The city council discussed the funding and prioritization of multi-use transportation trails, particularly focusing on the Old Evergreen Highway pathway segments that currently sit on the unfunded list of the Transportation Improvement Program. Staff explained that while the Parks department manages recreational trails, transportation trails rely heavily on competitive grants that prioritize projects based on crash history, equity metrics, and proximity to destinations like schools. Consequently, the council explored opportunities to partner with local community groups, such as the Old Evergreen Historic Trail Association, to help secure alternative funding to advance these pathway improvements.
Forests_green_space
Vancouver City Council · Jun 15, 2026 · 54:18–54:36 · Watch on CVTV ↗
Keywords: parks trails
What was said
53:17 I can't speak for how parks funds their trails. I'm not knowledgeable on that. As for like multi-use transportation trails, they are often funded through grants and we provide a match that is coming out of our TBD budget. Sidewalks are primarily built through development. So when people come in and get a permit for a new construction or change of use, we have frontage improvements that we require or they pay into a fund and we use that to build sidewalks. We do have a small sidewalk fund that is in the transportation improvement program. You'll see it as one of the categories. It primarily fills in small gaps in sidewalks, from what I understand. So it can fill in maybe up to a half mile per year, but those sidewalks are generally built
54:15 by developers and property owners. And so the trails, I think of the trails more like, if it's a multi-use path like on Southeast First Street, that's gonna come out of partially our capital budget. But if it's an off-street trail that's for transportation, then we do have various grants that we apply for and I presume parks does as well. But again, I'm not knowledgeable on how parks funds their trails. And thank you for that distinguishing point 'cause this old Evergreen Highway is not a park. It's a street. So thank you for correcting my use of the term trails. But let's go to Southeast First Street. Did we do that all on our own or were there grants involved in Southeast First Street? Stump the jock.
55:14 - I wish I had a Public Works counterpart here with me to answer that. I don't know if that was all on our own or not. - That's fine, thank you. I think there was some grant funding that came into play. So even when we have a street project, I think we still are relying on some grant funding
Evidence (1 match)
direct keyword 54:18–54:36 parks, trails
f the categories. It primarily fills in small gaps in sidewalks, from what I understand. So it can fill in maybe up to a half mile per year, but those sidewalks are generally built by developers and property owners. And so the trails, I think of the trails more like, if it's a multi-use path like on Southeast First Street, that's gonna come out of partially our capital budget. But if it's an off-street trail that's for transportation, then we do have various grants that we apply for and I presum