SFU is seeking public input on the development of the Burnaby campus over the next 50 years, including academic buildings, residential, public spaces and the long-awaited gondola.
SFU Campus Planning & Development is seeking public input on the plan, called SFU Burnaby 2065.
Seven guiding principles for the Burnaby Mountain campus have been established:
- support SFU’s mission
- build a complete community on the mountain
- weave opportunities to support Indigenization throughout the campus
- celebrate Erickson and Massey’s original aspirations for the campus
- position the campus as a destination for “active engagement”
- enhance connectivity
- foster sustainability and resilience
One of the major initiatives will be the construction of a new East-West mobility corridor through the centre of campus, for pedestrians, cyclists and potentially vehicle traffic.
Gondola to SFU still in the cards
The long-awaited gondola to SFU has also been factored into long-term planning. The 2.7 kilometre gondola line is proposed to run from Production Way-University SkyTrain station to the SFU transit loop.
A 2018 study commissioned by TransLink determined the gondola to SFU would cost nearly $200 million, before any savings realized from reducing bus service to and from the mountain.
The gondola is part of TransLink’s 10 year vision, but no specific funding has been committed.
Number of residents at UniverCity to more than double
SFU’s successful residential community, known as UniverCity, was established in 2001 and is now home to over 4,000 residents in midrise and highrise towers. The community is expected to be home to approximately 10,000 residents once complete. Land is available to developers on a 99-year lease agreement.
