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© Jason Bryan Llewellyn, 1999

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITI H COLUMBIA

November, 1999

All rights reserved. This work may not be
reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or
other mean , without the permis ion ofthe author.

11

b tract

Th

tud

f th urban n tr nm nt ha

u d

di tributi n f t pi a! int re t , in an ffi ti t d
th

urban
oluti na

h

n ir nm nt
and uniqu qualit

ba d on thi r

ar h ar

r

Th urban d v lopm nt pr

l p gen ralizati n that attemp t t

ar h m th d

f indi idual iti

f limit d u

n und r tanding patial patt rn and th

d

n t ad quat I

a count

xp lain
[! r

the

a re ult the g neralizati n and mod I

to , plain th nature fa particular urban nvtr nment.

i influenced b man fa tor

planning Ia , h u ing polic , and national culture

uch a economic , t chn logy,

hich are common aero s certain citie ;

however, th re ar numerou unique local fact r and proce es involved that re ult in each city
having it own pecific form and function

ach city provide a unique ocial, econ mic, and

political context in which planning and development deci ion are made
and the individual

and group

Thi local context

involved in the urban development proce , are critical

determinants of urban form and function, and represent the greatest challenge to under tanding
the nature of the urban enyjronment and the urban development proces .

Through an examination of the development and planning history of Pnnce George this re earch
explore the unique urban development proces that ha occurred, and there ulting urban form and
function that has been created, in Prince George. The development and planning history of Prince
George produced through this research will provide a ba i for further, more detailed research into
the process which has created, and wil l continue to recreate, the urban form and function of Prince

Ill

eorg and

ther citie

Thi r

ary t

m r as

ur know! dge r garding the

. Th re mu t be an und r tanding f
b th the particular a well a th general a pe t

f the urban d v lopment pr ce

b tt r manag th futur fl m1 and fun ti n f th urban nvironment

in ord r to

Ta I of

nt nt

/\[ slract

ll

Table of ontents

!V

L1st ofTablcs

Vl

Vll

1\ !-.no'' lcdgmcnt

H PTERO

lntrodu tion:

ml cn tandin g a

ity

lntrncJu ·twn
Pu1po:e
·n,e Role of'll1eor, 111 Producmg a I-hstnry
'll1eorctical Frame\\ 01 k
Urban orpholog\
Beyond the Modetl1lst /\pproach to Planning I flstoncs
Plannmg Dclined
Mcthodolog.
Pnmaf\ I l!stoncal Manuscnpts and Pubiicalwns
Photographs. Stiect laps . and Subdt\ISIOO Plan:
e\\ spa per /\rtJcles
Secondary Sources on Pnncc George · s I llstOJy
/\cadcm1c research on the I JJstory of Plannmg
In ten Ie\\'s
An OvcrYle\\
the 'llleSLS
Conclu,·wn

or

CHAPTER TW O:

T he Grand T runk Pac ifi c Yea r : 1908-19 1Introduction
The Beginnmg
outh Fort George and Central Fort George
Efficiency in SpeculatiOn and the Gnd Pattern of Subd1vision
The Brett, Hall and Co Plan and the C1ty Beautiful Movement
Competing Tov:nsJtes and the Railway StatiOn Location
Incorporation
Urban Form and Functwn by 1915

CHAPTER THREE: Wo rld War II and the ta rt of Municip al Plannin g
Introduction
World War II and the Beginning of Land Use Regulation
owth, Urban Infill , and the Beginnmg of Sprawl
The Fir t Zoning Bylaws
Desmond Parker, Gro\Vth Control, and 'ervicing tandards
Th e Urban Renewal Study
The Neighbourhood Concept and the First 011icial 'ommumty Plan
Urban Form and Fund1on by 1969

CHAPTER FOUR

The Regional Di. tri ct of Fnl cr Fo rt George
Introd uctio n
ommunity Planning /\rca No. 7

5
7

R
R
9

II
1j

14
15
15
[()

16

17
17
20
21
21
22

26
33
35
39
43
45

4R
48

50

52
60
64
66
72

79
83

83
~q

v
'reatwn of the Reg1onal I i:Ln t
The Begmmng ofReg10nal Plannmg
'outh Fort eorge
G-reater Pnnce reorgc
m:atcr Pnncc George and lack.enne Regional Plan
Circatci Pnnce 1eorge F01m anJ FunctiOn
H PT R F l

H PT R I

CHAPTER EVE

R . tru turin ~ luni ·ipal P l a nnin ~ and R 'sion: 197 0-198 0.
lntrouuct10n
'ontmucJ Gnm th
umctpa 1 Rc:tructtt1111g anJ Bounuan I· '>pan. 10ns
TI1e MuniCipal Planmng I epartment and the ( )flicwl 'ommumt Plan
/omng B\ !<1\\ o ~ 7(
The Second Ollicwl ·ommunll\ Plan
The 'ommumt\ Plan I ehc1te
/omng B\ Ia\\ o l-+ 2
TI1e Otlici<tl 'ommumt\ Plan Re\Ie\\ S
TI1e Reces:10n
Urban f'onn anJ Functwn h\ l <J 0

86

RR
90
90
95
9(j

102

102
102
[()()

109
111
115
119
124
126
127
130

he Do·n nto" n hall e n ~
IntroductiOn
The Dm\ ntcm n Plans
The Cit\ Beautiful Plan
The Miracle Plan
'Il1e 'cntmm Plan
Tm'n 'entre Plan v · Park\,ood
The Pnnce George City Centre Strategy
Downtm\n Form and Function

133

Conclu ion
Research Findmgs
lmphcat1ons for Planmng Urban Fom1 and FunctiOn
Leaming from Past Mt takes
Dm.\TitO\\n Form and FunctiOn
Development Beyond the Crty Limits
Heavy Indu try LocatJOn
Leaming From Past Success
Retention ofOllice Use in the Do\\ntO\\n
Neighbourhood Plannmg
Mamtaining the flicwl Commum ty Plan VIS Ion
New Planning Is ucs
Urban Dcnsiiication
Winter City Design
Big Box Retail
Q uality ofLi[e Expectations
Alternative Residentia l Lam! Usc Types
Future Urban Form and Function

155

BIBLIO GRAPHY

133
115
115
140
141
144
147
151
155
157
15R
15R
161
162
162
163
163
164
165
165
166

167

lGR
168
169

171

APPENDIX 1

Boundary Expansions Since Incorporu tion

18-t

APPEND fX 2

Exhibi t B to Octicia l 'ommunity Plan No. 3183 , I <J7<J

185

VI

Li t of Table

Tab le l
Tab le 2

3

Pri nee

co r c Populatwn

rowth

Table '3

rban RcnC\Yal tudv R c mmcnd <l tton

Tabl e -+

ffi cwl

ommuntl) Plall 09 1. 1%9 La nd

51
71

c <1 lc 'On e

7

Vll

i t of Fio-ur

re 2. 1

Pnncc

co r c, Bnt1 h

lumbw

21

cor 7 C 1 cra ld 111 19 14

Ft

lrC 2.2

n advert! cmc nt ll1 the F rt

Fi

lrC 2

ubdJYI 1 n Plan Reg t tercel Pn r t I 9 15

27

Ftgu rc 2 4

Pla n f outh Fo rt

28

F i urc 2.5

Ph t graph of outh Fort

Fi urc
Fi

6

rc 2 7

cor c

n ad \ crtt cment ~ r

Ph tog rap h of

cor 'C take n 111 ea rly 19 J

c nt ra l art

ntra l F 11

corgc m 19 1

2

29
31

cor c tn 19 14

l l

Figur 2 8

Pla n of c nt ra l Fort

co rgc

Fi gure 2. 9

T he Brett, Ha ll a nd

o pl a n fo r th e

Fi gu re 2.10

Photograph look tn g north dO\\ n George

trect 111

Fi urc 2. 11

Photograp h lookwg north do\\ n Geo rge

tree t in Ju ne, 19 14

Fi gure 3.1

Ph otograph of Prince George in 192 1

49

Figu re 3 .2

Ph otog raph of Downtown P rince Geo rge in l 92 1

49

Fi gure 3.3

Prince George Population Growth

51

Figure 3.-l

Air photograph of the northern ha lfo fPrin ce George taken in 194X

Figure 3.5

Air photogra ph of the southern half of Prince Geo rge taken in 1948

56

Figure 3 .6

Air photograph of Prince Geo rge and area taken in 1953

57

Figure 3 .7

Air photograph of Prince George and area taken in 1955

58

Figure 3.8

Air photograph of Prince George looking east in 1957

58

Figure 3.9

Air photograph of Prince George taken in 1959

59

Fi gure 3 .10

Air photograph of Prince George taken in 1964

60

Fi gure 3 .11

Photographs of the underse rvi ced residential areas in the 1960

Fi gure3 .12

Air photograph of western Prince George taken in 1965

77

Figure 3.13

Photog raph of the Hi ghland subdiv i ion looking outhwcst

78

Fig1trc .14

Photograph of th e Coll ege He ig ht s subdiv i ion looking \Vest

78

12
ra nd T nmk P<lCJfic Ra il way
a rch. 19 14

17
41
42

67-69

Vlll

Fi ue .15

ir photograph ofPnnce

ear e taken in 1966

80

Figure .16

Air photograph of Pnnce

eorge and area taken m 1971

81

Figure 4.1

The boundarie of the Re wnal D1 tnct of Frn cr-Fo11

Figure 4.2

Population di tnbuti on for H<1 rt H1 hway and

Figure 4.

realer Pnncc Ge r c atclltte Ton n Pl an

92

Figure 4.4

ir photo raph of the n rtJn, c t <~ rcn f the Hart Hi lm av taken in 1975

98

Figure 4.5

ir photogrnph of th e northca t area of the Hart Hi hway tnkcn 111 197

99

Figure 4.6

ir ph o t og r<~ ph of th

100

Figure -L7

ir photograph or the Blackburn and Pwev1ew area ea t of th e cJt taken in J 975

1() 1

Figure .1

ir photograph of Pnnce

cor e U1kcn In 197 1

lOl

Figure 5.2

ir photo raph ofPnncc

corge taken In 1981

104

Figure 5.

ir Photog rJph of the allege Heights ubd iv1sion taken m th e 1980

orth

cor c
ec hako m the late 1960

outh nrca f the Hart Hi hw<Jy tnken in 1975

87
91

105

Figure 5..+

Building Permit Va lue 1975 -1 988

128

Figure 5.5

Building Permit VJ1ue I 988 -1 997

130

Figure 6. 1

treet Map ofDmnltown Pnnce George

Figure 6. 2

Photograph of downtown Prince George taken in the mid 195 0s

137

Figure 6.3

Photograph looking south along George treet in the late 1920s

138

Figure 6.-1-

Photograph looking south alon g George Street in th e mid 1960s

13 8

Figure 6.5

Photograph looking east along 3 rd Avenue in the late 1920s

139

Figure 6.6

Photograph looking west alon g Yd Avenue in the mid 1960s

139

Figure 6.7

Air photograph showing the di stribution of shopping centres in Prince George

1-+2

Figure 6.8

A model of the downtown as envisioned in the Centmm Plan

1-+3

Figure 6.9

The Cadillac Fairvi e·w Town Centre Plan

145

Figure 6.10

The Cadillac Fairview Town Centre Floor Plan

146

Figure 6.11

Photograph looking down George Street in the late 1980s

148

13 4

L

cknowl d m nt

hi th i
I att mpt.

d di ated t m par nt in thank [! r th 1r enc uragem nt and upp rt in all that

mmittee m mb r , par i ularl J hn ur , [! r th ir upp rt of thi
ar hand the n tabl tim p nt pr iding c n. tru ctive criti i m and advice.

1 am grat ful t m

r

p cial n t mu t go t K nt dg\ i k, m
-\ rk er and fri nd , [! r in[! cting m with hi
pa i n [! run
ring and und r tanding the pa t

1

ha pter On e

Introduction: Under tandin a

ity

Introdu ction

r th Ia t fi ur d cade th tr nd in th

tud

f the urban nvir nm nt ha b n t fi u on

patial patt m and th di tributi n of t pical int r t
tudy d

lop d al ng id th

in th l

0 .1 The fi cu

f thi r

ientifi

Thi topical p ciali m and . y t matic

nd qu antit ativ r v !uti n int a new re earch paradi gm

ar h paradi gm a th d velopm nt fl aw-like g neralization

and m d 1 that could be appli d to iti e in rd r to expl ain and predict the urban environment. 2
The predorninan

t matic tudi e co ntinu

today. The e y tematic tudi , or th e y terns

analy i tradition of planning, a defined by

riedmann, are criticized a being only parti ally

1

of

1

adequate in e plaining human activity and there ulting urban form and function .1

John Agnew, in The Power of Place, argues that the e orthodox ocial science re earch method
have reduced the perceived value of under tanding a particular place. Agnew explains that:
much empirical work in social cience rests upon a priori belief in the eclipse of
community and the declining significance of place ... Thus has orthodox ocial
science effectively devalued place as a concept relevant to our time. Its as ociation
in the academic mind with parochjalism and localism ha become so deep rooted
that the idea of place as the stn1ctwing or mediating context for social relation
seems strange and out of temper with the national-society focu of mo t
1

R.J. Johnston Geography and Geographers: A ng lo-1lm erican !Iuman Geography Since 19-15 (Ba ltimore ·
Edward A rn old Press, 1987), 78 .
2
In the study of urban geography this paradi gm i referred to a " pa tia l ana lys is .., For a di scu sion of th1
paradig m see David Hcrbe11 and olin Thom as. Urban Geograph.v: .1-l First Approach (New Yo rk : Jo hn Wile)
and So ns, 1982), 28-29; and Mauri ce Yea te and Barry Garner. T'l1e ortli A merican City ( cw York · Harper
& Row, 1976), ll - 18.
3
John F ri edma nn , Planning in til e Public Domain (Pri nceton : Pri nceton University Pres . 1987).

2

nt mp rary
He a

cial cJ nee 4

rt that th ' d aluati n of pla

o ial

nc

i fla

d in it attempt t

and th
bj ti

~

u

n

i ntifi and mpirical evaluati ninth

cial a tion and pr

e

cc rding t John

gnew.

f fun ti nal 1 lati n ~ hip b twe n individual
cie i r on titut d tn
e me mdi tingui hable fr m thing .
t th
p ple and thing lnd
f e c ption
r
natural Ia\ ex: Jude th p s ibilit
~ ame tim c nc pti n
idi n ra .
atural Ia\: 1 a ciat d ith r urr nt regulariti , uniformitie
5
f diffi rene s.
am ng phen mena, and cla ificati n Y hi h mit ingulariti

ln rder to gain a better under~ tanding of the ity building proce~ , there i a need to utilize
a r ear h m thod that provide an e aminati n of the p cific ituation within each city It
i important to

plore th comple itie of how the e deci ion were made, by whom they

were made, and what motive and factor influenced the deci ion . There are motive and
factors uch as economic and building technology which are common aero

most cities.

There are al o motive and factors corrunon to citie within certain countries or region ,
such as planning law, housing policy, and national culture.6 The e interrelated factors
re ult in a certain corrunonality between mo t citie . There are, however, numerous local
factors that result in each urban area having its own specific form and function. It i the e
local factors which result in the unique nature of a corrununity and represent the greatest
challenge to understanding the nature of the urban environment.

4

John Agnew, ''The Deva luation of Place in Social cience,·· in Th e Power of Place, eds. John Agnew a nd
James Duncan (Boston : Unwin Hyman, 1989) 16.
5
Agnew, 17.
6
Michael Go ldberg & John Mercer, Th e il~vth of th e North ,·lm en can C'l (v (Vancom·er: University of Brit1 h
olumbia Press, 1986), x ix.

an Artibi

di u

th imp rtan

f und r tanding th pr

toda ' urban nvir nm nt . In th intr du ti n t th b

Wt 's/ern 'anadtan Uri an I \' 'lopmen/ h

tat

that hav

k Toll'n and 'Jty: A . ~ e Is ci

th t:

rban hi t rian mu t tak a t n r it and e plain it pr nt nditi n in
term of th hi t rical fl rc that hav ut it th re, thu pr viding a m a ure of
pl att mpt t
rd r their liv and t
a particular place a t le, form , and
participat
7
dir cti n
ach cit d el p a a r ult fa parti ular mi

f fact r that c m t g th r ver time to create a

form and fun ti n that i uniqu t that cit

piro Ko tof, in hi book which e arrune urban form from an hi torical per p ctive, contributes
the following in upport of the need to better under tand how the urban environment has
developed over time.
There i certainly nothing wrong with architects and planners being inspired by the
old townscape of Europe, ay, or the medina of orth frica. That i , in fact, the
profes ionals' pecial gift - catching the di tinctive quality of a street or a public
pace, being touched by it, wanting to incorporate that quality into their own
designs. They do not need a historian for that. Where this mining of the pa t
becomes objectionable is when the designer a cribe certain rationale to the forms
he or she admires, rationales which are either iru1ocent of history or el e casually
rni represent it ... over the year I have witne ed numerous false "readings ' of
past architecture, and have become settled in my mind that form, in it elf, i very
lamely informative of intention. We "read" form correctly only from the extent
that we are familiar with the preci e cultural conditions that generated it. Rather
than presume, in other words, a practically everyone in the architectural world
wants to presume, that building and city fonns are a transparent medium of
cultural expre sion, I am convinced that the relationship only work the other way
around . The more we know about cultures, about the tructure of ociety in
7

Alan Artibise, ed., Toll'n and City: A spects of TVestern Cmwdtnn [ 1rh nn De 1·elopm ent_
Studie #10 (Univer ity or Regina Canadian Pl::1ins Rese:.u ch entre, 1981 ), ;\·viii .

anadian Plai n

4

ari u p ri d
in diffi r nt part
r ad th ir built nvir nm nt R
nc

of a built

th

informati n can th n b

f the

n ir nm nt ha b n

rld, th b tt r we are abl t

hat ha be n, and what

ompared t

urban ar a and th ir hi t rica! urban d

I pm nt pr ce

d, thi

amined and i

t Iter

ill b , di c v r d about

ther

plain that

The urban hi t rian' ta k, a \ 11 a . pe ial opp rtunit , i t walk that
n hand, and
difficult gr und b t
n th ear h fl r g n raJ patt rn . n th
9
th c ncern fl r th uniqu and particular n th ther

In ord r t b tt r und r tand thi

!uti na

urban de

lopm nt pr ce , it i nece ary t gam a

mor h li tic i w of human acti it wher an under tanding and compari on

f individual cities

rna be u ed to contribute to general knowledge of th urban dev I pment proces .

David Hebert and

olin Thoma , in their book Ciltes in Space and City as Place , recognize

that the ubjective hi torical approach to tudying the form and function of the city may,
arguably, lack a preci e methodology and a coherent theory.

evertheless, the approach does

serve a a valuable tool to critique the a umptions and generality of quantitative model and
is "a reaction against the mechani tic, aggre sive and ' dehumanizing' qualities of spatia]
analysi ."

10

The goal of this criticism is to "reas ert the role of human values in the way in

which space is regarded and to study the meanings which underlay a sen e of place." 11

8

Spiro Koslof, Th e ity Shaped: Urban Patterns and !v!eanings Through History (Boston: Bulfinch Pres ,
1991), 10.
9
Stelter, 3.
10
David Herbert and Co lin Thomas, Cities in Space : ity as Place (Maryland : Barnes and Noble Book ,
1990), 140 .
11
Hebert, 1990, 138.

