A transit-friendly community : integrating a SkyTrain station into the neighborhood

Urban growth and the need to meet mobility, environmental, and energy objectives place demands on public transit systems. Focusing development around transit facilities has become a significant way to improve accessibility, support community and regional goals of enhancing quality of life, and of supporting the financial success of transit investment. Today, many transit systems and communities are participating in Transit Oriented Development programs to attract interest as a tool for promoting smart growth and catering to shifting market demands and lifestyle preferences. The SkyTrain system has been adopted by Vancouver as a way of solving traffic congestion, preserving the natural environment, and approaching a more sustainable future. This study is to explore the potential of SkyTrain stations to be centers of community life and to have positive impact on the surrounding area. Based on a combination of a literature review, case studies and a review of existing policies in Vancouver, this study proposes a transit-friendly community at the Gilmore station, one of the stations on the Millennium line. With proper design, Gilmore station can attract a variety of activities and uses.Applied Science, Faculty ofArchitecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School ofGraduat