of the gardens were at a distance from the tracks, though some closer gardens had orange lines boldly sprayed over their green leaves and planting bags. There were also sprayed spots on sunken sleepers, and cut back brambles strewn across the way at the far south of the route, suggesting some initial surveying by CP had begun.

CP Rail’s orange spray paint line. Photo: Neal Jennings

However with many more overgrown brambles, some rotting rail sleepers, and partially cemented tracks at crossings, there would be a lot more maintenance needed before freight trains could return to these tracks. Without an obvious nearby industrial or commercial customer, it is also unclear how any maintenance investment could be financially viable for CP.

Similar investment would be required to accommodate a cycling and a walking trail accessible to everyone, not just hardy ambles like us who were undeterred by a fair number of shin scratches. At a minimum bramble and sleeper removal, and marked crosswalks for at least the busiest streets would be a required. Planting barren segments that were little more than parched roadside verges, could also add appeal, and some much needed shade too.

Walking the line. Photo: Neal Jennings

A notable tree lined section was as we wound our way along the ridge, between King Edward and 37th Avenues. Equally pleasant here was the almost unnoticeable incline of the trail, while steep cliffs emerged above, and panoramic views appeared below. In this particular section at least, it was easy to imagine cyclists being highly appreciative of these slight gradients, especially when considering existing routes. A walking and cycling route here could also connect Quilchena Park to Point Grey Secondary School and Kerrisdale Town Centre, so could be well used.

Along the ridge. Photo: Neal Jennings

The very same ridge would make a slower and windier transit route than the current Arbutus bus route, and the buses that did pass us on a summer Saturday were far from full. However in the long term, the City of Vancouver envisions light rail rapid transit returning to the corridor, for the first time since the 1950s when the interurban trams were discontinued. Today the proliferation of multimillion dollar single family homes lining the route, suggests there will not be a high enough population density to support such a transit route any time soon.

A community garden and neighbourhood gathering space. Photo: Neal Jennings

Perhaps one day this diverse corridor can serve a single purpose again, whether as a freight or transit corridor, or a walking and cycling trail. In the mean time it seems people and communities will continue to make the corridor work for them, dividing it up into a patchwork of uses that already makes for an enjoyable urban hike. On our amble we saw gardeners, sun worshipers, berry pickers, joggers, families and young children cycling, all enjoying a succession of enheralded public spaces. Ideally it would be great to see these activities continue, and further encouraged, while also improving access for a greater number of people too.

Scarecrow and eviction notice. Photo: Neal Jennings

We live in a small space just shy of 700 sq feet for the three of us so we spend a lot of time out of the home as a necessity. Adjacent to our new home are the abandoned Canadian Pacific Railway rail tracks along West 6th Avenue. Much of the corridor nearby has been transformed into vibrant gardens where hundreds of people stroll through and enjoy with their friends or pets each day.

Arbutus Corridor photo by adamdoneill

Unfortunately, there weren’t any available spaces in the existing gardens close by for us to jump in and get gardening. High in demand and with limited space, this growing and increasingly densifying neighbourhood has few options for fellow apartment dwellers to get a little dirty and try to grow their own food. On my frequent walks down the tracks, I met some like minded folks in the neighbourhood and we quickly transformed a piece of the blackberry, weed choked and garbage strewn land that remained into one of the city’s first community orchards. Over the next several years we literally built community through the continued development of our community garden space.

Arbutus Corridor photo by adamdoneill

It’s been a remarkable experiment in local social capital development as people have shared their garden ideas, lessons and experience and offered others a chance to try their luck at gardening. In our particular garden we have a diverse group of folks, which keeps it interesting and accessible. There is now a varied group of people who contribute to maintaining the lands as an attractive and welcoming community amenity. Local service groups use some of the garden space for therapy or skills development. These service groups offer members with mental health issues a chance to garden with other community members, or teach others to grow herbs for cooking classes. I’ve met grandparents who bring their grandchildren to the garden to pass on their garden knowledge in Italian or Cantonese, new parents who show their toddlers where their food comes from and students having fun with their first garden experience.

Pretty much every visit I make to the garden I am reminded on how fortunate we are to have such a place when people passing by comment on how much they appreciate the gardens.

Canadian Pacific Railway has recently posted notices and no trespassing signs next to the gardens. The Railway claims they are considering “regular rail operations” on the overgrown and rotten rail tracks. The railway wants us (and you) to stay off the abandoned property and remove the verdant trees, shrubs and flowers by July 31st, 2014. It is hard to conceive that there is any viable place to transport goods along this corridor. We’re also a little surprised that after 14 years of no activity or sign of rail work that Canadian Pacific Railway needs to resume in the middle of the summer with the gardens in full bloom.

Arbutus Corridor photo by adamdoneill

Garden Gathering on July 26

There will be a gathering on Saturday, July 26th/2014 (11-5) in the gardens along the tracks between Fir and Maple. Local gardeners will be offering tours and speaking about their gardens; some of who have been gardening here close to 25 years. This may be your last chance to enjoy this much loved community space.

What you can do

If you like what you see I encourage you to write to both Canadian Pacific Railway and Vancouver City Council to preserve this important community space.

- Adam Vasilevich, VPSN Member and Gardener

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Also, on August 9

VPSN is planning on hosting an ‘communal cross-town stroll’ along the entire route, from Granville Island to Marpole, to enjoy the beautiful gardens and pocket greenspaces that have been nurtured next to the tracks, and to explore the diversity of verdant neighbourhoods that the Arbutus Corridor passes through. We’ll also be on the look-out for what changes CP has made to the gardens since the July 31 deadline. Stay tuned for more details on this important corridor in the Arbutus neighbourhood.