5

In th ~ !lowing pa ag fT m hi bo k f Ianning anadwn ommumtr S,
7

that the planning d

erald Hodg

f th pa t and th r ulting urban fl nn and function,

ignificantl th planning i u , p r p ti

, and g al

hi h ha

plain

t influ nc

a b anng n urrent planning

d ci i n

ur communiti and th m th d " u e ~ r impr ing th m are a legacy f
th pa t
mmunit planning did n t grov md p nd ntl
f r al urban
r iv d b p pl and gov rnm nt Rath r
problem and th ir ~ lution a
it e ol d al ng id hanging urban pr bl m and perc pti n f them
ut in
thi e luti n ari u prin iple learned fr m pa t xperience wer mbodied
ng tanding id a! , id a , and pr mi ~
r garding th ph ical fl rm f
communiti , th
ial n d of th r id nt , and the in titutional mean f
planning ar nt in d" ith ur ntemp rary iew of c mmunity planning 12

Edmund Bacon c n id r cit form t

re ult from an "act of will" that i "d termined by the

multiplicity of deci ion mad b the peopl that live in it [the city]."

I o, "a deeper under tanding

of the interaction of the e deci ion can give u the in ight nece ary to create noble citie in our
own day ... [and that] human will can be exerci ed effectively on our own citie now, so that the
form that they take will be a true e pression of the highe t a pi ration of our civilization."11 To
properly plan the future urban environment there must be an under tanding of that place' hi tory.
This research will contribute to that under tanding.

Purpose

As discussed, the form and function of Prince George, a of any city, are the re ult of
numerous decisions made in the past. 14 These decisions, and the planning that occurred , may

12

Gcra ld Hodge, Planning anadian ommunities ( carborough: Ncl on Canada , 1991), l.
Edmund Bacon, Desie,n ofCtltes (New York : Penguin, 197-J.), 13.
14H
odgc, 17.
13

6

app ar in hind ight t be p

f th ir tim and th n ed of th individual , group , and

w r mad ba d up n th r aliti
rganizati n

r, it mu t b und r to d that th e d c1 1 n

rl mad , h

hich w r in

. Th e p t d ci ion were

n making pr

d in th d

influ n ed b man int rr lat d c n m1 , p liti al, and ocial fact r , a w ll a th
ph ical n 1r nm nt, a ar t da ' dec1 1 n

15

manner a ro

,n

th unique a p ct of ach I cal

fact r ar

pr

man citi

ituation d t rmin

and man c untri

th mann r in \ hich th

Th purpo e f thi re earch into Prin e
create a hi tory of planning ~ r the
ettlement short!

it

m ofth

fact r ma apply in a imilar

ed in fl rm and function

rge' hi torical urban d velop ment proce
of Prine

t

eorge fr m it inception a an urban

aft r the turn of the century to the e tabli hm ent of the formalized

municipal planning y tern that had de eloped by the 19 0 . lt i hoped that thi hi tory will
serve as a piece of a larger puzzle compri ed of the hi torie of other citie . By comparing
and contra ting the hi torie of citie a greater recognition of what are ge neral development
and planning pattern , and what are unique development and planning pattern may be better
understood. It will also provide a basis for future, more detailed, re earch into the city's
urban form and function. This type of re earch is needed to further the understanding of the
processes which have created, and continue to recreate, our urban environment.

Also, the understanding gained of the processes and factors that came together through time
to produce Prince George's urban form and function will contribute to better informed
planning decisions . This wi ll aid in effort to influence the city building process to create the
15

Bacon, 12.

7

d ir d futur urban [! rm and functi n T fur1h r thi aim, thi r earch will c n lude with
a li t f le

n l arn d ba d up n th finding

f thi r

arch, whi h an b appli d t

The Role of The ry in Pr du cin

n t a ingl planning hi t
hit n
m

Th particular hi t

amining th pa t

16

fi r th

that i un

it

f Prine

rge, rath r, th re are plural planning

red and pr . nt d d p nd upon th th

ry utiliz d

rd n t a! tat

he que tion of h th r to u e th
r n t i an irr levance. Rath r, the
qu ti n mu t b , fir t, \ hi h the ry t u and ec nd, how to r late it to the
ten ible her b cau e it hould be borne in
ten ibl bject of tud W
mind that hi t ry i alwa a repre ntation, al ay a textual rec n truction of the
pa t, and never a dire t r flection of it " 17
Theory serve to make clear the relation hip between the re archer' u e and interpretation of
hi torical ource the que tion a ked of the pa t, and the manner in whi ch re earch attempt to

an wer tho e que tion .

In the book, Making the Invisible Visible Leonie and ercock discus e the critical role of theory in
examining planning history.
Theory is indi pensable. It is how we make sense of the world . A planning
hi torians, we need a range of theorie at our di spo al, and an open mind
concerning their usefulness (remember that our purposes shape our theoretical
choices). The list can never be complete or completed, for two reason . Fir t,
because each new generation rewrite history according to its own interest and
16

Leonie Sandercock, " Introduction : Framing Insurgent Hi storiog r<lphies for Planning," in 1\fakmg th e
in visible Visible : A !l lulficulfural Planning Hi tory, ed. Leonie andercock (London : Univer ity of California
Pre s, 1998), 27 .
17
1ain Borden et a l, " Knowing Different ities : Reflection on Recent E uropea n Writings on Citie and
Planning Hi story," in !l faking th e In visib le Vi ible: .- 1 J\!ulticulturnl Plmnung !!ist m~v , ed . Leonie andercock
(London : University of alifornia Pre s, 1998), 138 .

8

h mg the 1 n r l n e that
m m t appr priat at th tim
nd be au th b undari
dra ar und the bject f planning hi t ry ar
det rmin d in th fir t plac b
e d fin planning That i , and alwa will
b , a p litical and trat gic d i i n IX
rk utiliz d in thi
r th patii ular hi t

trat gi all t un
whi h

ould b

t addre

th n d

fth r

f Prin

r

arch wa

ch

n

rge , d v I pment and planning

ar h qu tion

Theoretical Fram ew rk
Thi

r

org

ar h pr

id

an e, aminati n

f the d

I pment and planning hi tory of Prince

pe ificall , the r earch pro ide an verview of p rceived important factor that
eorge' hi tory, and the manner in which they have come

togeth r through time to re ult in the city' e i ting form and function . In order to achieve the
purpo e ofthi re earch the following theor tical framework wa utilized .

rban Morphology
The theory of urban morphology, developed in the 1950 , ha its origin in the discipline of urban
geography and is concemed with the evolution of the fonn and function of cities over time. This
theory focuses on understanding the evolutionary processe which create and recreate a pect of a
city' s form and function. The focus is typically on the city
use.19

18
19

an dercock, 20 .
Hebert, 1982, 125 .

street plan, architecture, and land

9

Th th

ry

n id r th

~ rm and functi

hi t ri al int rr lati n that r ult in

xi ting urban nvir nm nt r pr
fth pr
th

ry, ach

the ity.

n f th urban n ir nm nt t b th re ult of cornpl x

umqu m rph 1 gy of a parti ular urban envir nm nt.

he

~ rm and function

f the

nt a r lati n hip r link b tw n lh

nt, and change p

ha b en and wjil ontinu t

rban m rphology i on

urban n ir nm nt

hi h do

n t ha

f th

ibl in th futur .

cc rding t urban m rphol gy

f

luli n wh r the unique nature

in a tat

~ w I ng tanding r

a quantitati e or

ar h approach

temic ba~ i 20

It i common for tudie fr m an urban m rphology per p ctive to focu

particular dimen ion of the urban

e amining the

n, or revolve around, a

tern ? 1 Thi re earch examine the urban morphology of

Prince George with a focu on the ' planning' that ha occurred in the city in order to identify
important local factor

that have come together to re ult in the city'

exi ting form and

function .

Beyond the Modernist Approach to Planning Hi tories
Leonie Sandercock notes that the 'modernist approach ' to examining planning hi tory has been
developed from within the field of planning itself, and has had the self erving role of docum enting
the successes and progressions of state controlled, top down planning actions and theori e

The

history of professio nal planning action has been celebrated in its self perceived noble and rational
battle against an unorganized and irrational world, where planning i equated with progress.22

20

R.J. Johnston, 85-86 .

21

Hebert, 1982, 127- 128 .
Sa nde rcock, 3--J..

22

10

om

k di cu

th n gati

ffi ct f the m d rni t approach t planning hi tory

Th r ult [ f m d mi t, main tr am planning hi t ri ] i a narrati e about th
f' hit middl la m n, in
m n and p pl of ol ur
ntl ,
t mati all
lud d fT m th pr fe i n, through
lu i n fr m th in tituti n f high r ducati n
nd if th
bj t f
i th
f th pr fl i n and it a hie m nt , th n th r
at th e pen
fan kind f ritical in ight into
r rutin f th a tual pra ti e f planning, including it kn wl dge ba
nd
there i th pr ntati n f Ianning a nl that ' h1ch i ~ dri n and thr ugh th
tat , th pr ~ t f tat driv n future , at th e pen
f that wh I r aim of
mmuni -dri en and
mmunit -ba d planning which arguabl
ha a
2
ignifi anti 1 ng r hi t
than that of the pr £1 i n '

di u
hi t rica!

d th re i a r lati n hip b t
ur

th que ti n a ked

attempt to an wer th

qu tion

en the re earch r'

u e and interpretation of

f the pa t, and the manner in which the re earch r

ln th ca e f th m derni t approach, th cone m of the

re earcher ha be n t promot and d cument the benefit and ucce e of an in titutionalized
planning profe ion; ther fore, the re earch ha been conducted in a manner which be t achieves
that goal.

In many respect thi re earch reflect a moderni t approach in its examination of the planning

history of Prince George. The examination takes the form of an overview of the development and
planning which has occurred in Prince George. As a re ult of the generalized nature and cale of
this research, the focus has been on the factor affecting the development and planning proce s
which are the most influential, readily apparent, and easily identified through traditional research
methods. The research did not uncover the planning effort and impact of group

uch as women

and ethnic minorities, which have been marginalized from the development and planning proces

23

Sandercock, 7.

11

T ad quat 1 un
th

'in i ibl

er th

hi t ri

and und r tand the important ontributi n of

marginaliz d gr up , a mu h m r fl u d hi t rica!

hi t rica! th

, 1

n c

a

nfi rtunatel

aminati n, utilizing a di er nt

uch a d tail d fl u i b ond th

c p

f thi

pr ~ect

p ct

f thi r

ar h di

rg fr m the modemi t appr ach t

amining planning hi tory The

intent f th re ar h i n ith r t d fl nd n r prom te, n r t criticiz , th planning prof! si n or
planning practi e
c mpreh n i

h re arch d e , h we er, p rce1v

planning that i coordinated and

a b ing b n ficial t urban growth and de elopment

author traditional planning educati n and training
in titutionalized, tate controlled planning proc

hi per p ctive refl ct the

The re earch doe not focu

ntirely on the

It e amine a elect number f planning event

and period which have had a ignificant influence on the urban development proces and the
re ulting form and function of the ity of Prince

eorge.

Planning Defined
Leonie Sandercock identifies the di tinction between urban hi torie and the more specialized
planning histories. She also discusses the inherent need to define 'planning' as an inevitable part of
creating a planning history.
Planning histories differ from urban histories in at least two significant way . While
urban rustorians seek to make sense of the city, in all its multiplicity, hi tori an of
planning are trying to make sense of planning intervention in cities and regions.
To do the latter presupposes a definition of planning, both as a set of idea and as a
body of practices [arriving at this definition is itself a political act, which then
determines what boundarie we draw around our planning rustory]. A second
distinction stems from the fact that planning is a field of practice, of action. Thus
planning historian are usually politically interested and involved in outcome - in
what works and what doesn ' t, and why, in defending ome sets of ideas and

12

er th r and

pra tic

that urban hi t nan rna not be.24

n - tn wa

r ating a planning hi t

Thi r earch in

pr
planning that i u d.

eorge, a d fin d by

for P1in

nt d a a r ult f thi re ar h i d p ndant up n th d finiti n of

h t nn ' planning' n mpa ~

a ariet

b ok Plam11nR in the Puhlt 1 o ma111, J hn r idmann defln

facti n and cone pt . In hi

planning a "linking knowledge to

acti n."25 J hn

r ter, in Plannmg 111 th ' Fo ·e rl J)mt · ' 1', define planning a "th guidance of

. ,, 26
futur a tt n.

finition

of th u r f th t rm

uch a th e a

gr atl depending up n th need and xperienc

John r idmann explain ~ that a

nceptual definiti n f what planning

encompa e mu t b identifi d pri r t an di cu i n in rder to bound those di cu ion and
area of e amination .27

For the purpo e of thi re earch the term ' planning' i defined a the ' making of a conscious
decision related to land u e that ha had an effect on the form and function of the urban
environment. '

It is important to note that this definition of planning is not limited to an

in titutionalized, bureaucratic, and state controlled proce s, nor is it limited to a formalized proces
involving goal setting and structured decision making. Planning doe not only occur in the public
domain. This definition encompasses non-government individual , organizations, and group that
undertake planning and have a significant effect on the urban environment. These individuals,
organizations and group include, but are not limited to, sp culator , railroad companies, municipal
planners, engineers, politicians, foreign investors, local developer and various lobby group .

24

Sandercock, .
Freidmann , 38.
26
John Fore ter, Planning in th e Face of Power (Lo Ange les : Uni,·ersity of ali fornia Press. 1989). 3.
27
Freidmann , 35-3 6.
25

Methodolo

Thi

aminati n

d v I pment

f

bat ar

d b

r tim , and h

criti al l m nt in th urban d

th

auth r t

be

ignificant planning and

i d n to d m n trat h w and why tb city ba

rg

nt in Prin

ol d in a c rtain mann r

p r e1

l pm nt pr

th affect

f

ent fr m th pa t r main t be

and c ntinu to effl ct th futur

voluti n

f urban -[! rm and functi n

Th re ha not b n a planning r urban hi t 1 pr due d fl r th cit which bring tog tber the
anou peri d of the cit

hi to

event that ha e hap d th cit

pro iding an v rview of planning and development
-[! rm and

function from the beginning of the Twentieth

entury relation hip and link that ha e exi ted through time can be di cerned

It is hoped

that thi hi torical o erview will provide a ba i for further re earch into the e event and their
relation hip , and in compari on and contra t to the hi torie of other cities.

There are ix main components to this re earch. The e component involve. ( 1) primary hi tori cal
manuscripts and publications relating to the planning, development, and fonn and function of
Prince George; (2) photographs, street maps, and subdivi ion plans of Prince George; (3)
new paper articles relating to development and planning issues for the City of Prince George; (4)
secondary sources on Prince George's history; (5) academic sources on the hi tory of plannjng
practice in Canada and British Columbia; (6) and, interviews with two individual knowledgeable
of aspects of the development and planrung ill tory of Prince George.

ach component of this

research has been de igned to create the most comprehensive and objective examination and
analysis of the development and plan rung history for the

ity of Prince George po ible, given the

14

fth pr ~

t

Prima
Th

ingl m t imp rtant c ntributi n t thi r

and publi ati n
g

n 1Manu ript and Publi ati n

h

ar h am fr m pnmar hi t rica! manu cript

d cum nt ar pr vincial and l cal g

mm nt int mal mem randa and municipal land u

abundan

f r liabl

docum nt al
per pe tiv

that

George

hi t ry.

clear!

fa tual infl nnati n
utlin

b Ia

mm nt rep rt and tudie , I cal
urc

Th

n pa t planning and devel pment

the p iti n

f the local g v mm nt

v nt

an
h e

taff, and the planning

d r garding numer u d v lopment and planning i su
, m man in tanc

provid

throughout Prince

the e document included an hi torical account of pa t

planning and de elopm nt i ue within the ity.

Most of the e document were written by profe ional planner , engmeer , or architect whose
analy i and interpretation of event are of immen e value a hi tori cal re ources. It is important,
however, to recognize that the e interpretations reflect the value , expectation , judgements, and
assumptions ofthe author . AJ o, these documents were often written by individuals employed by
the province or local government. Certain politically unpopular or critical opinion may not have
been expressed as a result of political influence. The interpretation outlined in these source are
used with caution given their potentially subjective nature. Despite the subjective nature of a pect
of these research source , the facts contained and the opinions expre ed are of great value.

The Province of British Columbia, the City of Prince George and the Regional District of FraserFort George have been major actors in determining the fonn and function of the city throughout its

15

hi t ry.

h

pr

in ial and I cal g

go mm nt land u e rul

n1m nt planning that

and r gulati n , ha

ccurr d, and th

had a pr found influ nee

natur

of

n urban f rm and

fun ti n. It i , th r D r , imp r1ant t und r tand th

n id rati n , int nti n , and acti n of

go emm nt in the planning and de 1 pm nt f Prin

rg

Ph t graph

tre t Map ~, and ubdi i ion Ian

An interpreti ve anal i of pa ~ t ph t graph , treet map , and ubdi vi i n plan
wa an important compon nt f thi r
the urban form that ha

arch Th

f Prince

eorg

pnmary ource pr vided vi ual vid nc of

i ted at ari u tim , and the ev !uti n in form that ha occurr d, or ha

not occun·ed over time.

A compari on of air photograph and treet map provide a clear picture of the treet patterns,
land u e , and den itie that have exi ted. They al o how th e patial expansion of the city and the
nature of infill development.

ince 1948 air photograp h have been taken at lea t once every five

years.

The Fraser-Fort George Regional Mu eum has a large archive of photograph of the city. The e
photographs were invaluable to identity the evolution of land use, architecture, and the character of
development during different periods of the city's history. Subdivision plans were of value to
identity the date of land subdivision, lots sizes, street width, and land division patterns.

New paper Article
A rev1ew and interpretation of the 1 rince George Citizen newspaper articles relating to

lo

pm nt and planning i u

d

n th p liti al and

p r p ti
h

pr

arti I

p int

f Pnnc

rg

a und rtak n t

ial limat , publi p r pti n, and i u

id d a

nt t t

" hi h

n t

nt that

urr d and

rv d t

that

pr vid

a

d in th pa t

upp rt r h lp r fut

onfirm d thr ugh oth r rc ar h m th d

v a undertak n \ ith

pap r arti

n

it

fl r th

n 1derable auti n g1 en th ir h1ghl

Th

u

of

1bj ctive nature

and t nd nc t b fa tuall ma urat

a limit d am unt
con

rge ' de

rning Prine

are, h

e

oppo ed to

r a numb r
cholarl '

Prince George'

pa t.

r a adem1c r ~ arch

n Pnn

rg

cad rn1 c r earch

lopm nt and planning hr t ry 1 particularly limited

f publi h d hi t ne

The

rge' H1 t ry

ur e. on Pnn

nda

f th

cit

that are ' popular' in

There
tyle, a

re, non thele , of alue given the limited documentation f

The e popular '

ourc

were con idered critical ly to en ure the

information utilized wa adequately documented or upported through other ource

Academic Re earch on the Hi tory of Planning
A review of academic re earch relating to the hi tory of planning theory and practice in

an ada and

Briti h Columbia wa undertaken in order to provide a context to the planning and development
that occurred in Prince George. An under tanding of the planning and development trend that
occurred in

anada

uch a

the

ity Beautiful Movement, the Garden

neighbourhood planning model , the rol

of railroad

ity Movement,

in we tern Canada, boo teri m, and

peculative town ite development are critical to und r tanding the e ternal force acting upon the
city, and in turn being acted upon by the local force that . i tin Prin e G orge

17

Int rvi

T

l cal indi idual kn wl dgeabl

f th d

er int rvi w d. Th fir t int rvi w

a

and ar hit ct in th city. Thi intervi w
hich w r n t

ith
rv d t

Jopm nt and planning hi t ry f Prince

m nd Parker, a I ng tim planning con ullant
upp rt r h lp r fut vari u point

f hi tory

nfirm d thr ugh th r re arch m th d

dgwi k a local hi t ri al g grapher and plann r fl r th
pr vid d aluabl information nth
th Brett, Hall and

rg

arl

ear

it

f Prin

e rg .

edgwick

f th e i ' planning and d velopm nt history and

ompan t wn 1t plan

The e int rview e were a ked pecific qu tion relating t their area of experti e and experience.
The que tion a ked were detennined ba ed upon the interviewer' need to have certain event
clarified, interpreted or e plained. The interview with Parker wa expanded to include di scu sions
on broader topic a the interview wa a project undertaken in conjunction with the Oral Hi tory
Group of Prince George.

