Railway Corridor
Richmond BC
Railway Avenue was the former route of Richmond’s interurban tram line, running from 1912 to 1958. This prominent line provided public transportation from Steveston through Richmond and on to Vancouver. After it decommissioned, the land along the corridor sat vacant and blossomed into a beautiful, unruly landscape with early successional birch trees springing up from around the tracks. Given the growing density of neighbourhood activity and no formal place to recreate, the land was reimagined as a vibrant new greenway to support multimodal community liveliness.
The 3.7 km stretch of trail touches many neighbourhoods along its route. The ambition to transform rail into trail required urban infrastructure to create seamless connection with Metro Vancouver’s larger urban trail systems. To celebrate the rich history of the former tram line, we facilitated fun community mapping exercises at a series of public open houses, inviting participants to share stories of their tram line experiences. Wearable buttons depicting the former tram line stations were created and handed out, eventually becoming an integral part of the design direction and wayfinding.
Working with historian Denise Cook, graphic stencils of the tram’s historic icons were designed and applied to the asphalt surface, listing the tram’s station locations and timetables. Though a very minimal intervention, these graphics add another layer to the already intriguing trail, promoting public interactivity, learning, and connection to the site’s past.
Railway Corridor follows the same path as the tram once did, save for the spots where natural birches sprung up from the land. At those spots, the path flows to the side of the trees, with a smaller gravel pathway weaving amidst the birches creating a beautiful tree tunnel experience. Surrounding meadows were seeded with wildflowers, adding pops of bright colour to complement the pathway decals.
After some deliberate listening and revisiting history, the corridors natural splendor was revealed, allowing residents to pay keen attention to a landscape they might have previously passed by. This important new amenity is beloved in Richmond, finally giving the community a protected green space for exercise and recreation that is easily accessible to the many neighbourhoods along the trail’s considerable length.
