Compact Communities Archives

Maple Ridge

The District of Maple Ridge is the first Smart Growth on the Ground community. Throughout the SGOG process, the citizens of Maple Ridge expressed pride in the compact, walkable nature of their historic downtown. Workshop participants also consistently called for increased residential density in their downtown, recognizing that more residents would increase the vitality of the area, support transit and local businesses, and reduce development pressures in outlying areas.

More information on the SGOG process in Maple Ridge can be found on the SGOG website.

Capers Mixed Use Development - Kitsilano, Vancouver

A successful infill project is the Caper’s mixed-use development on a block of Fourth Avenue in the Kitsilano area of Vancouver. Originally a car dealership, the block was redeveloped in the early 1990s into an attractive, well-insulated building heated by an underground heat pump and heat exchangers that transfer hot and cold air (as needed) between the building’s commercial and residential spaces.

The building features 78 desirable condominium units and 75,000 square feet (gross) of commercial space, divided between office on the upper floors and retail on the ground floor. The anchor store, Caper’s Natural Foods, features an attractive courtyard café that is well-used in the warm weather. The development has helped to “anchor” the neighbourhood and contributes to the pleasant pedestrian-friendly ambience of this part of the city. The building is also on a well-used transit route, and close to a bikeway.