The City of Burnaby is presently analyzing public input on the future of the Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plan, setting the stage for upcoming developments.

Source: The City of Burnaby, Storeys

The City of Burnaby is now analyzing public input on the Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plan, which is setting the stage for the future of the area.

Metrotown, Brentwood, Lougheed, and Bainbridge have already undergone transformations. Now, it’s Royal Oak’s turn.

Watch the video below for a quick overview of the community plan process.

The City of Burnaby is currently in the process of creating a new community plan for Royal Oak, known as the Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plan.

This plan will shape the future of the neighborhood, and there are strong indicators that redevelopment is on the horizon.

Covering approximately 554 acres, Royal Oak houses around 6% of Burnaby’s population (as of 2021), according to the City. While single-detached homes make up the majority (43%) of the neighborhood, the rest is divided among industrial lands (19%), mixed-use and multi-residential areas (16%), schools and parks (12%), and commercial spaces (9%).

Royal Oak enjoys a central location within Burnaby, leading into the Metrotown neighborhood, the City’s designated downtown core. Furthermore, Burnaby is positioned at the heart of Metro Vancouver, ensuring easy accessibility from neighboring municipalities via various transportation modes.

Burnaby’s history is deeply rooted in its ancestral and unceded Indigenous homelands. Kingsway, originally constructed in 1860 along an Indigenous trail, now serves as a significant arterial road connecting New Westminster, Burnaby, and Vancouver.

Several neighborhoods along Kingsway in Burnaby have already experienced substantial development.

For instance, Edmonds is undergoing a new community plan, including a five-tower master plan community at Kingsway and Edmonds Street, a collaboration between the City and BC Housing. In Metrotown, Concord Pacific’s Concord Metrotown project and Anthem Properties’ Citizen skyscraper are in progress, alongside the completed Station Square project by Anthem and Beedie.

The Royal Oak area along Kingsway has largely remained untouched by redevelopment, making it a potential candidate for transformation.

While the community plan’s establishment is in its early stages, the City aims to establish vibrant commercial corridors along Kingsway, Royal Oak Avenue, and Imperial Street. Higher-density residential development is anticipated around Royal Oak Station.

The existing neighborhood composition, with car dealerships, gas stations, and aging commercial buildings, makes Royal Oak a prime candidate for redevelopment. Several rezoning applications are already underway.

As the community plan progresses, the City seeks to expand housing, commercial options, and creative employment opportunities in the Royal Oak area. Transit-oriented development around Royal Oak Station is also a focus.

The City is currently analyzing the feedback they received to inform the draft plan directions for phase 2. This feedback will guide the plan’s direction, with the full plan expected next summer and Council approval by fall 2024.

Interest in the development industry is growing, with the Urban Development Institute set to participate in consultations for the Royal Oak community plan, as stated in their annual report.

The Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plan is poised to shape the future of this area, bringing new opportunities and revitalization to Burnaby’s landscape.

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