A n Overview of the Thes is

This section provides an overview of the thesis. The thesis research is presented in chronological
order, and is categorized based upon notable events or periods in Prince George's development
and planning history. Chapters four and seven vary from the chronological order of the other
chapters. Chapter four does this to address the history of planning outside of the City limits by the
Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. Chapter seven addresse the development and planning
history of the downtown area of the city.

18

hapt r
hapt r tw e amm

th

th m t ~ rmati

from 1 0 t
b ginning

f

nt I ading t th

ur p an urban

o

reati n fth

e rg

p culati n and rapid growth g n rat d b th building f th
rand Trunk Pa ifi Rail a and th r p ulat r qui kl
f land which riti all
~ llo

. Thi p riod i

e rg .

hi p ri d,

rg ' planning hi tor . It marked th

in Prin

ttl m nt in th Prin

of Prin

ar a, and wa a time of gr at
rand Trunk Pacific Railway. The

~ ubdi

id d and

influ nc d th

cation and natur

f de

on luded b the in

rp ration f th

it of Prince

ld hundr ds of acr

I pm nt fl r the decade to
eorge.

hapter hr e
hapter three e amine the two decade of growth that~ II wed World War II. During this period
the

ity wa forced to addre

the negative re ult of the rapid and relatively uncoordinated

growth. Between 1946 and 1969 the fore t product indu try con olidated and centralized in
Prince George, leading to rapid population growth and urban expansion . This rapid growth
demanded a greater control over the planning and development of the urban environment. The
City made its first significant boundary expansion, adopted its first zoning bylaw, retained the
services of a profes ional planner, and began developing it first Official Community Plan. De pite
the increa ed planning and development control within the city limit , the growth continued
unchecked north of the city along the Hart Highway.

Chapter Four
Chapter four analy e the development and planning which occurred out ide of the city limits

19

be

nd th

ntr l f th

th Regi nal
unc

ern d b th pr

g

Prine

i tri t f Fra er-

rdinat d and und r

planning chall ng fl r th

rg

ity f Prine

fV1

rt

rg

d charact r

1 pm nt in the ar a around th

ity of

rea

o . 7, and th n

hi area wa me rporat d into th

ity and the

m

a

f d

mmum

Planning

uld pr v

t

b

a

ignificant

it

hapter Fi
hapt r five e amin
and th

19 0' .

th

pan 1 n f municipal planning

rv1ce that occurred in th late 19 0 '

the populati n ba e b came increa ingly table there wer

expanded and

improved ervi e and urban infra tructure pr vid d. Thi gr wth and development was largely
due to are tructuring of the fore t product indu try and th inve tment of ignificant capital in the
city in the form of thr e pulpmill by 196 . The e mill , two of which were located near the core
area of the city, created a table and integrated local economy. The following year were a period
of steady population growth, urban infill, inve tment and general optimi m for future growth .

By 1980 improved land use planning mechanisms controlled growth within greater Prince George.
This involved significantly expanded city boundaries, the creation of a municipal planning
department, and the development of a second Official Community Plan and zoning bylaw.
Beginning in the early 1980s a reces ion brought an end to over 30 years of relatively rapid growth
in the city and the region . By the 1980s the general structure ofPrince George' s pre ent form and
function had been established .

20

hapt r i
hapt r

pl r

rg .

h r ha

th
b n fi

d

maj r r itali ati n att mpt

ffi rt ar th r ult fad ir to addr

fth d wnt

~ r Prin

rg

city entr .

h e

th failing . cia! fun tion and inad quat ph i al fl rm

n.

hapt r
n pr vid
finding ar di u
future

f d wnt wn Prin

lopm nt, and att mpt d

a

n lu i n t th th

d, al ng ' ith th

arnination of th

1

en
h purp e of th re earch and the re arch

pportunitie t utilize the r earch a a tarting point for

local urban d el pment proce

The re earch findin g are al o

analyzed to di clo e le on that can be I am d from the pa t, and applied to future planning effort
that attempt to influence the urban development proce .

Conclusion

Prince George ha an intere ting planning hi tory which has yet to be uncovered in any formalized
or structured fashion . It is hoped that this research will serve as a ba i for further re earch into the
planning and development hi tory of the City of Prince George, and contribute to a greater
understanding and 1nore skilled manipulation of our urban environment.

1

hapter T w

The Grand Trunk Pacific Year : 1908-1915
Introduction

The

r th m t ~ m1 ati

ar l 90 through 1 l

rg ' hi to

in Pri ne

lt wa a tim

f

gr at peculati n and rapid gr wth g n rat d b th building f th

rand Trunk Pacific Rai lway

( TPR) thr ugh th ar a that w uld b c m Prine

TPR and th r peculator

qui kl

ubdi ided and

e noffil po

ld hundr d of acr

rg

Th

f land, and the

PR e rei ed it p litical and

th fi rm and function f dev lopment during thi peri od. Th se

action pla ed a igni:fi ant role in det rmining th e ~ rm and fun ction of development for decade
to follow.
Figure 2.1
Prince George, British C olumbia

0

Map couriesy of !he Prince George Region Development orporatr on

22

The Be innin

t th tum ofth

a h t to a mall p pulati n fHud
ort

rg Indian R

rv

to th

ra r and

hak Ri

n a

n

r

, and ir t

mpl
(Figur 22
pnma

r a th

ur p an trad r . Thi

the building of th

mpan

tabli h d in 1

l

ation and ur pean fur trad r in th r gt n

ation and

hak and ra r Riv r ( igure 2.1)

ntury th land at th jun ti n f th

TPR through n rth m

h fur trad wa

tran p rtati n r ut

h r lati I flat land at th

a a 1 gi al 1 cati n f arl
ituati n

ati n living nth
I ely ti d
f( r th

uth wet

ir t
m r f

ttl ment f( r b th th

ir t

a t change dra tically with th ann unc ment of
riti h

lumbia and the ar a which w uld b come

known a Prince

harle Ha

an American brought to

Railway, convinced the railway '

anada to help re tore the fortune of the

Briti h owner

rand Trunk

and the Liberal government that a

tran continental line through the Rocky Mountain to the we t coa t was a de irable venture. 1
Thi line would be called the GTPR.

The Liberal government of the day appears to have

supported the GTPR project as this was an opportunity to equal or surpa
Conservatives and the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway?

the effort of the

The principal u e of the

railway through the Yellowhead Pass aero s British Columbia to Prince Rupert would be the
export of prairie wheat and manufactured goods from central Canada.3

1

Don Thomson, !11en and !lferidians: Vol. 2 (Ottawa : Queens Printer, 1967), 239.
Thom on, 1969, 239 .
3
M . Za low, The West and th e Na tion (Toronto : McClelland a nd tewart , 1976): and Frank Leonard,. 1
Thousand Blunders (Vancou er:
Pre s, 1996), 19.

2

23

Fi ur 2.2

n adver1:i m nt in th F rt
-~- . _

II rald 4 in 1914

·.•. ·==· -~:-

rhe
•..

aerns~

•feHt IL · · t

;, ~ 1 =

2

'M!"'I

~

'~.

"•..

, , '

·..

<·

(

fif>,'=f. ~t'11MtW

'

. :: ·:

~"~
~' i ·~

,

.

··-::.:-:·

_-;

:-

.·.•

·::·:: .·..
..--:-..- ..

~

.. .-.. :-·._·'.•. .

..

__

·-:
-:

. . ·--~=·

. '
~

I

The Fort

corge Herald wa th e new I aper e tabli hed in Fo rt

cor 'C in 19 12

..

-

24

R appli d t th ft d ral g vernm nt t pur ha

In Ma , 1 0 th

rg Indian R

th Fort
th

ite ft r a tati n and t

t wn it b gan th

p

the 1

l ,atth junti nofthe ra rand

rv

n it

ulati e d

5

h

announ

pm nt

f

ment

f th

hat v ntuall

c mpn mg

chak ri

r , and u e

d v 1 p thi

plan t
ha be

..

6 acr

m

th

railway

ity of Prince

rg .

D

pit th

pr ~ ct, the fl deral gov mment had a p !icy not to

upport of the

provide railwa c mpame with land grant fl r their tati n and town it , a the
government had d n in pr
similar policy

10u

n ervative

ar . In addition, th provincial g vernment had devel ped a

ith re pect to it land holding .6

he

TPR had t acquire land for devel pment

purpo e on the open market or through the purcha e of native re erve .

D'Arcy Tate a GTPR olicitor, ent a Jetter to

.J.

hamberlin,

sq, Vice Pre ident & General

Manager for the GTPR in Winnipeg stating:
... from the Dominion we have the right to expect genius cooperation in
carrying our line through to the coast.
ow I would strongly urge that thi
matter be brought to the attention of ir Wilfred ... Unles this is done [the
purchase of the reserve] we cannot proceed with the work. It is not merely the
Fort George Reserve that is in question but all the other re erve land required
7
by us are on the same footing .

5

D ' Arcy Tate, Assistant Solicitor for the Grand Tnmk Pacific Railway, letter to Frank Pedl ey, E q, Deput-y
Superintendent General of Indjan Affairs, 9 May, 1908 . From a collection of correspondence regarding the
Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and Fort George from 1908-1913 in the College of New Caledonia Library in
Pri nee George.
6
Frank Leonard, A Thousand Blunders (Vancouver : UBC Pre s, 1996), 26 . British Columbia had a grea ter
control of its public lands than other provinces at this time. ee Robert Gail , Land and the Law: The Disposal
of r01vn Lands in British Columbia, 1871-191 3 (Vancouver: UBC Pre s, 1 97 ~ ). forward .
7
D ' Arcy Tate, Assistant Solicitor for the Grand Tnmk Pacific Railway. Letter to E.J. Chamberlin E q .. Grand
Trunk Pacific Railway Vice Pre ident & General Mana ger, 17 Augu t. 1909 . From a collection of
correspondence regarding the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and Fort George from 1908-1913 in the College of
New aledonia Library in Prince George.

25

Thi corr p nd nc
p t d fr m th g
practi
R

ugg t th 1

1 of p liti al influ nc h ld b the

etnm nt. It al

indicate that acquiring r
8

whi h wa imp rtant to th building f till railwa

rv which wa acquired b th

t tal, the

R acquired p rti n

re rve land w r attra ti
ett1 m nt ar a along th
re erve land

TPR and the upport it

rv land wa an acceptable

Th 1 tter r b r t

it

rail a and

a th

f2 r

ll1

riti h

TPR b au

th

w r t picall l cated at villag

PR r ut whi h w re th land m

ere n t a ailable fl r purcha

nth

f th

the Metlakatla

Prin e Rup rt t wn ite
9

lumbia.

In

It i pr urn d that the
ite and

t uitabl for d v lopment. The

p n mark t by c mp ting land peculator , a

the ale ofr erve land r quired th coop ration and c n nt of the

epartment flndian

:ffair .

With the new that th GTPR planned to build to the we t coa t through the Yellowhead Pas , it
wa logical that the area near the junction of the

echako and Fraser River would be a station site

and divi ional point given that the railway wa to follow the

echako River valley, and that the

railway would utilize the Fra er River a a tran portation route to the outh . With the interest
expre sed by the railway in there erve lands there wa a flurry of land speculation and immigration
to the area. Land around the reserve was acquired from the government by various speculators
and quickly subdivided and resold prior to the purchase of there erve by the GTPR in 1912. The
first train arrived in the area in 1914 to find three town ites in existence. These were South Fort
George, Central Fort George, and the railway townsite.

!<For a discussion of the power held by the railroad co mpanies in ' c tern Canada sec Max Foran, "The CPR
a nd the Urban West, 1881 - 19 0" in R eadings in Canadian Hisloty : Post Confe deration, eel . Dougla Francis
& Donald Smith (Toronto : Holt, Rinehart & Win ton of Canada Ltd .. 1986).
9Leonard, 19.

26

1gur 2.2 i an ad

rti m nt fr m th

rt

nit whi h h

th 1 cati n f

ntr 1

t

rg H rald in 1 1 fl r the
rt

e rge, outh ~ rt

ntral ort

org , th

org

TPR prop rty

[which wa £1 nn rl th r erv ], and th rail a tra k thr ugh th ar a.

outh Fort George a nd

uth

rt

entral Fort

outh f th

h

e rg d

and Hud

n Ba

tgur 2 _ and T ble I)
701 which in

lv d 0 acre

f land

Hamilt n

wn d b

mpany land .

hi wa

he

ubdivi i n plan

h rtly aft r Mr. Hami Iton '

arn al oth r p culator purcha d land and r gi t r d ubdivi i n plan 721 and 727 in I 10.
Thi group formed an a o iati n call d the
town ite they named outh Fort
1409 on the former Hud on ' Ba

e rge.10

rth m

evel pment

mpany to promote the

ubdivi ion plan 7 6 wa later regi tered, a wa plan

ompany prop rty. Figure 2.4 i a map of the treet lay ut and

building location of ubdivi ion plan 727 . Ro e Avenue and Fourth treet are now Queen way
Street. The street layout and many of the avenue name for outh Fort George, e tablished during
this period, remain today.

10

Neil Holmes, "T he Pro motion of Early Growth in the Western Canadian City: A Case
George, B , 1909- 19 15" (Honors E ay, Univer ity ofBriti h Columbia, 197-J.) , 13.

tudy of Prince

Figure 2.3

27

SUBDIVISION PLANS
REGISTERED PRIOR TO 1915
(overlayed on curren

c1 y stree

map)

I

<D

~
0

__,

.....
N

N
0

8<D
N

--'

a

DL 2612

DL 92 64

275

OMeters 450

lfU

.
!
. ,_

900
_,

1J50

I

28

Fi ure 2.4
Plan of outh

ort

rg

Q) ..B .C i.:xi"~C O Co.
1. ND/t/

@

.SA WMII. L

~

@ F!1:5T ScrrOol. (t'j r ')

® N(.w .ScnooL ''f17.
@ Ho-111 II[. ·"' lloru (1 u)
@ A II Hie. ~tl (11 vqc. If (•'/n)
(j) 1 r.s BYTE RWl CN•JII t'lf <; ,~

. _,

1

C.·--;: :J
j, .~

(j) Mt:THOP I.S 7 Tr.I'IT (r11o)

rr- ' ~'''''

1

,_.__ .-~-:_,~~--"

/ (<_:--: :
,.
~

I'

,

,.

,. :)/,__>-·~;,;: ··~:J
_s~~} H

/-rrRT

§t.o~ ~c

-

. ,.

r ~i

Nick S. Clark began the Fort George Lumber and

avigation Company which operated from

South Fort George. In 1909 thi company had a sawmill as well as a riverboat to bring supplies
and settlers from Quesnel. In 191 0 two additional riverboats were built and operated by the
company. A total of six temwheelers were servicing the region in 1910, operating out of outh
Fort George or Quesnel.

11

Figure 2.5 is a photograph looking north over South Fort George in

early 1914.

11

Francis Runnalls, Boom Davs in Prin ce Geore,e, 2 110 ed. (Prince George: Fra cr-Fort George RegiOnal
Mu cum, 1984), 284.

9

Fi ur 2.
Phot

raph of outh Fori

tak n in arty 1914

eor

Photograph courtesy of the Fral er Fort reorge R<::gJnnal Juseum

The town ite ofFort George, commonly referred to a
flamboyant George J. Hammond of the

entral Fort George, was promoted by the

atural Re ource

ecurity Company (NR

). The exact

nature ofHammond's financial intere tin the town ite lands i not known ; however, the propertie
were clearly controlled by investor out ide of the region. 12 Hammond adverti ed Central

ort

George as the busine s centre of the north and greatly exaggerated its future development potential
and value.

13

Figure 2.6 is an adverti ement from the Fort George Herald in 1911 showing the

block layout of the Central Fort George and South Fort George subdivisions regi tered in 1909
and 1910. Figure 2.3 shows the area covered by each ubdivision plan.

12

Ann Bumby, "Hammond and the Natura l Resource
ecurity ompany," (paper presented at the Local
History Seminar, ollege of New Ca ledonia , Prince George, 1981), 9.
13
Holme , 5 and umby, 16.

10

Fi ur 2.6

n adv rti em nt for

ntral Fort

org in 191 4
•

,.J

,L ..

•

..... C. V J:1 \.> C:.

«" VIC 1 N

L . 1!'~0

·ry

~·

;

'

~

·/

/[
~ '-.

.,'

A ,o l

l. 'l (:,3 0 I

s

By 1910 Central Fort George was reported to have a school, church, post office, bank, hotel, and
two sawmills. However, these service were largely subsidized by NRSC to aid growth and
marketing. This was also the case m South Fort George where the Fort George Lumber and
Navigation Company provided many services and urban functions .

14

photograph of Central Fort George looking northward along Central

14

Bumby, 16 and Hol mes, 5.

Figure 2.7 i a 1914
treet towards the water

31

ntral

fth

riginal

ntral

1gur 2. i a map f th

tr t la

ut and building 1 ati n

High a

696.

7.

on

an b

tr t i n

th pre nt da 1 cati n f a portion f

hak n r

Tow r and th

11

n m 1gur 2. the tr t Ia

rg building r main t da .

ut fi r plan 7 2 and 4 r mam largely the arne

toda . Th area cov r d b plan 96 and mall p rti n
t the neighb urh

d unit

n pt t b di u

f ubdi i i n plan 752, 646, and

f plan 7 2 wer r - ubdivided according

d in hapt r fi e

Fi ure 2.7
Photo graph of

entral Fort George in 1914

... :.
..
:
.
. .
Photograph courtesy of the Fraser Fort George Regional Museum

2

Fi ur 2.8
Plan f

n tntl Fort

or

,

Map courtesy ofRum1alls.

N

Efficiency in p culation and the

rid Patt rn of ubdivi i n

igur 2.

r

h w th ar a

hi h

ubdi ided prior to 191 .
imilar. Th

n f plan 126 and 140

i all in

t

ubdivi ion , with

arl

h

0 quar

a2

metr r tangular lot a 2 m tr wid r ad and a grid tr t patt rn running north- outh and a tt

hi h a arbitraril tmp

d

r th I nd with littl

r n c nc m £1 r t pography.

ubdivid d during thi p ri d.

wer approxi mat 1 22 7

her

he e ubdi vi ion ar li t d bel w

in Tabl 1.
Li t of ubdi vi ion Plan
Re i ter d Pri r to 191 5

Table 1

RPL
I T

UBDIVI I
0.
PL

T lZ
....

