Updated: February 27, 2020
Description
UBC upgraded the facilities at Thunderbird Park. The changes included both new facilities and the relocation and improvement to former facilities. A Precinct Plan for Thunderbird Park was prepared to provide design guidance for those changes to the area.
The goals of the Precinct Plan are:
- Provide an environment for high performance programs and teams to excel.
- Provide a world class recreational experience for all users from arrival to departure.
- Provide integration and engagement opportunities with the community (including spectators, visitors, family, community etc).
Public Consultation
The public consultation process was undertaken to share information about the upcoming changes to the area and understand the campus community’s interests in the precinct. Public consultation took place in July 2014 and January 2015 to gather feedback and ideas from students, sports and recreation clubs, faculty, staff, campus residents and alumni.
Project Timeline
- Spring 2014: Initiate design process
- July 2014: Public workshop
- Summer - Fall 2014: Develop draft precinct plan
- January 2015: Public consultation to present Final Draft Plan
July 2014 - Public Workshop: The first session, a public workshop took place on July 10, 2014. Participants discussed a wide variety of topics through breakout group discussions on how the precinct plan goals could be achieved. The key themes discussed during the workshop were:
- Access to the precinct, including adequate parking, pick up/drop off/short term parking, and safe and easy pedestrian access
- Design and amenities for the fieldhouses, including viewing experience, sporting and storage facilities
- Design and programming of the plaza, including that it be centrally located and able to accommodate large groups; include weather protection for year round use
- Other Amenities / User Experience that were discussed include the need for concession stands, additional warm up areas, spectator bench seating with overhead cover and better wayfinding
The outcomes from the workshop were used to inform the development of the draft precinct plan.
The consultation summary report is available below:
January 2015 - Draft Precinct Plan Consultation: Participants provided feedback on a wide range of topics through feedback received at an Open House held on January 28 and through online consultation that ran from January 26 to February 4. Recurring themes from the in person and online feedback can be summarized as follows:
- Improve access to the precinct, including East Mall drop off, parking, pathways and sidewalks
- Ensure the precinct includes high quality amenities, such as bike racks, good lighting and weather protection
Many of the comments received will be addressed in the implementation of the plan.
The consultation summary report is available below:
Next Steps
The various projects within the precinct were approved individually through the development permit process. The public was given opportunity to comment on each of these projects at past development application open houses.
To learn more about Thunderbird Park go to: http://sportfacilities.ubc.ca/thunderbird-park/