Wesbrook Place Neighbourhood Plan Update

Updated: May 28, 2025
A banner for the Wesbrook Amendment project showing four different pictures of buildings within a cutout shape design.

Update

✅ Status: Approved

The final draft of the updated plan was formally adopted by UBC’s Board of Governors in early June 2025, enabling the completion of Wesbrook Place over the next decade, including more UBC housing, new amenities and services to keep pace with growth, open and green spaces, child care, and transportation improvements.  

Learn more about the Wesbrook Place Neighbourhood Plan

Engagement Timeline

October 29th 2024 - November 15th 2024
Phase 1: Preliminary Directions
October 29th 2024 - November 15th 2024

Phase 1: Preliminary Directions

Four preliminary directions were presented to the community for feedback focused on additional housing, parks, retail / amenities, and improved transportation network.

February 4th 2025 - February 26th, 2025
Phase 2: Draft Plan Key Elements
February 4th 2025 - February 26th, 2025

Phase 2: Draft Plan Key Elements

Building on the preliminary directions, key elements of the draft plan were presented to the community for feedback.

March 24th, 2025 - April 6th, 2025
Phase 2b: Full Draft Plan Update for Public Review
March 24th, 2025 - April 6th, 2025

Phase 2b: Full Draft Plan Update for Public Review

A full draft of the plan is available for public comment before being considered by the UBC Board of Governors for approval in June 2025.

April 2025 - June 2025
Phase 3: Refinement of Updates & Approval
April 2025 - June 2025

Phase 3: Refinement of Updates & Approval

Final revisions to the draft updated neighbourhood plan and consideration by the UBC Board of Governors.

What We Heard

The UBC community’s lived experiences and perspectives were essential inputs in the process. The update process included three phases of community engagement. Click on the drop down menus below for a summary of what was heard during engagement. 

  • Support for prioritizing safety (e.g., pedestrian, cycling and driving) and the pedestrian experience (e.g., walkability, minimizing shadows from buildings, wider pathways, engaging ground floors) in the layouts of public spaces.  
  • Strong support for the prioritization of active transportation (e.g. cycling and walking) and support for neighbourhood cycling infrastructure (e.g., bike lanes for all ages and abilities). 
  • Tension between prioritizing wider sidewalks at the expense of road space, and prioritizing roadways at the expense of sidewalks and curbside space.  
  • Concern about parking capacity being insufficient, including street parking and delivery/loading zones. 
  • Concern about essential services (e.g., emergency services, childcare, schools, transit) and the need to work with service providers to ensure they keep pace with growth.  
  • Concern about amenities (e.g., grocery, flex space, community centre space) keeping pace with the growth of the neighbourhood, including some residents feeling these new amenities are needed even without the new population being added in Wesbrook Place South.  
  • Desire for the new grocery store to be affordable, provide an alternative to the existing grocery option, and provide greater diversity to reflect the demographics of the neighbourhood (e.g., an Asian grocery store). Some concern that the proposed space for a grocery store will not be big enough.
  • Interest in spaces that are more responsive to intergenerational needs by providing more spaces targeted to teenagers (e.g., sports courts, later operating hours) and seniors (e.g., wide, flat paths).  
  • Support for community-oriented amenities and “third places” (i.e., public spaces that are not home, school, or work) such as public library, repair spaces, recycling depot, tool-share, workshop, and flex spaces. 

 

  • A range of perspectives included a desire to preserve trees and open space; some indicated a preference for fewer but taller towers to accomplish this.  
  • Concern from residents about maintaining views from existing buildings and public spaces and minimizing shadows on surrounding areas.  
  • Support for towers along the forest edge.  
  • Desire to see courtyards designed for encouraging socialization and community building (e.g., communal BBQ areas).  
  • A diversity of preferences for open spaces and parks, ranging from a desire for more quiet and calm spaces that prioritize passive uses, to those that are lively and dynamic, prioritizing active uses and recreation.  
  • Strong support for the naturalized ecological park, including support for the nature-play area, retention of high-value trees, indigenous planting, maximizing shade, and minimizing concrete.  
  • Support for the proposed sports court as outdoor recreation space for a variety of sports (e.g., pickup basketball) and as a place for community building for all ages.  
  • Support for covered outdoor space, and spaces to hold outdoor events. Process and Engagement  
  • Support for continued community engagement through plan implementation (e.g., community space, active transportation, etc.)  
  • Some concern about the limited scope of choices due to many land use and development parameters already determined through the Campus Vision 2050 and Land Use Plan process.  

Download full Engagement Summary Report (PDF)

To learn more about how UBC is responding to the feedback heard through community engagement, see Appendix B38 of the Engagement Summary Report. 

Engagement Approach  

The engagement process was anchored by C+CP’s Engagement Charter and builds upon the successes of the engagement process for UBC’s Campus Vision 2050. This means providing diverse ways to engage and emphasizing targeted engagement with community groups. Transparency, inclusivity, equity, and flexibility are core principles for the engagement process. 

Documents & Resources

Browse through reports, engagement content, and other materials related to planning process the Wesbrook Neighbourhood Plan Amendment.

Phase 2b Engagement: Draft Update

Phase 2 Engagement: Draft Plan Key Elements

Phase 1 Engagement: Preliminary Directions

Phase 2: Key Elements

Phase 1: Preliminary Directions

Announcement

Terms of Reference

PAC Meeting Minutes

  1. October 17th, 2024
  2. November 7th, 2024
  3. January 23rd, 2025

Wesbrook South support a variety of UBC policies and initiatives including:

Don't see what you're looking for?

For document and data requests, please contact a member of the project team.

What Engagement Looked Like

  • Open House

    Open houses were held at the Wesbrook Community Centre. These public sessions provide the community with an opportunity to learn more about the plan and engage directly with UBC staff to ask questions and provide feedback. 

  • Community Conversation

    Community Conversations were held with Parent Advisory Councils, youth groups, seniors and the newcomers group. The community conversation pictured here took place at Seasons Wesbrook Village Retirement Community. These targeted engagement events provide an opportunity for the community to provide feedback on their unique lived experiences. 

  • Walking Tour

    Walking tours were held during two phases of engagement and provided the community with an opportunity to see how and where the plan will physically shape their neighbourhood. 

  • Workshop

    Two workshops were held during the first phase of engagement, providing the community with an opportunity to provide detailed feedback, ask questions and engage directly with UBC staff. 

Contact Us


Project Lead
Lia Gudaitis
Senior Planner, Major Plans
UBC Campus + Community Planning
lia.gudaitis@ubc.ca
Engagement Lead
Madeleine Zammar
Manager, Engagement
UBC Campus + Community Planning
madeleine.zammar@ubc.ca
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Wesbrook Place
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Wesbrook Place