M
T

(metr )

R

646

l 09

6.6 X 7.6

11 69

696

1909

6.6 X 7.6

3580

701

1909

37.8 X 9. l

91

721

1910

38 X 9.1

456

727

1910

37.8 X 10.1

564

752

1910

36.6 X 7.6

3194

796

19 10

36.6 X 7.6

60

81 3

1910

36.6X 10.1

704

837

1910

0.96 - 1. 16 ha.

105

847

1910

36.6 X 7.6

2400

867

1910

125 X 7.6

75 1

1085

1911

36.6 X 7.6

1408

1268

1913

30.5 X 9.1

7000 apro

1409

1914

3 .5X l 5.2

465

Source C tty of Pnnce George SubdiVISIOn Rt!c rds

To tal

22,795 lot

The grid pattern of town ite ubdivi ion i by no m ans unique to thi area. It wa the common

34

:D rm f m t
tat

15

ttl m nt

tabli hed b

peculation acr

urv , de crib in d ed , p rtra

uni:D rm lot

uitabl for compa t

rald H dg not

anada and th we tern

nit d

lop r wer num rou . I abel

h b n fit

ant n in h r di u i n f th grid plan in
t

w t rn

r nt n ar the tun1 of the c ntury n t

n plan , and c mpr h nd

ttl m nt f rectilinear building

that it i ea y

Th grid patt rn al

provid d

16

that:

ttl m nt
h g1idiron al o uit d th ebulli nt and galitarian pirit that chara t rized th
ofw tern anada amp! land, qual parcel , imilarity of it
he e trait aJ prevailed
with r pect t the gridiron patt m mpl
d in earl city building in a tern anada, but
in th we t th were pr nt from the n eption of at wn. 17
Furthern1ore, the grid pattern c uld be ea il

made t

fit within th

rectilinear Di trict Lot

boundarie which were oriented n rth- outh and ea t-we t. It i a umed that the north- outh
Di trict Lot orientation detennined the north- outh ubdivi ion grid orientation within the e larger
parcels. Primarily, it wa a ca e that the grid pattern ubdiyj ion wa the quickest and cheape t to
plan and survey. 18

The manner in which townsites like Central Fort George and South Fort George were
created during that period is well characterized, and criticized, in the following quote by

15

John Reps, The Forgo tten Fron tier: Urhan Planning in th e _..l merican West Before 1 90 (Co lumb ia :
University of Missouri Press, 198 1), 11 7: and Gilbert teller and Alan Artibi e, Shapmg the [/·han
Landscape: Aspects of the Canadian City Building Process, eds. Gilbert Stelter and Alan Artibi e (Ottm\a ·
Carleton University Press, 1982), 423 .
16
lsobel Ganton , " Subdivision Proces in Toronto," in Shaping the Urban Land cape: A.,pect. of the Canadum
City Building Process, eds. Gilbert Stelter and Alan Atiibi e (Ottawa : arleton University Pre s. 1982), 22 1
17
Hodge, 43 .
1
gKostof, 122 .

3

r f
P nn

iv1l

ngm nng,

ne ci ntific ch

1,

niv r ity f

ania in 1 9 .
w "t wn- it ' are n t g n rail laid ut b ngin r r philanthropi t who
de ir to ecur th be t p ibl r ult fi r all tim , but
p culat r wh may
nth it - much 1 ha a t pographi urv
fit up n whi h t
tre t grad drainag , water uppl , werage,
and th man th r r quir m nt f a larg c mmuni
ft n the
laborate
pap r pr ~ect
er mar h , dun , t rrac , r even inacce ible e carpm nt ,
but, o long a the d mand fi r 1 t
i t and the in e tor i willing t take th
han e , it matt r little to th ' b om r '' h
eri u th err r f 1 ation or
d ign rna be, or h w gr at th o t f maintenanc rna be augm nt d by
ph ical ob ta le to habitati n, tran p rtati n, r anitati n, th thr e principle
lement fa it . Th emu hr m citi are handicapp d fr m the tart .. 19

Thi app ar to b th ca e with the applicati n f the grid patt m ubdivi ion in early Prince
George. The ubdi i ion were arbitrari1 imp ed on the land a quickly a wa p
to capitalize on the e pected building boom. In Prince

ible in order

eorge there i no evidence that attention

was given to the feature of the land to be ubdivided, a the grid wa indiscriminately laid over
steep slopes and watercour es.

T he Brett, Hall and Co. Plan and the City Beautifu l Movement

The GTPR completed the purchase of there erve from local First

ations in May, 1912.20 A few

months later the topography of the re erve wa surveyed by James Anderson, a GTPR ci vil
engineer. The railway then hired the Boston landscape architectural firm of Brett, Hall and Co . to
plan the townsite on the reserve lands. This same company had de igned the town ite of Prince
Rupert for the GTPR in 1908 ? 1 After a visit to the site by Brett and Hall in 1912 the plan was

19

Lcwis Haupt, "Plannjng the Site for a ity ," Th e En r!,in eeriug J\!ag az111e 8 (1895) : 626.
°For comprehensive documentation of the ale of the reserve ee Leonard, 165-185 .
21
Harold Kalman, Th e Prince Rupert Heritage Jnvento r_v and Cousen ·atiou Program (Prince Rupert: Hcntagc
Advjsory ommittce, 1983).
2

36

d v I ped, r gi tered a a ubdivi ion, urv

n firm f( r th

op of th plan produc d b th
mpan prop rty t th

Ba

d, and put on th mark t in 191 .

uth

Th

PR,

hich included th form r Iud on

em r partner of th land cap
h wa

org Hall, had r c ntl marri d th daught r f harl e
rand Trunk Rail a and fir t pr ident f th

TPR Thi rna
hich

1gur 2. 1 a

archit ctural fi1m,

n raJ Manag r f th

plain wh th railway hir d

uld b c m Prince

e rg and Prince

22

Rup rt.

The Brett, Hall and

plan for Prince

orge and Prince Rup rt were both heavily influenced by

the 11 City Beautiful'' movement. 23 Thi m vement originated from the de ign of the ground and
building of the
de ign of citie .

hicago World' Fair of l 93 , and wa concerned with the improved aesthetic
ommon

ity Beautiful de ign principle include elements such a diagonal

avenues, radial treet , civic plaza and pubhc quare , and grand public building .

One of the principle de igners of the 1893 World's Fair wa Frederick Law Olmstead from Bo ton.
Both Brett and Hall were students of Olm tead's son, who was a landscape architect at Harvard
Univer ity. The City of Boston and Harvard University were a centre for the development of the
City Beautiful movement at the tum of the Century. Brett and Hall were no doubt heavily
influenced by the principles of City Beautiful design.24

22

Leonard, 129 .
Kent Sedgwick, "Chicago of the North: A City Beautiflll Plan ." in , tree t Names of Prince George· Our
!fistory, ed. University Womens lub of Prin ce George (Prin ce George: Coll ege of ew Caledonia Pre s.
1989), 4.
24
Scdgwick, 4.

23

7

Fi ure 2.9
The Brett Hall and

o. Plan for th

ra nd Trun k Pa ific Railway

·.

'

~> ... , ..

. ~ ~ • '!) ••

... ) .- ( .. .. "' ~ (

.e. ' •. 0 • • • ,. ) ~

I '

,..,. . "'' '<C. 'J,: ,..,Ci\

" I> , \ f! ,

) ... ' , .... (

)I .. ,

,

~ ~ ..

Plan courtesy of the Fort George Herald. 19 14

Regardle s of the proximity and expo ure of Brett and Hall to the City Beautiful movement, the
design principles can be clearly seen in the plan it elf. The plan for Prince George is b t de cribed
by historical geographer Kent Sedgwick.
In Prince George, the gridiron of downtown street was et off true
north/south in order to align it with the railroad track . George treet wa
planned as the main commercial thorou g hfare. It is the only
t with lot
facin g west or ea t; all other Jot have north or outh frontage .
treet

-8
wa t b t rminat d at th n rth nd b a mall park defined by h rt diag nal
tr t , th railwa
tati n and a maj r h t I
tag nally- hap d Prine s
quare ontaining it Hall t rminat d th
uth nd . ln a n w pap r
11
intervi w r tt and Hall d lar d that
rge treet would b a pi ndid
a i 11 fl r the it

L ading
angle t
e enth t

fr m th

nu
n ighb urh od in which th
adding i w and

diag nal tre t d fining the quare, at a right
nth
nue, an th r maj r th r ughfare .
ark at the c ntr
f th ' cr c nt '
h e
hi h mm tricall urr und d uch
Park n
d the i ta al ng the traig ht p rtion of Third t
wer int nd d t £1 rm a pr tigi u
d al ng natural t pog raphic benche ,

Anoth r element f the plan a a parkwa , atnc1a oulevard , which g ently
urved pa t
nnau ght Park Parkwa w re a fav urite fl ature of plan by
F .L. lm t ad who u ed th m in hi d ig n for entral Park in ew Y rk and
in Bo ton.
t the inter ction of Patricia and Victoria treet wa a traffic
circle ontaining lfr d Park. The nam
of the park and boulevard were
a ociated with the famil of the governor-general at that time, the uke of
25
onnaught, who wa a patron of town planning .

It was ugge ted by lawyer for the

entral Fort George townsite that the de ig n and location of

the crescent haped treet around Duche

Park were a purpo eful attempt to di rupt traffic flow
26

and functionally eparate Central Fort George from the railway town ite and the railway location .

Given the unique relationship between the landscape architects and the Pre ident of the GTPR, it
is likely safe to assume that the architects were aware of the competing town ites and that the
GTPR would not object to the effect of the plan design on the adjacent town ite . It is also worth
noting that the station location propo ed by the architect , at the foot of George treet, was as far
a distance :fi·om either competing townsite as practical. Evidence may never be found which
indicates what instructions the land cape architects received regarding this; however, the ere cent
are typical of City Beautiful design, they did compliment the natural topography of the area, and

25
26

Scdgwick, 2.
Leonard, 191.

19
th

1 cati n wa in k ping

autiful one pt

ith th

fthi plan

Th ke
at

rall de ign f th t wn it plan

w r w ll incorp rat d int th

ity I all r main in pla

u h a th

h

n~ rtunatel

raJ

,

tati n

27

f "axi " and "t nninal i ta. "

nnaught Hill Park and th public quare

t da and d t rmin d man el m nt

urrounding re id ntial area
Park i u ed a a

t patt m,

tr

M reov r, th

ment

1 ite in t ad of a park, and th rail a

f d wnt wn Prin

org and

f the plan have b n lo t.

uche

tation wa not d v 1 ped at th

nd

of eorge tr et.

Competin g T own site and the Railway

tation Lo ca tion

The location of the primary commercial centr for the area wa tied clo ely to the future location of
the GRPR tation. In 1910, the

atural Re ource

ecurity

ompany

R

), the firm marketing

and selling the Central Fort George lot , began advertising that the railway station would be
located near their town ite. This wa prior to the Brett, Hall and Co. plan and the indication of a
location for the station by the railway?

8

NR

then attempted, un uccessfully, to negotiate with

the GTPR to locate the tation near Central Fort George. The railway was well aware of the effect
of the station on the value of the urrounding property. There was little motivation for the GTPR
to increase the value of the competing town ite lots by locating the station closer than nece sary to
29

either townsite.

Later in 1912 Brett, Hall and Co. submitted their plan with the station located at

the north end of George Street, a significant distance from Central Fort George. It i clear from
the townsite plan that the intent was for George

27

treet to be the prominent commercial treet.

Kent Sedgwick, interview by author, Prince George, BC., 20
Leonard, 187.
29
Leonard, 188- 189 .
28

ugust, 1996.

40

Figur 2.

h w how

hich J t fr nt. It i al
oth r [the futur l
BR ) 1 appro

an hor d b th pr p

ation f

d th

tr et i di tingui h d a th

rg

e rg

it

all] ·
tr et I

0

l n Mar h f 1 1 the

F rt

e rg .- 2

In 191

the

TPR b gan t

n th

atricia quare at th
ommi i n r

nt ted that location and the

ft r that hearing the

matter
rge

,t

ell l t in their t wn it . Pr

property own r in th rail a to n ite h lp d the

ri nted r ad nto

ard of Railway

r th

ati n h

tati n h uld b 1 at d

uth

d tati n at ne nd and

appro al wa re cind d p nding an th r h aring
d termi n d that th

nl n rth-

tre t l cation, clo er t

ntral

ure from th incr asing number f

PR obtain another hearing befl r the BR ,

on the ba i that the ite cho en for the tation wa an unbuildable depre ion . The BR
that the tation location be moved further ea t of

R

entral

ordered

ort George by 1000 feet. It wa al o

ordered that the tation be built by June 1, 1915 . Thi location remained a significant di tance we t
of the George Street location de ired by the GTPR. During thi hearing it wa noted that the
GTPR had built what they referred to as a 'temporary' station at the foot of George treet in 1914,
and that business had begun to centralize along George treet as was planned by the GTPR. The
BRC order to build the permanent station was ignored by the GTPR.3

Preliminary development of the railway townsite began near the end of 1913 after the sale of lot
This growth increased in 1914 when the railway tracks reached the area and the trains began

30

Sedgv ick, interview.
The BRC was the federal body re ponsiblc for regulatin g the railway , and had jurisdiction m·cr the location
of the station.
12
Leonard 192-19 .
33
Leonard, 197-198.

31

41

tr t.

Runnall outlin d in hi

a a ear f gr at hange fr m

i ting d v I pm nt tr nd .

to arriv at the temp rary tation at th fl
e rg

hi t ry of Prine

1 14

rg

t f

1gur

2.10 and 2. 11 ar ph t graph

tr t.

1gur 2.10 wa tak n in Mar h, 1 1 and "' Igur 2 11 wa tak n inJun , I 14.

hang that e urr d in th fl w m nth

f th rail a t

n it

a d el p d. Runnall

org

uth

rt

railwa

t

ort

and

de el pm nt of th
'population

f 1500, whil

decline, having le

outh

rge

rt

timat

a

1 00 p

pl

B

the end

f th

e rg and

than a thou and re id nt eaeh."

king north down

ph t graph

pann d b th

hieh th rail a t

n ite l

entral

14, prior to

ear Prine

eorge had a

orge wer beginning to

15

Photograph looking nor1:h down George Street in March, 1914

34
3~

Runnall s, 11 & 123 .
Run nail s, 130.

ntral

arly

aeh in

Fig ure 2.10

Photograph coutiesy of the Fra~er-FOJ1. George Reg-ional Museum

h

h w th rapid rate in

that th populati n of

rt

org

Fi ur 2.ll

Photo raph I kin n t1h d wn

cor

tr tin Jun , 1914

Photogrnph ·ourtcsy nl the rr..t'>cr lw t-(icorge Reg10nal luseum

Thi

mo

ment to th

railwa

town ite wa

encouraged b

th

continued exi t nee of the

'temporary' tation at the north end of eorge treet, and the inc rporation ofth railway town ite
a Prince George in 1915 . People, bu ine e , and building moved from the tw F rt

eorge to
16

the Prince George town ite "until the two old town were but gho t of their former glory."
After 1915 the NR

wa no longer an economic or political chall nge to the railway and the

location of the tation, and compliance w]th the BR
The plan of the GTP R to develop George
succes ful .

36
37

Runna ll I ..J-8 .
Leonard , 202.

order, did not appear to be a pre ing i ue 7

treet as the commercial centre for the r gion wa

4

Incorporation

ccurring at th

am tim a th c nf1i t

con ming th area
intent i

hi h

Pr id nt and Manag r in l ll

rat d a Prine

uld b

lead id ntifi d in a 1 tter

r th I cati n f th railway tati n wa a truggl

nt b

harl

Ia ,

rg . Th
r id nt

f th

TPR' p iti n and
PR to it Vice

h letter tat d that

e i n [ f . rt
rg Indian R
l] i t b giv n u n J un
I t. In th m antim
ill mak
m onn cti n with th it , and
one of th fir t thing
b d n i t
at in orp rat the ity of
Prin e
org
Thi
ill gi u a t n it permanent! di tingui hed from
th num r u t n n
all d Fort
uth
rt
orge, tc., which
are in the i init , and
can thr ugh the pr
give the announcement that
thi i the [i rmer Indian Re ervati n, and there are no other that carry with
1
them the end r em nt and o n r hip of th
rand runk Pacific. R

P

In 1912 the outh Fort

eorge Board of Trade ent a letter to the

TPR propo ing that outh

Fort George and the railway town ite jointly incorporate.39 This idea wa not upported by the
president ofthe GTPR. The repre entative from outh Fort George then made an application to
the provincial government to incorporate their town ite. Incorporation wa de ired in order to gain
taxation powers required to develop and maintain water supply, sewage dispo al, and fire
protection. Central Fort George was also undertaking the initial teps required to apply for
40

incorporation.

The South Fort George application was rejected and it was sugge ted by the

government that the three townsites co-operate in making an application. A committee wa

38

Charles Hays, Grand Trunk Pacific Railway President letter to E.J. Chamberlin Esq ., Grand Tmnk Pa cific
Railway Vice President & General Manager. 18 December, 1911. From a collection of corre pondcnce
regarding the Grand Trunk Pacific Rai lway and Fort George from 1908-191 3 in the College of e\\
Ca ledonia Library in Prince George. B .
39
1 Daniell, South Fort George Board of Trade Incorporation Committee, letter to W.H. Bigge r. Gmnd Tnmk
Pacific Railway Genera l CounciL 1-J. July. 1912 . From a collection of correspondence regarding the Gran d
Tnmk Pacific Railway and Fort George from 1908- 1913, Coll ege of New Caledonia Library in Prince George.
B .
40
Ho lmes, 59-60 .

fanned in 1 14, mad

up

f r id nt fr m th

n en u regarding an ar a for in
b the

1 cat d at the fl t f
.

tr t,

41

Th

a t

committ

r ached a

er, giv n th large amount f pr perty wned

b call d

and th land

h

TPR tipulat d thr e

rg , 2)th

nn

tation wa t

b

n d b th railwa w uld r c iv certain

42

mptl n .

When th third BR
Fort

rg

t wn it

a r quired n th application.

1)Th m rp rat d ar a

c nditi n .

tax e

rp rati n; h w

n nt

mpan

TPR, th

thr

h aring

rder d th

tati n t

be l cat d w

eorg re id nt fear d :fl r th future f th ir t wn ite

tation wa general!

upported b

uth

ort

The

t f

e rge

tre t the

uth

orge tre t location for the

orge re ident a it wa the option that put the

station clo e t to their town ite. With the growth of the railway town ite and demi se of entral
Fort George and

outh Fort George, the wi dom of committing to help finance [throug h taxe ] a

community water and ewer y tern wa que tioned .

are ult the remaining outh Fort George
43

residents withdrew from the incorporation committee in 1914.

In 1915 a committee comprised of resident and property owners from the railway townsite, with
the support of the GTPR, applied to incorporate an area that included only the railway town it e.
The Central Fort George representatives applied to incorporate their townsite along with the
railway townsite.

After some political maneuvering by the GTPR the provincial government

agreed that it was in the best interest of the Central Fort George resident not to be burdened with

41

Holmes, 61-62 .
Holmcs, 66 .
43
Holmc , 69 and Leonard 208 .

42

45

th

t

e r quir d t

pr vid

th

d ir d

fVl

e t

th

ucc ded in additi nail di tingui hing it land fr m th
catal t toward
town it

th

f

d mi

ntuall

ntral

rt

rg

continu d to xi t a a mall c mmunt
d

1 pm nt contr 1 a di cu

rg

rt

uth

d in hapt r

tw

.

4

t wn It

ntraJ

orge a

rt

abandon d, and

a
uth F 11
and

hi wa anoth r

urr unding t wn it
and

a

111

rporat d

PR had

Th

uth

c mp ting
rt

a Village with it

ould n t b c me part of th

rg
wn

ity of Prince

orge until 197 .

U rban Form and F un ction by 1 15

By the end of 1915 Prince
int rior of Briti h
Rupert. Bu ine

eorge wa th

ocial , political, and ec nomic centre of the northern

olumbia, with functional tie to the prairie province and the coa t at Prince
and ocial activitie were centred along

eorge treet and diffused outward to

adjacent block . The nature of the town ite plan, the location of the railway station, and the area
that was incorporated as Prince George all evolved from a trategic planning effort by the GTPR to
maximize the ucce

of their townsite. There ult wa to create George treet as the central social

and commercial place within the city and region . If the tation had been located further west at that
time, it is likely that the city' s downtown core would also have been located further we t. The
present day prominence of George Street and the location of the central bu ines di trict was
largely determined in these early years. The railway was in a position to obtain the reserve and had
the political and economic power to en ure its townsite wa
Prince George1S early development.

44

Leonard , 209 .

uccessful, determining the nature of

46

Th

~ rm r

ntral

rt

e rg and

uth F rt

function and 1 t man of th ir building
majority of the prim land for d

rg t

n it

hi h w r mo d t

I pm nt, and

maintain d Iitt!

f th ir ~ rmer

orge.

19 15 the

P1inc

larg p rtion of th urban ar a of what would

b com t da ' Prine

rg , had b n ubdivid d in gridiron fa hi n in an att mpt t capitaliz

on th pr diet d b

h maj ri

m.

town it ab rb d th

f thi

ubdiv1ded land r main d undev I p d a th railway

arl urban gr wth fr m th tw pr i u t

wa

The plan for Prin

n it

ignificantly di erent from , and

wa a definite improvem nt

r the indi criminate gridir n patt m v rlaid up n the land by the

earl

eorg , and aero

pe ulator

in P1ince

nfortunatel , Prine

anada and the we tern

eorge 1 often over! oked a an early e ample of a

nited

tates.

ity Beautiful plan in

Canada.

George Street remains a primary social and econorruc node in the city, although the railway station
was eventually relocated to a site a block and a half to the we t in later years, in compliance with
the BRC decision. The location of the railway station away from the north end of George treet
may have lirruted the prominence of George treet and lead to the increased importance of 3ru
Avenue in later years. The grid pattern subdivisions can be clearly een in contra t to the curved
streets and cui-de-sacs of later subdivisions. The ere cents, boulevards, and park of the railway
plan still exist; however, the more grandiose City Beautiful design elements such as the terminal
vista, civic plazas, and public square were not been exploited as the original designers mo t likely
intended .

7

J hn W. R p

in hi b

plann d d elopm nt

t, d

k n th urbanizati n f th

ill hi

e

r I ant t th PJinc

rge ituati n. R p

rib

a proc
plain that:

th riginal patt rn f urban land di i i n pr id d ampl r m
In m t a
fl r gr wth, with tr t , bl
pac , and public building ite
g n r u l laid ut t a c mm dat
l pm nt
ll b ond th fir t
in r m nt of building
en in a
h r th fir t d ign pr ed inad quat
in iz , it influ n e n th ub qu nt gr \vth and charact r f th
panding
it pr ved en rm u
t rn t n and cit b gan a a plann d ttlem nt wh e
r d t rmined in ad an
b indi idual , c rp ration ,
, r ligi u gr up , r public fficial
thing could be
truth than th n ti n that W t rn t wn originat d a
haml t that gr
Jowl , increm ntally, and
p ntan u cr
ithout guidanc f dir ction
h w t wa a r gion of planned
random!
45
citie
Prince George began a a plann d ettlement, howe er that planning wa ba ed primarily
upon the intere t of peculative land develop r , including the

TPR. The deci ion made

regarding land u e during thi earl period have had the mo t ignificant and perva ive
affect on the nature of the city' urban form and function compared to any ther period in
Prince George's hi tory. The gridiron ubdivi ion of Central Fort George and outh Fort
George, a wetl as the railway townsite subdivi ion , would detennine the nature of infill
development that occurred well into the 1960s. A look at a current map of Prince George
(Appendix 1) clearly shows the fundamental effect that the land u e deci ion made prior to
1915 had on urban form .

4sReps, 5.

f

48
hapter T hre

World War II and the tart of Municipal Planning
Introdu ction

rge d cr a d in p pul ti n fr m

year b

en World War I and W rld War II

th

cit

e tabli hed it lf a a r g1 nal

product indu try. P1inc

rg

imat I 2000 p

0 p opl to appr

Prince

tgur

rvi e c ntr

pl in th

pit thi populati n decline
fi r th

dev 1 pmg r gi nal fi re t

a a di tributi n point for uppli

to th fore t indu try, to

and to the urrounding agricultural ar a , wa_ th

location of per onal and

railwa

orker

bu ine

erv1c ; wa the ocial and entertainment centre for the r gion · and wa the pennanent

home of the merchant cia

of th region.1

Figure 3.1 is a photograph of Prince George in 1921 looking north we t over the city. Figure 3.2 i
a photograph looking north over the city taken in the early 1940 . It can be seen that the growth
that occurred during thi period was dispersed and unorganized . Building appear to di.ffi.Jse
outward from George Street with little logic or coordination. It is also intere ting to note the
elevated boardwalks over low lying lands which were frequently flooded .

1

Hak, ''T he Socia li t," 525-527.

9

Fi ure .1
Photo raph ofPrin e

eor em 1921

Figure 3.2
Photograph of downtown Prince George taken m th e early 1940s

Ph togra ph courtesy oflh e Fraser Fort G ~o rg~ R~g 1 o n a l

so
Runnall d crib

Prine

orge during th

arl 1040 a fl ll

ank f an ada ar forth banking bu ine of
Th
ank fM
th communit . h r ar ight li n d hot 1 , be id a number fr ming h u
tw bakeri , five car d al r
and re taurant , fi \ h 1 al di tributing war h u
ll a d al r and trad men 111 vry
and garag , and a larg numb r f r tail r , a
public hall .. 2
m ing pictur th atr , and t
lin f ork. Th r ar t

With th

b ginning

f W rld War ll th

reg10n .

!lowing th

ar th indu t

George.3

a re ult of indu trial

mer a d gr atl , and th l t

pand in th

fl re t pr du t indu try began t

ntinued t gr w and c ntralize in and ar und Prine
pan i n and re tructuring th

ubdi id d pri r t

p pulati n

f th

city

W rld War I, of which there w r over

22,000 were d velop d at a ery rapid rat in a relative! uncontrolled manner

Growth continued in thi fa hion until 195 7, when the
service of the area' fir t profe ional planner.

ity of Prince

eorge retained the

ver the next 12 year the

ity of Prince

George implemented a erie of trategie and plans, under the guidance of the professional
planner, in order to control and plan new growth and provide exi ting developed area with
the basic municipal services.

World War ll and the Beginning of Land Use Regulation

World War II had an important effect on the form and function of Prince George and the
surrounding area. During this period there was an expansion of the fore t products industry in

2

Runnalls, 158.
For more information on thi growth and industrial restmcturing see Ken Bern ohn, Cutting up the ,\ 'orth
(Vancouver: Hancock Press 1981); and Doreen Mullins, "An Analy i of Key Factors Contributing to th
Changes in Structure and Location in the Forest lndu try ofNorih Central British Columbia," in .): I 7:\"F
Historical Perspectives on Northern British olumh10 , ed Tom Thorner (Prince George. Coll ege of C\\
Ca ledonia Press, 1989) .

3

51

ldi r mad th

v ral th u and

th r g10n,

cit a a r gi nal

d t at 1 a t

2,027 . Thi had in r

1 th

ntr . In 1

fVI

it th ir h m , nd thou and mor u d th
ilian p pulation wa r p rt d to b

it
4

0 b 19
'

h

ar

t th

ar

tag

r, and

mark d the b ginning f, a 1 ng p n d f urban . pan i n and p pulati n gr wth [! r Prine
org and urr unding ar a

and

1gure

abl 2

1gur

Population Growth

Prince Geor
80000

n ·ce .. ion
b egi nnin g of co n. olidation ~111d

60000
40000
20000

railway
arr iva l

r gio nal indu. tr_ e pan ion

t \ <n~th 1

d e pre .. ion

Ea t L;no m;us

\'2

en tra Liz a tion

1

0~~==~====~===4~===4~---+----~----~

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

It was during World War II that the City of Prince George created its first land use bylaw in

an effort to control and direct growth. As a result of the increased population during the
war,6 and restrictions on lumber use for non-military purposes, a severe shortage of housing

4

Francis Runnalls, Boorn Days in Prince George, 2nd ed. (Prince George: Regiona l District of Fraser-Fort
George, 1984), 153. Runna ll data was based on the issuance of ration card .
5
Data from 1921 to 1981 are Census Canada fi gures for the City of Prince George. Data from previou years
were provided by Kent Sedgwick and were compil ed from hi torical source . The population inc reases
following the yea rs 1953 , 1961 , and 1975 are artificially inil ated du e to expa nsion of the boundari e of the
ity of Prince George during this time period .
6
Makowski, 45 1. Makowski notes that mu ch of th e non-military population growth wa due to the number of
spou ses, partners, a nd chi ldren of the soldie rs.

2
7

Ar a of th

wa

r at d.

an

th r availabl

oll ction

n
t

rv1c

pac wa u
to th

ugu t 9th, 194 th

hav ind

it

th

neighbourh

n app arance a

d fl r h lt r

wag di po al ,

hed , garag

i tent

it ad pt d

71 which r quir d all r

The b Ia

regulation

wa JU tifi d b th

lear fr m a r
wa

pr

1 w

ure

d fr m the hant t pe hou ing

t

, and

at r upply, and garbag

r n n-

r flu h toil t

n w

t

ar a w r inad quat

public health ; h wev r, it i
b hind

d v lop d hant

id ntial dw lling

i L a a m an t

pre erv th

f n w paper article that a driving fl rc
pr t ct

prop rty

hi h wa being devel p d

value

w

xi ting

he need to olve

anitation and h alth problem appear to be, at be t, a econdary i ue !< M re important than
the pecific regulation which were de eloped wa the re ulting di cu ion regarding the need
for a city zoning bylaw. Thi zoning bylaw wa adopted in 194 7, and will be di cu ed further
in thi chapter.

Growth , U rb an In fill , and the B egi nnin g of Sprawl
Prior to the growth that occurred after World War II only a portion of the thou ands of lot
subdivided early in the century had been developed . The developed area wa primarily that of
the Grand Trunk townsite plan. Less than approximately one third of the

outh Fort George

and Central Fort George lots were developed . The City of Prince George had re tricted its

7

Makowski , 451.
"Town Zoning," Prince George Citizen 20 May 1943. " Seek Data on Town Zoning.'' Prmce George Citizen
17 June 1943. "Might Curb Building of utside Toilet as City Zoning Mo c." Pnnce George Ci llzen 1 Jul}
1943 . " City Moves to Curb Bui lding of Shack ," Pnn ce George Ci tizen 15 July 19-B . "' Inside Toilet Must
be Put In A ll New Houses," Prince Ge or~e Citizen 29 , July J 9-l- 3.

8

5

planning r 1 t th pr v1 10n f limit d

r, wat r and el ctrical ervice , and th m a ur

tak n t curtail hant de 1 pm nt during th

The d elopm nt of a r lati el

ar

tabl and c ntraliz d £1 r t pr duct indu try £1 II wing th

war contribut d gr atl t th p pulati n gr wth f Prin
for r id ntial, indu trial and c mm rcial land
Prince

orge in l

eorg wa

anada

Th

1 a 4,70 pe ple. Thi gr

fa t t gr wing cit

e rg and th incr a ed demand

en u r cord
t 1 , 77 p

h w th

p pu lati n of

pl in 19 I. In 1966 Prince

ith a p pulati n f 25 , 5 p

pie ( igure 4 .1 and

Tabl 2) .

orthwood Pulp wa

built in 1966, Prince

Intercontinental Pulp and Paper wa built in 196 .9

eorge Pulp wa
During thi

built in

1967, and

arne period two pulp mi ll

were built in Mackenzie. The e pulp companie , and the huge capital inve tment in the
region, promoted confidence and attracted additional capital investment.

The population

continued to grow through the end of the 1960 and into the 1970 . By 1969, an integrated
regional forest products industry had been created . Prince George wa no longer a small
community serving the needs of the surrounding region . It was central to the northern half of
the province and was fully integrated into the provincial and national economy.

A compari son offigures 3.4, 3.5, 3 .6, 3 .7, 3 .8, and 3 .9 shows the spatial e pansion of Prince
George between 1948 and 1964 . The progressive expansion of residential development into

9

T he loca tion of the No rth wood a nd Prince Geo rge pul p mill required rezoning from re idcnttal to industrial
usc under the regulatio ns of ommunity P la nni ng Area No . 7, as di cu cd in c hapter ix

4

th rail a to n it 1 t
fl ll

di u

d.

ubdi id d ac
and

th

rg l t , and th

ntral "' Ort

d in hapt r t

th

org wa

rand Trunk Pacifi Railwa b

I all

The growth fl 11

m

rp rat d ar a

rg

f Prince

wa

n 1 0 and 1 1

urred v

ing W rld Wa ll

minimal municipal planning and d
ubdivided pri r t

nd th

area b

ubdi id d in a grid patt rn b

e rg lot can be

, th land original! inc rp rat d a Prine

rding t a plan pr par d fl r th

. in 1 14, whil

uth ort

quick!

pm nt control .

W rld War II wa

and in a haphazard way with

he title to th

undevelop d I t

ith the provincial governm nt a

th

[! rmer

peculati e own r did n t pa the ta e and aband ned th ir inve tment a the market fell
following the initial boom period . With th
elling the e lot at a rapid pace.

new demand for property, th

provmce wa

xi ting municipal erv1ce were being underutilized a

densitie remained low and new development wa expanding beyond erviced areas into the
thousand of lot that urrounded the City of Prince George. Urban den itie were low and
sprawling, and urban amenities uch as paving, park , chools, ewer, water, and

torm

drainage were not adequately provided .10 As an area became populated the property owners
would petition the City of Prince George to incorporate the area and provide the required
service . Once serviced at the City' s ex pen e, the market value of the property increa ed
significantly.

11

In 1953 and 1956 two boundary expansions incorporated the areas to the west

into the City limits, more than doubled the City ' s area to over ten

quare kilometres

(Appendix l ).

10

Des mond Parker, " PG Urban Renewal Study" ( entral Interior Planning Consultant , Prince George, 1965),
Ill-12 .
11
Des mond Parker, interview by author, Prince George, 10 Augu t, 1998.

Th

muni ipal infra tm tur

ignificant. Th la k f

[V [

the

it limit wh r gr wth

d n

and und r

Highwa and

fVlC

orth

d

r quir d t

th

fVl

me rp rat d ar a

and infra tru tur
a

riti al furth r ut id

mplet I un

f parti ular n t

ntr ll d and d
a th

I pm nt wa

hak R ad 12

ir photo raph f th n rth rn half of Prin

Parker, Vl - 60 .

Ge r

tak n in 1948.

f

v n le

trip d v I pm nt al ng th

Fi ur 3.4

12

wa

I art

56

Fi ur 3.5
ir photo raph of th

outh rn half of Prince

Ai r photograph courtesy of the City of Prince George

eor e tak n in 1948.

57

Fi ur

ir photo raph f Prin

A.Jr photograph cotutesy of the

ity of Prince George

.6
r

and ar a tal n m 19 53

58

Fi ur 3.7
ir ph to raph f Prince

r

and area taken in l S5

Figure 3.8
Air photograph of Prince George looking east in 1957

59

Fi ur 3.
1r phot

raph f Prin

Air photograph courtesy of the City of Pnnce Ge rge

r

tak n m 19 59

()()

ur 3. 1

ra ph f Prin

e r(J tak n 111 1964

T he F irst Zoning Bylaws

Prior to 195 7, there wa littl e formal publi c pl anning taking place in th

ity ofPrinc

eorge

or th e urrounding ettlement . The initi al effort to regulat the growth that occurr d aft r
World War II wa through th e developm ent

f zo ni ng bylaw . Prin

eorge' fir t zonl!lu0

61

b la

wa ad pt d b

H aring th

ad pti n

di cu i n. 1

it

un iJ in 1

f Z nmg

7.

d up n n w pap r ace unt

la

pre iou 1 n t d th n d [i r a z ning b Ia

a the r ult f th d ir t maintain ad quat d
14

alu

d

rd

f th

pm nt f thi fir t z ntng

la

in it d

k pla

t

her i n

pm nt a th

re

oli it r

pr

u d,

ith littl
wa

f th Publi c

n tice

r public

riginally rai d in l 4

pm nt tandard and pr t t pr p rty
r th

It rna b that th

indi idual
it

r p n ibl , £1 r the

li it r pl y d a larg rol

a th indi idual r p n ible [i r drafting th bylaw to d al

with hant d

elopm nt during th

Zoning B law

o. 5

the city into

even zoning di trict

wa a relati

ar 15

imp!
and

and trai ghtforward regulation which divided
utlin d th

permitted u e

and development

regulation for each di trict. The e di trict wer :
Al - Re idence Di trict
2 - Re idence Di trict
B -Multiple Dwelling Di trict
- Local Retail Di trict
D - General Retail Di trict
E - Light Indu trial and Wholesale Di trict
F - Manufacturing and Warehou e Di trict

The 'Zoning Map ', referred to as Schedule A to Bylaw

o. 538 , can not be found . There is

no evidence of any public interest and concern over the adoption of the bylaw; therefore, it is
a sumed that the placement of the zoning districts did not significantly differ from the exi ting
land use patterns. However, the bylaw did serve to en ure the future separation of certain

13

"Publi c Hearing on City Zoning,' Prince George Citizen 27 Febntary 19-+7. "Passage Cleared for Zoning
Bylaw," Prince George Citizen 13 March 1947.
14

"Town Zoning," Prince George Citizen 20 May 19-+ 3. " Seck Data on Town Zoning, " Prince George
Citizen 17 June 1943. 'Mig ht Curb Building of Out ide Toilets as City Zoning Move," Prince George Clllzen
1 July 1943. "City Move to urb Building of ha cks,'' Prince Geore;e C'ttizen IS July 1943. '·Inside Toilet
Must
be Put Jn All New Houses," Prince George Citizen 29 Jul 194.., .
15
ity Moves to Curb Building of Shacks," Prince Georr,;e itizen IS July 1943.
'

62

land u e and p rmit

nn

rg

it

un il t

c ntr I, t

m degr e, the phy ical

chara t r f th c mmunit .

In 19 0 Prin

rg

uncil r at d a

n Planning

h Ma or
hairman f th Park om mitt
C.
h 1 ard emb r
d. Thr m mb r app int db r
luti n fth

mm1 ion wh

m mb r

a.

he mandat of th

mm1

1

n

it

unci]

a t

... a i t th
un il in an ad 1 ory capa it in carrying ut uch of the power
and provt 10n of the (To n Planning)
t a th
ylaw hall pre crib ,
including, among ther matt r :
a. To prepare and or amend a town plan
b. To d a! with the zoning of land .
c. To con ider matter dealing with the phy ical development of the
city which it may deem expedient. 16
Town Planning Commi ions were commonly u ed for planning purpo e m maller urban
centres during this period . 17

In 1954 the City adopted it second zoning bylaw under the guidance of this commi sian. 1g
Other than minor wording changes to improve clarity, enforceability, and practicality, Zoning
Bylaw

No .

745

differed

from

the

prevwus

zonmg

bylaw

m

16

City of Prince George, Town Planning Commission Bylaw No. 622, 1950.
Robert Bi h, Local Government in British olumbia (Vancouver: Union of Briti sh Columbia
Municipa lities, 1987), 108.
IX
Par kcr, 1-8.
17

only

two

63

ap t

h n

b Ja

add d a M t 1

ight [ndu trial and Wh I al eli tri t

th

b la
r e1

gain, gi

, it i b li

i ting patt rn
u

it her f th

n th minimal

d that th z nmg map
f land u

tri t, and it in lud cl th Wareh u ing u e within

\ ithm th

a a , ignifi ant chang fr m th

f publi

att ntion th

b law a1 p ar d t

hang d littl and th

It , and n ur d th

ontinu d l

ntinu d

r fl ct

parati n f indu trial

fr m r id ntial ar a

uring thi p ri d indu trial u e

d in th ar a al ng L t

ard , and th area t th n rth b

n th radv a

a al

d fl r indu trial u

arm

amp

primaril

along

Victoria tr et wa

b ing d
rg

tr

t and

rd

enu ,

ard and th

uth

hak River

igur _ ~)

f the railway
h fl rmer

ommercial activity wa

nu , and diffu d into the urrounding bl ck .

al o d eloping a c mm rcial charact r

con i ted primarily of ingle-family re id ntial development

The remainder of the city
ueen way

treet, leading to

outh Fort George, contain d multiple-famil development and orne commercial activity 19

In early 1955 , shortly after the adoption of the econd zoning bylaw, the li t of member on
the Town Planning

ommis ion was increased to provide greater public repre entation . The

li t ofmember included :
a. The Major
b. A Member of the Council appointed by Council
b. The hairman of the Board of Park Commis ioner
c. The hairman of the chool Di trict Board of Tru t
d. ix member appointed by re olution ofthe ity ounciJ

19

Parkcr, VI-9 to VI-10 .

64

De mond Park r

ln I

7

rowth

ntr I and

m nd Park r arri

d in th

tand ard

rv a 111

f Prin

it

firm all d

ntral lnt ri r Planning

a an ar hit

t and had btain d a p . t graduat d gr

phil

ph

' a that

f th

rg il r th n

Th fir t ta k th
d

d

rg Park r

imit d

tabli h d th

d

n ulting

ark r h, d und rgraduat training

in planning in

f 'gard n 1t ' and ' n

ntt h tradJti n

ft r arri ing in Prin
f Prin

n ultant

rg and

u tralia Hi . planning
t

n

. 21
pIannmg

, 2o

pi, nnmg c n ultant fl r the

th prima

ity

ar

it undert

nt m Prin

k, und r th guidan
rg

h

trat g

lopm nt from ar a that did not ha

wa

municipal

f Park r, wa t gam c ntr I f urban

t

r trict th

pread

rvice , and t

en ur

f re id ntial

that futur

de el pm nt would in r a

d n it and infill ar a that had

po ible due to the nature

f land owner hip within and around the city limit

i ting erv1ce

Thi plan wa
Mot

undeveloped land , including the land ubdivided in the grid pattern b fl re J 915 , had reverted
to the Pro vince of Briti h

olumbia becau e the original developer or p culative purcha er

of the lot did not paid there taxe . The

ity of Prince George entered into an agreement with

the province whereby the province would not ell any land to private intere t and wou ld
allow only the City of Prince George to ubdivide and ell the land . In thi way the
able to gam

2

ignificant control of future growth .22

ity wa

In order to accommodate the e

°For a di cu ion of thi planning tradition ce Robert Fi hman , "Urba n Utipia · Ebene;er Howard and Le

orbusicr," in Reading in Plannin Theory, ed cott ampbcll and u an Fain tem (Oxford Black\\ ell
Pub li her Ltd ., 1996), 19-67 .
21
es mond Parker, interv ie\ , Prince George, 10 Augu t, 1998 .
22
Parker, VJ-58 .

ubdi

th b undari

and t the outh in 1

f th

it

ppendi

1).

fPrin

rg

In an ffi r1 to furth r r gu]at gr wth and n ur that it
new zoning b la
th land u

a d

patt rn

r

tab!i h d in th pr

plann d fl r ubdivi i n b th

it

Th

art r

ight Indu trial

bylaw

rv d, in

m

a , a th

f future d vel pment

1

f Prin e

re erv

direction

ark r in 19

r a

panded t

th we t

urr d in th mann r d ir d, a

Z nmg

law

l 2 7 r in fl reed

u, b law , h w v r, it al o id ntifi d th area
rg ,

t of

ntral

tr et, a " r

identiaJ

. I r erv " 21· Tht.
a 1.d entt.fir d a an ".m d u tna

it ' c mmunit

h u

r agam

plan a it identified the natur and

f z ning bylaw a community plan

wa not

uncommon in anada at that time.24

Another tep undertaken to en ure the orderly expan ion of the city wa the tudy entitled
' Prince George Planning Review," prepared by Mr. Parker' firm ,

entral Interior Planning

Consultants, in 1963 . This tudy addre ed, in a preliminary fashion , the ewer, water and
storm drainage servicing issues a ociated with new development and expan ion we t of
Central Street.25

Also during this period, at the urging of Prince George City Council , the province created
Community Planning Area No . 7 in order to gain some control over development occurring

23

Parker, VI-13 .

24

Barry Cullingworth, Urban and Regional Planninr,z in Canada (New Bmnswick : Transaction Book , 1987),
71.
25
Central trcet beca me the loca tion of Hig hway 97 .

GG
26

rab

ar und Prine
i tri t f ra er

rt-

The

rban Renewal

Th

re tri ti n

h

rge in 1 67

pm nt

t fth cit

n

th

futur

e d.

nt

ill b di cu

d

rth r in th n

h uld pr

n, impl m nt d

pan

det rmin h w to b t addre
d

a and th d v 1 pm nt f th R gi nal
t hapt r

tud

n d

unplann d gr wth

mmunit Planning

th gr wth

ta k

a

7,

l w d

prawling,

a und r contr I, the chall ng wa to

pr bl m \ hich thi
Thi

111

d

el pm nt had created, and how

ta kled in the " rinc

rge

rban

R newal tud ."

Thi

comprehen ive tud

wa undertaken b

mood Park r in 1 58 and complet d in

1965 . It wa commi ioned a part of an agreement between the

ity of Prince

eorge and

orporation.27 The intent of the document wa to tudy

the Central Mortgage and Hou ing

the condition of housing in the Prince George urban area, identify the nece sary improvement
and redevelopment, identify a

trategy to be t achieve appropriate new re idential

redevelopment and prevent further residential deterioration, and determine future residential
needs .

Parker explains that the

tudy was concerned with "remedial and preventative

measures" for the amenity and infrastructure problems that resulted from the rapid growth and
28

sprawl of Prince George in the 1950s.

Figure 3.11 hows a series of photographs of Prince

George residential areas in the 1960s. The e pictures and associated text are taken from

26

Parker, VH -11.

27

28 The

entrc-11 Mortgage a nd Housing Corporation became the Can(lda Mortgage and Hou ing Corporation.
Parker,J-2 to I-3 .

67

Park r

Prin

rg

rban R n ' al

tud ,

h

th

n d fl r pa mg, drainage and

th r urban
1

f th und r

u re .11

nr1 ed re id n tial ar a. m th

196

68

Fio- ure . ll

A. f N:.->-:- YET

ro,Y.Y:...lTfD

IS i)ITt R~.-~. :N t NT

OF-

m. fGH'

l,../\.N{)

USES ARE
$Q,•.•.:i;! lMcS ,Y, I

~0

ntinu ed

()9

Fi ure .11 ontinu d

~ U

\ ' Dt .~: · ;-y

Cl.O~~

I r) .A,V ~.:<~ I Y

THF (;Q'•/r1 ~ ;.)
" ~ACK

1\L~.l ':'·

20 )·/d l.fS Gr
GARf:i . c-..Gf TC
/\ PPE/·S::.

1'l f:i"IK I"-:G

-~ANI.~A.r:GN"

70

uring th

ar it t

k t

n Jidati n and gr v th

mpl t th

tud th gr wth pr

fl r t pr du t indu tr

f th

f thr

th p pulati n

ithin th

and

Th fl II

tng pa ag fr m th ' nn

n th

ntinu d int
in th

it

it limit gr ' ing fr m I , 77 in 1

( igur

Prin

pulp mill

ur

it
th

n u

1t

ntinued
mrd

0 ,

anada data

25 , ~ -

111

abl 2

rg

pra ling und r ervi ed r id ntial d

al

tud ' di u e th

f n \ land fl r . ubdi i i n lil rd r t

trat g t limit th availabilrt

th infill and d n ificati n f air ad

rb n R n

d

ity [
fl rce

area , and pr hibit th furth r e pan . ion
pm nt

B implementing a wi poli
f ntainm nt, mad p ible by the public
it ha
d d elopment into the pr viou I w r
own r hip of land, th
d n it ar a and achi
d a aturation of i ting rvic
The hortage of
land and th definite p lie of inhibiting prematur ubdivi i n, coupled with
the rapid growth f the community ha brought about a natural renewal of
orne of the marginal area . . rea that had de pre ed hou ing ix and even
year ago, that appeared incapable of improvement other than by public action ,
have in fact been renewed due to the it ' land development policie and the
beer pre ure for development 29

The strategy to increa e den ity through infill development within the

ity limit allowed the

more co t effective use and provi ion of ewer, water, and torm drainage ervice , a well a
street paving.

The recommendation of the Urban Renewal

tudy related primarily to (1) the "rural !urn"

hou ing out ide of the ity limit , (2) the pr

ur for intru ion of commercial and indu trial

29

Parker, fJ X-2 .

f

71

u

int

fa ilitie

th

pr

r id nti l n ighb urh

d

r id ntial ar a ,
111

r mam d und
trat gi

d and

utlin d in th

th

th thr at t

tud t d al

Table 3

f am niti

1mpr

u h a park
m nt

pr bl m r a

rb an Ren w~ I tud

Re

rnmunit

f r id ntial ar a

air qu lit fr m th pr p

ith th fi

and

whi h

d pulp mill

r li t d b I w

Th

~()

mm ndati n

make land available for

ontmue \\ 1th b unda!) e'\pan 1011
gam rcgulat I) c ntrol
* ont111u ' upp rt ~ r
cr at1on of the Rcg1onal

ommercial and Indu trial
e in Re id ntial Ar a

(. pturc problem areas(. nd

Pl ann1ng

rca

o 7 and the

* nd rtakc tud1 ' to prcd1ct and prepare for demand through the
provi 10n of adequate land for the c u c
* ndertake a comprehen i\e traffic cng111ccnng tudy

Re idential Amenity

* nd rtake a study of each nc1ghbourhood to identify the amcnit
need
*Prepare a plan for future pm 111g and torm \\atcr need

Van Bow Area

*Do not rely on de\ eloper to pro\ ide needed Improvement as the
situation has degenerated too much
*lmpro e drainage y tern and grade road with public funds

Pul Mill PoJiution

10

Parker, II X-4 to li X-9 .

72
T he Neig hbourhood

Zoning
pr

1

pt and th e Fir t Offi ia l

. 19 7, wa ad pt d in 1

la

7. It

ommunity Plan

a a much diffi r nt d cum nt fr m th

z ning b la

hi b la

tabli h d ight r id ntial z n , t n commer ial

indu trial z n , t

public g

rnm nt r publi

u thr

z n

, t

Thi

much m r

fl !low d th

on

mpr h n 1

d tail d and

tri t land u

b Ia

' a

z n , and a park z ne.

ri tt n t

n ur

rganizati n utlined b Mr Park r in th "Prine

d v 1 pm nt

org

rban

R ne at tud . '

In the ear fl 11 wing th "Prin

rg

rban Renewal tud ,"

on ultant authoured a number of additional planning tudi
The e tudie , orne of which ar
outlined in the "Prince

eorge

fl r th

ntral lnteri r Planning
ity f Prince

eorge.

outlin d below, were r lated to the recommendation

rban Renewal tudy "

"Corner Grocery tores in Prince George, B " ( 1966) .
' Land U e and Population Potential" (1 966) .
" pace Requirement : Central Bu ine Di trict, Prince George" ( 1966)
"Prince George Elementary chool tudy" (1967) .
"Van Bow Renewal Propo al' (1967) .
"Prince George Park and Recreation tudy" ( 1968) .

The end result of the recommendations in the "Prince George Urban Renewal

tudy" and

subsequent studies, was the development of the City of Prince George Official Community
Plan Bylaw 2091 , 1969. This Official Community Plan (OCP) wa adopted by Prince George
City Council on July 2, 1969. The OCP divided th e City into four land use categorie with the
following characteristics.3 1

31

ity of Prince George,

ity of Prin ce George Official Community J>fan Bylmr _09 1. J 969, 1969, 3-9 .

7

Table 4

Offi ial

ommunity Pl an 2

1 1969

and U e

ate one

raph1c fea ture and maJor roa d
i?ed to upp rt an elementary ch ol w1th 500 t 750 tud cnt
H1 h den 1ty developme nt on pcnphcry a bu ffer t not c a nd tra ffi c
Loca te ne1 hb urhood park . II r G to 1 .\car old . cl ~ c to c hoo ls
t pcn phcry prO\ Ide r eery tore . and the r en tee
T \\

or three nc1 hb urh

d

hme a ec nd ary c ho 1

Pede tn an ctrculatw n a nd ali acce
trc t patt rn for efficient u route
omm rc ia l
Activity Ar a

to c h ol and tore a pn onty
<1 \ \il _\

rrom maJ r thorou hfa re

T he
O\\ ntO\\ n 1 the ce ntre for reta il . comm erc18l. cult llfcll ,
adm1111 lr<lll\'C fun cti on . a nd 1 pla nned a a n mtcgra ted whole

a nd

Regiona l commerctal e rve la rge a rea of more tha n 4 neig hbourh ood
c ig hbourh ood co mmercial pronde loca l reta il a nd en ·1ce ac ti vill cs
T ouri t and Higlnva. commercia l provide for hig lnvay and touri st ori e nted
activiue
Hotel and tourist facilitie
Industrial Area

hould be provided n ca r th e dO\\ntown

Heavy indu try loca ted on CNR land north of 1st Ave. rail way track
Pulpmills are out ide of City limits. a nd these a reas h ould be inco rpora ted into
the City for taxation and servi cing purpose
Li ght indu stry is along 1st Avenue and in Carter Light fndu stri al a rea

Public Use and Park

Recrea tion fa cilities suppli ed according to Parks and Recrea tion

tudy (J 968)

Elementary school s function as n eighbourhood centre
Any fLLture College or University should be locat ed with transportation,
ervices, recrea tion, housing. employm ent, community interac ti on. a nd
v i ibility taken into consideration
A network of fire, police, and utilit. buildings s hould be prO\·ided
Transportation right of ways a re developed for a popul ation of 250.000 \\hich
di scoura ges ribbon deve lopments
A hea lth fa cility to se rve ove r I 00,000

74

th rough d

b , fl r it tim , a

P app ar t

fir t

rg

Prin

r 0,000 p

pi

2

Thi p pulati n
Th b

d el pm nt than

h n

urban fl rm 111 lud d n ighb ourh

park

ithin \ aIking di . tan

th

uld h

1!1

d

fth

it

f nn

'-'

It al

Ill

d

[i rm

f

rg pr . cntl c ntain

raid I l dg d crib

t d fr m thr ugh tram with . ch oL and

lud d th re ha1 lllg f urban D rm to ace mm dat

hopping c ntr and th indu tnal park, " hich

autom bil . .t

mu h high r d n. it

pl ~

0,000 p

appr

I ar

lt i

I ar a f th cit w r e lim at d

int r ting t n t that th p pulati n pr je ti n. D r th b
at

um nl

a th r ult of th increa ed u

the planning f thi

f the

ra a aiming to

guid gro th f h u ing ar a and public utilitie in a balanced , efTicient
wa , to pro id fl r a e ibilit to all part b impr ing tran p rtation, and t
pro id fl r u h ba ic am nitie a park for all citiz n 5

The compreh n ive planning trat g that Parker employ d in Prince

orge after World War

II clearly drew heavil upon the bod of planning theory e tabli hed in th
Britain, which wa

ba ed upon the

eparation of land u e
16

neighbourhood unit concept known a the Radburn P1an o
neighbourhood unit, which wa the

nited

tate and

and the development of a

The following de cription of the

tandard development form aero

Second World War, ound very imiJar, if not identical to Mr. Parker'

32

anada after the
ton

De mond Pa rker, ''La nd U c and Popu lation Poten tia l" ( cntraJ [nterior Planning on ultant . Pnnce
George, 1966) 160
33
Kent Sedgwick, interv ie\
301
Gera ld Hodge, PlanJllng Canad1an Colllllllllllll es ( carborough: Nel on anada 199 1). 65
35
Hodge, 65 0
36
Gi lbert teller and Alan Artib i e," anad 1an Re ource Town in Hi ton ca l Per pe II\ e... 111 .''>'lrapmg the
Urhan Landscape: "lspects of th e Canadwn City Hwldmg Pmcess, ed Gilbert leiter and llan rt1b1 c
( llawa o arlcton Uni ver ity Pre , 198 2) , 428
0

0

7

Thi d ign an adaptati n f the riti h and m n an p ri n , i ba d n
th pr mi that r id nti al ar a h uld b
lf- ntain d in o far a lo al
rvtc are c
he n ighb urho d i th r fl r plann d t c ntain
ch ol in additi n t 1 cal c nv ni nc
t re ,
n
r m r
mmunit fa iliti . h fl cal point i the
pla gr und , 1
ch 1, and it i
f th n ighb urh d
he
r nt iz d tr t adapt d
local tr t patt rn, on i ting fa hi rarch
t traffi fl
i d ign d t permit hildr n t walk t
h 1without having
Th n ighb urh d unit, th n, i not ju t
t cr
an maj r th r ughfar
t th di tribution patt rn of
a to 1 of r id ntial rganizati n It al
con m nee h pping, edu ati n, and r r ati n, and tru ctur
th road
netw rk. M r v r, it fl rm th ba i building bl ck fl r taging th t wn '
.
1, 7
ph teal pan 1 n

In 1971 th

w rd ' ffi ial" wa

ommunit Plan making it th

rem

d fr m th

title

f th

Prin ce

ffi cial

mmunit Pl an The r m val f the plan "official" tatu

permitted change to th plan without approval fr m the Li eutenantal o permitted other

e rg

ity of Prince

vernor-m-

uncil. It

eorge b law to be changed in way that w r not

con i tent with the plan. The record do not indicate the rea on g1ven for remo vi ng th e
official statu from the plan by

ity Council. 38 De pite thi change to the plan, and the fact

that it wa not trictly adhered to, it erved the city until 1980, and wa in trumental in
guiding development for over a decade.

The new subdivisions planned and developed by the City ofPrince George in cooperation with
the province are described by Parker in the Urban Renewal Plan below.
The new subdivisions being planned in the City are es entially self contained .
They are being defined by topographic features and perimeter major
thoroughfares. Deliberately ized so that the elementary school in their centre
has a large enough catchment area to maintain a balanced school program and
37

R.L. McCann, "The Changing Internal Structure of Canadian Resource Town ... in Lttt!e Communitt es and
Big Indu stries, ed. Roy Bowles (Toronto : Buttsworth , 1982) , 66-68 .
38
Arran Thomson, Report from Arran Thom on , it_ Manage r, to Prince George Mayor and Counctl, 26
January, 197 1.

7()

h fir t
l 5

it
hi

rge n ighb urh

f Prin

an b

ubdi

thr - ighth

a th

dd
12 dll ·tl

1gur

n 111

t

uth

fthc

mil

walking

m ur ubdivi

nm

ntral .. rt

e tge

and a t f th D rm r arm ba e land

ubdi

h

n -quart r mil

ithin

k p th pupil
di tan · 9

pru

land and Highland ubdi

ph t graph m

1gur

ubdi

t

ubdi 1 10n

L_

h

th

fl II

dm 1 5'

. tr

Ia

ut of th

t of th b pa

h 19 5 air

pruc land and Highland
lt i

cl ar that the new

hanue
fr m the
curv d tre t patt rn v a a ign1ftcant
0
.....

TPR' plan and th

grid pattern plan

f th

i ting grid pattern d v I pment

h int nt

a that th e n

different manner a a compl t neighb urh

ubdivi

n would al o functi n m a

d unit

The development of new re idential uburb continued to b ba ed upon the neighbourhood
concept until the end of the 1970 . Figure

. 13 and . ., 14 how recent air photograph

Highland ubdivi ion developed in the 1960 by the

f the

ity of Prince George, and the lower

College Heights ubdivi ion developed b private intere t in the 1970 . The element of the
neighbourhood unit concept uch a a centralized elementary chool and park, higher den ity
re idential development, local hopping on th periphery, and boundarie e tabli hed by major
r ad or topography are evident in both neighbourhood . The
function generally as they were intended .

39

Parker, " PG Urban," JIX-1 0.

n ighbourhood continue to

77
ur

... ph

r a ph

.1 2

tern Prin

r e ta ken 111 1965

7R
~i

ir phot

raph

ur

.l

f th IIi hland ubdivi

n I

I ing

uthwe ·t.

Photo' aph court.:sy. or the C1t~ or Pnn~.:e G.:orge

Figure 3.14
Air photograph of the College Height

ubdivi ion looking we t.

79

Urban Form and Function b 1969
196

th

it

an th r 10,000 p
2 .

f Prin

pl li ing in th adja

ri er . Th

th

it b unda1

n arl

preading beyond th b
River.

ar a fr m th b
n

m a

. 1 i an air ph t graph

wa e panding t

nt area b

all ar a

f Prin e

it

ranbr

. and

abl

underw nt a numb r

f b undary

k

nd N chak

ill t

th

ra

r

f ar a ( p p n d i 2 .

rg tak n 1n 1966, h wing how d v l pm nt

f the b wl

1 to the n rth bank

outh out ide of the

,000 p opl with

imatel

d n arl 26 quar kil m tr

The B R indu trial area can be

Highway 97

f

f appr

ond th cit limit ( igur

1 pm nt th

a r ult of thi gr wth and d

pan 1 n to in lud

Figur

rge had a p pulati n

f the

chak

een developing

ity limit .

n that d v Jopment wa al o

It can b

River and outh of the Fra er

outh of the Fra er River along

t the northeast corner of the photograph the

new Prince George Pulpmill ite can be een recently cleared of tree .

By this period three subdivi ion type had been establi hed in the city. The radial treets and
northeast alignment of the railway townsite can be distingui hed from the regularity of the
speculative grid pattern subdivisions of

outh Fort George and Central Fort George. The

curved cul-de-sacs and crescents of the new neighbourhood unit ubdivi ions can be clearly
distinguished from the two previous ubdivision forms .

RO

Fi u re . l S
raph f Prin e

tak n m 1966

Figure 3.16 i an air photograph of Prince George and the urrounding area to the outh,
west, and ea t. The BCR indu trial area can be e n in it entirety.

a t of the city and the

Fra er River i an exten ive rural area, con isting of two hectare lot and larger, urrounding
the airport. Of note i the dev lopment foil wing al ng Highwa 16 W
outhw terly direction .

t I aving th

cit in a

81

Fi ur

ir ph

The

raph

. 16

and ar a tak n in l 7 1

ity of Prince George wa not ubject to any comprehen ive planning until the arrival of

De mond Parker in 1957. There ident of Prince

eorge are fortunat that the trem ndou

growth that occurred from the early 1950 to the 1970 wa br ught under ontrol r lati
early, and then orche trat d by a profe i nal and killed cit plann r Without the arrival of

82

u h a piann r in 19 7, th

it

fPrince

e rg

uld hav a far I

d n

and 1

rganiz d fl rm and fun ti n

d

limiting th

a ailabilit

I pm nt, th

it

trategi

fun ti n a

m iall

f Prin

area w r infill d and
re t

f pr

fl r furth r

pan 1 n of

i ting urban area .

nee th

ntr lied lan
d th infill f

rvic d ad quat I , th pl anning b gan fl r new ubdivi ion whi ch

r lati

1

lf c nt ain d n ighb urh

w re b ing implem nted

Prince G org the gr wth continu d t

d unit

ucce ful planning

ithin th e it limit , h w v r, out id e of the
ur

ith

littl e co ntr 1 or planning.

ity of

8

hapt r Four

The Regional Di trict of Fra er-Fort George
Introdu tion
urr d b
it

f Prin
the

it

rg ha b
f Prin

it b rd r during th

nd th

n an 1mp rtant fact r in th

org 1mp

d gr at r r

1 60 and 1970 , th

b undari

of th

v ntual [! rm and

cit

nction .

tricti n and contr 1 on d vel pm nt within

growth out ide

f th

city limit c ntinued with

relatively£ w control . Th majorit ofthi land w uld be incorporat d into th

Development out ide of the city limit wa

inc rporated

ity by 1975 .

typically under erviced with inadequate water,

anitary and ewer y tern ; limited paving and treet lighting; and limited urban amenitie
such as park and recreation facilitie . In addition, the lot layout wa frequently inefficient and
sprawling, and the mix of land use wa often conflicting and unorganized compared to the
development that was occurring within the city. Once these areas were incorporated into the
municipality, the City of Prince George was, and continues to be, faced with the ta k of
solving or at least improving the situation of these areas . The form and function of the city
has been significantly affected by the planning and development that occurred beyond it limits
and beyond its direct control.

8

ommuni ty Plann in
di
e rg

u

d m
th

m

m rp rat

rea

hapt r fi

o. 7
man

0 ar

]at

th

f th

planning pr bl m

r ult

f the muni ipalit
d

urr unding land that

d v 1 pm nt tandard

th lat

m

0 , th

fa

d b

panding it
ith littl

it

f Prine

it

th

f Prine

b undari

planning thought

rg ha b

pra ling and unr gulat d d

pm nt that wa taking place out id

it boundarie and

ut id

r tim , th

it

boundari

r luctant t

t

gam c ntr

p rmit bounda

f th

ntr
e land

pan 1 n

int

h

ev r, th

ar a

r

n incr a ingly

cone rn d with th

fit dir ct

t

it had att mpt d t

of

e t nd

pr vincial g vernment wa

wh re prop rty

wn r

pp

d

incorporation.

Areas adjacent to the city trongly re i ted incorporation into the city fearing an increa e in
property taxe and increa ed regulation . However, when the e area were developed to a
critical den ity the problem a ociated with their lack of services and amenities, and the high
costs of providing these services, became apparent.

The resident would then benefit from

inclu sion into the City given the larger tax ba e and the City ' s ability to ub idize the cost of
providing appropriate services to their neighbourhoods .

1

The effort by the City to increa e

the planning and development stan dards was compromised by the poor quality development
that was occurring beyond it borders in areas that would eventually become part of the City
of Prince George.

1

Pa rker, Desmond, '' PG Urba n Rene" al tudy" ( entra l [ntcrior Planning Con ultants, Pnnce George,
1965), vi ii-5 .

85

Th fir t att mpt b the
boundari
g

ar a fth pr

p

not d that the

eorg .

Thi

· a. The pr vincial

mmunit Planning

mmunit Planning

r a

in th

m d t b a parti ular d
m ial a i tan

1 50 in rd r t "a i t any
I pm nt pr bl m r 1 u , and

r dir ti n in a p cific ar a." 2

w r g nerall utiliz d in th mor rural-fring ar a of
a the mann r in v hich a

P

a u tiliz d ar und th

mond Park r th

it

Prine

ording t

go ernment forth

l pm nt b y nd it

f a

m fl rm f pr

ther b auth riz

fd

tabli hm nt

h r th

1n

rg t affi t th qualit

f Prin e

wa thr ugh th

rnment cr ated

c ntre . '

it

tabli hm nt fa

mmunit Planning

It i

i ting urban
ity

f Prince

org lobbied the provincial
r a around the city.

The it ha b n ery o al In advo ating the e tabli hment of the
urrounding ommunit Planning rea o. 7
hrough the ity' activitie at
the nion of B Municipalitie and through continued pres ure on the
Provincial government, the it mu t take a great deal of credit for the
e tabli hment of the Community Planning rea and it eventual taffing.
AJready a community planning area of approximately 10 mile radius ha been
e tabli hed around the City of Prince George encompassing the true ruralurban sprawl and slowly an admini trative machinery is being built up to attend
thi area. The task of undoing the damage of wanton waste of land, human
effort and amenity over the la t 10 years, remain the prime task of this new
. 4
aut honty.

Community Planning Area No . 7 was establi hed as the area within a ten mile radiu around
Prince George in July 9th, 1959. Initially, the only regulations within the CPA were building
and subdivision standards. In 1961 zoning wa developed fl r the Veterans Land Act (VL )
subdivision south of the city limits . l n 1963 regulations were created for the development of

2

Robert Coll ier, "The Evolution of Regional Di tricts in Briti h Columbia ,' B 'Studies t 5 (Autumn 1972):
30 .
3
Robert oil ier, 30 .
4
Parker, "PG Urban Renewal," i-2 .

86

trail r

urt . ln F bruary, 1

Jun , 1 64 an

mmunit Pl an fl r th

fficial

p d for th

a d

4 a z ning b la

he

P
f th

Affair in
the

P

ict na,
and th

it

ntir

P . And in

r gulati n were

partm nt f Municipal

until 1 6

Ther

ning r gulati n b ond th b undary f

f Prin

rg , and th pr

incial

minimum it area f

n acr

for unz ned land b
ntial z n

B law divided th ar a int

comm rcial z n , fl ur indu trial z n

great number of the e

P

n regulati n p rmitted a
nd th

p

h

P ' Zoning

a rural z ne, a m bile h me park zon , three

and a wat rfront zon

w re d vel ped aero

the province; however, the provincial

government lacked the taff and the r gu latory fram work to enforce the plan and regulation
that were created. In addition there wa concern over the land u e and planning decisions
being made in Victoria, with limited local input or knowledge 5 Parker al o believed that there
should be more local control over the regional planning process around Prince George. He
believed that "the CPA could not be said to be adequately planned or studied. There i a need
for a regional level of government including the City and the surrounding urban area or at
least some effective government planning of the surrounding area ." 6

The Creation of the Regional District
It became clear to the provincial government that centralized provincial control could not

adequately deal with land use planning is ues throughout the province.

5
6

allier, 30.
Parker, "PG Urban Renewal Study," 8-5 .

There was a

87

"pre ing n ed fl r a r gt nal b d

r gi nal 1 v 1' .7
d

h r p n

nt f R gi nal

ith

m

fr m th pr

rdinating and impl m ntati n p w r at the
111 ial g

i tri t thr ugh ut th pr

tabli h d in th pr

rnm nt
me

a

gi lation nabling th

nact d 111 l 65 .

m , incl uding th Regi nal i tri ct f ra r

Fi ure 4.1
The boundari

i nal Di tri ct of Fra er F rt

of th R

ELECTORAL

AREA

BOUNDARIES

A

Sr'AM:J" RIVEn & LAXE'

C

CH\.AlC~ RIVU\· NE.CHAKO

D

T>SOR I..Mt·STCrE C" EEX

E

WOOOFH..KER>H IXI),.;

F

\fVtU.OJf RIVE~ IJPPfR FRAE.ER

G

C~ KEO ~VM- PAA.StfiP

H

Aoe& D( VAlL E.f~OE

fap coutresy of the Regiona l District o fFra~er Fort George

7

oilier, 3 1.

y 19 8, 2

eor

R8

rt

R

rg

tabli h d m

g

rn d b th R gi nal

m

rp rat d and unin

ffi ial
111

M

n th

rp

a

b ard i ba d up n th

ithin th di tri t Th
f th

n titu n

that th

r

Prin

rg

Mak 1171

rp rat d ar a ar di id d mt . e

f

2, 500 quar
f th

p pulati n
populati n
it

am bulan

9

kil m tr , vvht h r pr

di tri t \ h n r at d '" a 57, 0

f thi p pul ti n, 0 p r nt li

Th

mandat

erv1c

f th

w rk and

di tri t v a t
rvtce

'

nL

nt

peo pl ,

d in th e ci t

ar

ntati n fr m b th

ltng tr ngth f

. IZ

rid

the R

r gi nal di tri t

f le t d r pr

v ithin

Th umn

Th

rd ' hi h

rp rat d ar a

an ar a

th

i tri t

tgur

Th

al m nt, and

r a.

h R F

ha

[ th

pr vtn c

h

r _ p rc nt
r

r pre. ent.

f th

pr vin cial

ith1n an e1ght mil radiu

pro id e r gi nal and co mmunity planning,

u h a fir e prot cti n, treet li ghting, r creati n, and

10
.
garbage d1. po aI an d r g1. na I par k p1annmg

The Beg innin g of Reg ion al Pl annin g

The RDFFG Planning Department wa e tabli hed in 1969 . The RDFF
three planning zone ba ed on topography, the demand for

wa di vid ed into

rvice , and the pre ure for

growth. Zone one, with a population of 4,000 people, included the ea tern portion of the
di strict along Highway 16 Eat including the municipalitie ofMcBrid and Valemont Zo ne

8

For a more in-depth di cu ion of Regional Di tri ct in the province of Briti h olumbw ee oili er. 29-19.
and Barry ullingworth, Urban and Regwnal Planning 1n Canada ( ew Bnm wtck· Tran acti on Book .
1987), 35 8-173.
9

f

handcr uri , '·Regional i tri ct of Fra er Fort George" (Regional Di trict of Fra r Fort co rgc, Pnnc
George, 1969), 1.
10
Suri , Regiona l Distri ct, I.

89

imat

,000 p opl , in lud d the n rth rn part

r g1 n al ng High a 97

rth in luding th

t of Ma k nz1 . Zon thr

ar und th

it of Prin

rg

n Jun

1 t, 19 9 th

tw

ith a p pulati n

f appr

R gi nal

am nd ed t

tri t

a gt n c ntr l

f

mmunit

in lud

ighb urhood Pub z ne

and a

t

Planning

additi onal

ake h r R cr ati nal z n

R reational z n , thr

wa the area

11

n, and z nmg r gulati n
regulati n

f th

f admini t ring th e building,
r a

o 7.

mm rcial zo n

12

he z nmg
four

a onal

mm rcial Recreati nal z n

Th e additi on o th e lak hor

and recr ati nal zo n

reflected the incr a ing demand and u e in th e r gi n, parti cul arl y around lakes, for r creati on.
The

PA

fficial

ommunit Pl an for th area wa not ad pt d a th e regional di trict

were given the authorit to develop their own official plan call ed Offi cial Regional Pl an and
Official ettlement Plan

Official

13

ettlement Plans could apply only to th e unincorporated areas of a regional di stri ct

and served to bridge the gap between the conceptual and general Official Regional Pl an and
the local development controls. An Offici al

11

ettlement Plan interpreted the intent of t he

Suri , Regional District, 3.
Regional District of Fraser Fort George, Bylaw o. 23-1. A b. law regulation subdivi sion and zoning in the
area of Community Planning Area No. 7.
13
Cullingworlh, 64. Official Regiona l P lan s were intended to be conceptual docum ents prov iding objective
and policies to help guide development and future dec ision making within the regional Di trict for both
incorporated and unincorporated areas. The development of an Official Regional Plan \Va mandated:
however, its adoption as an officia l document wa not required. In 198 the Municipal Act wa amended and
regiona l distri cts were stripped of their authority to develop Official Regional Pl ans. Fo r more information cc
Robert Bi sh, Local Governrnent in British Co lumbia (Vanco uve r: Union of B riti sh Co lumbia Municipa lttJc .
1987), 37; and Cu ll ingworth, 366-373 .
12

90

ffi ial R gi nal Plan fl r a p ifi ar a and b
z ning and ubdi i i n r gulati n .

f

rg

rt

111

rg

uth Fort

b the firm

a

utar

22

7 fl r

uth ~ rt

ad pt d, r pla ing the z nmg and

a

r hit ctur

bruary 1 th , 1970 th Villag

n

rg

Th z ning bylaw wa pr par d

Planning in l

imple document that cr at d thr e re id ntial z n

and thre

regulated th

it

u e of ign and the r mo al and dep

intere ting to note that there wa
occurred on land

out ide of

f 1 cal

e rg

Ia

iat

ondi

rt

ill ag in l 9 9

rp rat d a a

Z mng

th ba i £1 r th d v 1 pm nt

14

uth
uth

m

no pr vi ion mad

outh

ort

eorge.

9

It wa a relatively

c mmercial zone . It al o

f oi l in

uth

ort

eorge. It i

for any heavy indu trial use , which
The zoning map

can not be found ;

therefore, it i not po ible to determine the manner in which the zoning di trict were applied .

Greater Prince George
The first Official Regional Plan for the RDFFG wa adopted in 1972. It was entitled Satellite
Town "A" Official Regional and Community Plan Bylaw No . 88 , 1972. The plan dealt with
the portion of Electoral Area A north of the Nechako River and west of the Fra er River
known as the Hart Highway and North Nechako areas (Figure 4.2) .

The nature of the

development beyond the city limits is discussed in the following analysis by Chander Suri the
Planner for the Regional District of Fraser Fort George in 1974 .
. . . the area north of Prince George, continued in the pa t in a ribbon form
along the Highway; instead of being in depth , which would have been most
14

Bish, 37.

91

n mic t

rv1

n t th l cati n f

.

en 1r nm nt.

n th th r hand n t much c n id rati n
hich in man in tance n w ar 1 cated
1 mg ar a
n the th r id f the highway
n made in th d v I pm nt f th ar a fl r
mm r ia1 de 1 pm nt ha pr ad for
f rvi ing th pe ple
ar a and th a
1 pm nt in t ad f cr ating a c mmunity

15

Fi ur 4.2 16
Population di tributi on for Hart Hi hwa and

rth

e hako a r a in th e late 1960 .

GROWTH

6~D 0
The concept behind the plan was the eventual development of three satellite town s
surrounding the City of Prince George.

The City of Prince George and these three

surrounding Satellite Towns are referred to as Greater Prince George (Figure 4.3) .

15

Chander Suri, ·'Summary Report on Planning Concept for Proposed Ma ter Plan for Greater Prince George"
(Regional District of Fraser-Fort G orge, Prince George. 197-J.), 1.
16
bander Suri , '·Propo ed Master Plan Grea ter Prince George- Phase L" (Regional Di trict of Fra er-Fort
George, Prince George) , date not provided. It i e timat ed that thi document wa prepared between 1969 and
] 971 .

92
F i ure 4.3
G r at r Prin ce

atellite town

eo rg

17

a tellit Tow n Plan

I

..__>

The following is a description of the Greater Prince George concept according to the Director
of Planning for the RDFFG.
The City, as the centre of urbanity would have a population range of 17 5, 000
to 200,000 . As such the City will provide specialized commercial and
recreational services as well a providing technical , educational , and majority
proportions of employment particularly in the professional and service ectors.
The Greater Prince George area will have three atellite Town each ranging
from 50,000 to 90,000 persons; one in each of the three urrounding electoral
area . Once developed, most needs except the very pecialized ones would be
satisfied within the Satellite Town . The majority proportion of the town
people will work either in or near the Satellite Town . In order to provide an

17

Suri , "Proposed Ma ter Plan," l 0 .

91

urban id ntit th t wn activitie will b fl cu ed n th t
n entr c n i ting
f h pping faciliti a w ll a ci ic building arranged ar und at wn quare .
t fl ur c mmunitie c n i ting of vera!
ach at llit T wn ill ha e t
n ighbourho d
h
will b large n ugh t
upp 11 a juni r
condary
chool ommunit r r ati n faciliti
nt ring n th
ch l c mplex, a
hopping ar a and a mall public quar
h
mmunit will provid a vari ty
of living area , o a t cr at a mt d ag gr up tru tur , a w ll a a
mi tur fin com I 1
The n ighb urhood i th ba ic umt m th hierar hy of devel pm nt area
within r at r Prin e
rg e Th n ig hb urh od will b larg e en ugh to
upport a combined elem ntary ch ol and park within a y walking di tanc
of ab ut a half mile, along ith a fl w hop fl r conveni nt n d in a central
locati n. The n ighb urh od would be bound by ec ndary r ad , while the
internal tre t
tem would be d ig n d for afl t by di courag in g throug h
traffic .
eighbourh od will vary m ize fr m 2,500 to ,500 peopl
depending on the d n it . 1 ~

With the adoption of the plan for

atellite Town ' A" the Regional Di trict Board had given it

upport to the policie and objective behind the creation of a

reater Prince

March 14th' 1974 the Regional Di trict Board approved a propo al by
development of a master plan to create the Greater Prince George.

eorge. On

un to begin the

This plan was never

adopted due largely to the incorporation of surrounding lands into the City in 1975 and the
creation of a City Planning Department.

19

The creation of Community Planning Area No . 7 in 1959, and the RDFFG in 1967 had little
effect curtailing the sprawling development outside of the City ' s boundaries, particularly to
the north. Prior to 1960 there had been 12 ubdivisions in the Hart Highway area that were

18

Suri, "Proposed Master Plan ," 10.
The demi se of the Master Plan for a Greater Prince George will be discu ed in Chapter se\'en. lt i
important to note that atellitc Town " A" - Official Regional and Community Plan Bylaw No. 88. I 972 dea lt
on ly wi th a limited area of the region surrounding the city to the north .
19

94

o

ubdi 1 1on

r 10 lot in ize. Th

reat d appr

1z

m 1976.

regu lated b the RD

20

th

imat

Planning D partm nt th r

w r

he R gi nal

2

p ri d wh n th
ubdivi ion

area wa

v r 10 1 t

erved to better

el pment tandard ; however, it did little to I w the

amount of sprawling gr wth out ide of the cit

limit .

Figure 6 .2 illu trate

di tribution of population in the Hart Highway and

orth

echako area in the late 1960

In all of the planning document

m

f th 1 t that e i t d in the I art

i trict planning functi n may have

organize dev lopment and intr duce d

I art

f th 1 t that

n I 70 and 1 7 , appr

p rc nt
Highway m 1976 .

f the

2 ubdivi i n ov r 10 lot in

. 7, th r w re

1 t or 29 per nt

cr at d

The e ubdi

Highwa

P

a part f

nt

tw en 19 0 and 196 , appro imately

lot that e i t d in the Hart High a ar a m 1976
th p riod wh n th ar a

r 17 per

imat 1

the

patial

prepared by the RDFFG before the 1980s there i little

reference to a need to limit growth within the di trict in order to stop or slow the sprawling
urban development beyond the City limits. The focus was on how be t to accommodate the
growth that was going to occur.

Given that the planner for the RDFFG projected the

population of greater Prince George to approach 300,000 by the turn of the century the
perceived need to accommodate growth is understandable.

Before 1966 the population

growth in Electoral Area A was 4o/o to 5% per year, while after 1966 it increased to between
7% and 7 .5% per year. The population increased for the next eleven years was estimated to

20

DeveJopment Service Department. R eport 011 th e historical record ofsubdi\'ision 111 th e Hart H1glmay, 10
Novemb er, 1996. ity of Prince George, 1996.

95

b

1, 0 0 p r

r 2 0 h u h 1d

n

a umed that th n

dt

n

Harri

Di trict f ra r-

Ii

b

am
rg

IV

ithin th

gr

th that wa pr j ct d it i

it limit

a n tan important i ue.

n th

21

org and Ma k nzi R gi nal Plan
th

fficial R gi nal Plan

22, 1 7 b

law

f Reg i nal Planning [! r th

n

In 1 7

creation of an

o

ar

urage gr wth

r at r Prin
In 1977 Y onn

p r

The prima

h und rt
he

k

public participati n pr

fficial R gi nal Plan wa ad pt d

Regional
e

for the

n Nov mb r

g al tat d in the plan wa t " :[! ter con mic and

ocial growth to n ur maintenanc and impro ement of opp rtunitie for w rk , inve tment,
and li ing within the region, with ut endangering tho e thing
de irable place to live or inv t.

which make the reg10n a

22

The policy regarding re idential development around Prince George wa

to en ure an

adequate supply of two to seven acre residential lot in locations away from area of mall lot
urban expansion, and in location

which would not interfere with forestry , agriculture or

wildlife. As a result of the increased level of cooperation between the City of Prince George
and the Regional District, the strategy was to direct the majority of the growth into the City of
Prince George while providing for the demand for a variety of rural residential and agricultural
lifestyles . This growth around the City was to take place in "rural neighbourhoods" uch as
Miworth, Tabor Lake, Pineview, Buckhorn, and Blackwater. 23 This wa a significant change

21

Suri, "Proposed Master Plan, 2
Development Service , Department, " Greater Prince George and Macke1v:ie Regio nal Plan (Regional D1 trict
of Fraser Fort George, Prince George, 1979), 5.
23
Developm ent Serv ices Department, " Greater Prince George," 23 .
22

96

far mor

tra gant

rge at !lit t wn

nc pt.

fr m th

and 1 al
r gional

mm rcial d
mm r ial

ntr

u e al ng maj r high a

r at r Prince

trat g
mm r ial d

el pm nt

uld b limit d t neighb urh od

pm nt in rural ar a t

upp Ii

It al o di c urag d th

ntinu d pr li[i ration

nn

org

a th

maJ r

f comm rcial

24

Grea ter Prin ce Ge r e ~ rm and Fun ti n

In 1974 appr

imat l 2 ,000 p

e rg .25 Th gro th rate wa
.

umt p r ear.

pi

li

d

ithin a 20 mil

radiu

of th

ity of Prince

timated t re ult in a demand for over 1,000 new dwelling

26

Out ide of the

ity limit

there were appro imately

,550

ingle family dwelling , 27

duplexe , and 14 multiple-family dwelling providing 69 living unit . In addition to thi there
were 619 mobile home on ingle lot and 840 mobile home pace in 20 mobile home park .
It was also e timated that there were 70 commercial locations, 51 industrial locations, and

only seven parks outside of the City limits.27

A significant portion of the development outside of the city had occurred in a ribbon form
along the highways leading from the city. This type of development was most extensive along
Highway 97 North, an area known as the Hart Highway. Figure 4.4, 4.5, 4.6 how how the

24

Development Service Department " Greater Prince George:' 25.
Suri , "Summary Report," 4.
26
Suri , "Summary RepOii," 2.
27
Suri , " Summa ry Report," 2-3 .

25

97

unplann d

rganizati n f omm r ial r

idential, and indu trial land u

[i 11 w d along th

hig h a .

Appro imat 1 1, 100 a r
r id ntial l t .

1

f land primaril

ithin th

it limit ,

r dedi at d to urban

uburban r id ntial dev 1 pment of

ppr

than 1/2 a r , and

,4 0 a r

r primaril

r [i r la g r uburban

in th Hart

4.6 .

ppr

imat l 2 000 a r

Th re

a al o appr

imatel

di tribut d ar und th

it .

28

igh a and

rth

t under tw
hak

acr

Thee

r a (~igure

.4, 4 5,

r utiliz d [! r rural ubdi i ion from tw

12 00 acr

ubdi id d int

Mo t of thi rural gr wth

to five acre .

mall farm fr m 10 to 20 acr
ccurred

ut ide of the

ity limit ,

large! to the a t of the ity on th flat plateau known a the Blackburn and Pineview area
(Figure 4 .7) .

The City, under the direction of De mond Parker had gained control of development within its
boundaries; however, the g rowth outside of the control of the
continued to

ity of Prince George

pread in a relatively unplanned manner until 197 5.

The building and

development standards had been improved; however, there wa little change in the sprawling
and uncoordinated nature of the growth . This situation wa finally addressed in 1975 when
the municipal boundaries were greatly expanded and most of the development urrounding the
City of Prince George was incorporated .

28

Suri, "Summary Report " 2.

98

ur 4.4

ir photo raph of th n rthw

f th Hart Hi hwa

tak n 111 1975

99

Fi ur 4. 5

raph of th north a t area f th Hart Hi hwa

Ai r ph otograph courtesy orthe

ity of Prince George

tak n m 1975

100

Fi u re 4.6
raph

f th

uth ar a fth

Hart Hi hwa

tak n m 1975

10 1

Fi ur 4. 7
ir photo raph of the Bla kburn and Pin

tew area ea t of th cit taken in 1975

Blackburn

Pineview

Air photograph courtesy of the City ofPrince George

10

hapt r F iv

Restructuring, Municipal Plannin
1980

and Rece ion: 1969-

Introduction

The

it of Prin

land in the b
chak
the

Ri

e rg

ntinued t

1 area, b unded b

ranbr

r to th n rth and a t

it

eorg

a well a rural and unde

g r " thr ug h ut th

k Hill t th w

a near!

1 70 . Th

t and

ompl tel

r maining vacant

uth, and the

d v loped .

ra er and

he boundarie of

pand d t includ the urrounding re idential ar as,
loped area . In addition, during thi period the

ity establi hed a

municipal planning department, a new official community plan, and another zoning bylaw. By
the end of the 1980 the present day form and function , and the municipal planning tructure,
ofPrince George had been establi hed .

Continued Growth

The population of Prince George increa ed during the 1970

by over 50 percent, from a

population of33 , 100 in 1971 to 67,600 in 1981 (Figure 3.3 and Table 2) . A comparison of
the air photographs in Figures 5.1 and 5.2 show the continued expansion of development
within and around the city between 1971 and 1981 .

10

Fi ur

.1

ir ph to raph of Prin

or

tak n in 197 1

r-\ ir photograph court e. y of the C1ty of Prince George

The City of Prince George continued to develop

ubdivision

m the bow l area we t of

Highway 97 filling in the area at the base of Cranbrook Hill with resi dential developm ent
based on the neighbourhood unit concept. With a community plan and zoning bylaw in place
the private developers were required to utilize the neighbourhod concept in their subdivision .
The mo st notable of these private subdivisions wa the 1,524 acre College Heights ubdivi ion
developed by the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation, and planned by Desmond Parker in
the mid 1970s. 1

1

Des rnond Parke r," ollege He ig hts General D evelopment Progra m" (Centra l Interior Planning Cons ulta nts,
Prin ce George, 1974).

104
~ iureS.2

ir phot

raph

f Prin

org tak n 111 1981

----->

ranbro k
Hill

Ai r· photogntph eo ur·fl'~) oft he Cit) of Pr·im"l' Gcm·gc

li ege Height

105

mg fr m , Prin

Th fl 11
natur

fd

ttiz n a1i1 I dat d

rg

pm nt in th

it in 1 7

th

f land fl r n \ de
it th
th

mb r 2, 1972 dt u e the

d
hi h

d
d and

It '

\

r ' n land and pn at

ar
it
ill hav
that tim th
und n . and ill b I king [! r
he pr vmc1al g v rnm nt
k t tak in ab ut
undari I t
k Il ill and
pr p rt
n

adj mmg rea

11 g I I ight

ubdi i ion ( 1gur 5

provid d [! r th

h u 1ng

demand in the latt r half f the I 70 and pr clud d th need for e pan 1 n f dev I pment
we tward int th

ranbro k Iill area during thi p ri d
Fig ure 5.3

Air photo graph of the

olleg e Heig ht

i1· p hotogn•p h cu uli rsy o f th e Ci t ' o f P.-incr Groq~r

ubdivi ion taken in th e 1980

lO

Muni ipal R tructurin and B und a1
l n th

lat

0 and

muni ipal b undari
urr unding

h

pan. 1 n

th r

a am

ju tifi

ti n [i r th1

ttl m nt and rur, I fring ar . 1.

m nt m

an da t

pan 1 n

·plam d a

ard gr atl

f municipal

pand d
ntr 1 v r

[i II

ir t, th
argu d that,
p 1all ' m fa . t gr \ mg rea., a I al p litical
auth rit
i twg populati n
a n d d t plan futur d v I 1 m nt ar und
ntr
IJ f \ a th t,
ntra t pr v1 u
h main Impll at1 n f tht.
pra ti ,
nd unt . 1d , at I a t for pic nning fun ti n ,
uld n w hav
t b j in d
nd , th b II
d that th r \ r
n m1e f cal t b
aptur d b th b
\v r t1 r muni 1palit1e. t th r gi nal
r muni ipal I
mak r 1!1 thi field
r c nvi nc d
that larg r muni ipal un1t.
equit a m a ur d b th by relativ
2
ta burden and I
f f\'1

Thi re tructuring cam t Briti h
and Kelo na wer for
forced xpan ion of the

lumbia municipalitie in th

d t r tructur b pro incial g

I 70

In 197

rnment I gi lation

Kaml

p

allowing the

municipalitie boundari , the idea of a re tructured Prince

rge

.
1
became an 1 ue.-

Increa ing the boundarie of the

ity of Prince

eorge to include the developed area around

the city was supported largely becau e of equity i ue relating to the taxation and

rv1ce

proviston a well a the need for increa ed planning and development control in the
surrounding areas. The

ity of Prince George and other municipalitie were ub idizing the

residential development out ide of their boundarie as the rural ta e did not support the le el

2

Trudi Bun ting and Pierre Fillion, Canadwn Cities m Tran.\'lllon (Toronto · xford nivcr ity Pre . 1991 ).
477-478 .
3
Pau l Zanette, "ARe tructurecl it_ of Prince George: n naly i of Local O\'ernment Reorganuatton
through the Proce s of Amal amation·· Term Paper for
o 'raphy -1-37, ol le of ew aleclonla . Pnn e
eo rge, 1980 .

107

f

pr

ided b th provm
uppli d virtuall fr

upp rtdb ta
it

f Prin

r ident

rg

u h a r r ati n fa ilit i

it

ith ut ha ing to

a a Ia k f local am niti
ignifi anti I

difficult for th

ut..id

nd muni ipal b undari
Lo

,

!fare, p li e, and th ju tice

erv1

t

park , and th

library w re u eel by

ntribut financial! t th ir peration.

f th mumcipal b undari , g1v n the low r tax

per uacle th

t to m r a eel ta.

and w re

fund d dir ctly by the

tring nt planning and building r tricti n

municipalitie

amalgamate and be ubj

ial

the r id nt be

t

g n rat d fr m th mum ipaliti

urr unding th

rat and th

uch a

re idenL of area
The

it of Prince

e pite thi , it wa

urrounding the city to
orge taxpayers were

ubject to relati el high propert ta e and d velopment regulation while re idents in the
urrounding area paid lower ta e and faced fewer re triction
wa

The

ity of Prince George

ub idizing and con equently encouraging the increa eel sprawling and unorganized

development adjacent to it boundarie _ .~

In 1973, Prince George City Council formed the District Municipality Committee.

The

mandate of the committee was to :
investigate all the problems relative to the foundation and operation of a
district municipality and to report, if possible, on methods of solution to tho e
problems that are in either real form or in the minds of people both in areas
5
adjacent to and within the municipal boundaries.

4

The restructuring of the City of Prince George and the taxation implications me discussed in detail in Paul
Zanette ' s paper.
5
District Municipal ity Committee, " Report of the District Municipalit_ Committee" (City of Prince George,
1974), 1.

108

ln F bruary
mmitt

f 197

th

amm th

t

pand d muni ipalit
t

it

Mini t r

, m re r pr

per p ti

n the amalgamati n 1 u

c mmitt

a

[! ared an in rea

I ti

ffair

re tru turing a

ry

ith the inl nt

f creating an

ommitt

wa , relativ

h
t

b

111

\.v

mb r htp

f th

i trict Municipalit

ighted 111 fa

n fr m r ident of ar a

oth
uL ide fthe

ity limit wh

in ta ati n and a chang t th ir rural life. t I a a re. ult of re tructuring

7

mmittee pre ented it. final report t the Mini ter f

The Mini t r dir ct d that a referendum be held t d termin
propo d in the report

Th

refer ndum pa ed by 55

breakdown of the re ult made it clear that the re id nt of Prince
upported re tructuring and re ident
.

dvi

e rg ar a and p rm1tted [! r a m re balanced

.. , (J

In Jul , I 74th R tructur
Muni ipal

R tructur

f th populati n d n it and di tributi n

ntati

n 1d r d b th pr Vl ll
pp

r at d th

f th R ~ tru turing

fth fragm nt d p liti al unit in th Prin

committ e m t ub tantial

fia1r

org and ar a

ituati n f Pnn

Th mak up

mmitt

un il

f Muni 1pal

upport for
percent

eorge overwhelmingly

out ide of the city overwhelmingly oppo ed

s

re tructunng.

In January, 1975 greater Prince George wa amalgamated into the

ity of Prince George

resulting in a municipal population of 6 ,000. Appendix 1 how the municipal boundarie
which were created in 1975 .

The

adju tment .

of restructuring impo ed on the

lizancttc, 22 .
7
Zancttc, 26-27 .
t< zancttc, 19.

Two condition

arne boundarie

till e i t today, apart from minor
ity b

the provincial

109

r that all

g v rnm nt
b la

, and th R g i nal

f Prin

it

i trict b la

in ffi t in th

ar a until th

had t ad pt an

fficial

illag

, th

in pla e at th tim of r

r r p a! d

ial and ph

commi ioned th

ng m

produced th

ewe rag

uth Fort

eorge

it

f Prin ce

eorg

mmunit Plan

1960 and arl l 70 a numb r f planning tud1

upply and

of

tru turing were to r main

r r plac d , nd , th

D partm nt and th Offi cial

c n mic

the

b la

mmunit Plan.

The Municipal Pl annin

In th lat

rg

tud

I pm nt of th

i al de

rin g firm

L

f

Metropolitan Prin e

Trafftc Planning

tudy:

it

were undertak n t help g uide
In 19 9 the Regional

ci t

n ulting . . ng in eer
eorge "

of Prince

Planning Con ultant produced the ' ultural Facilitie

In 1974

i trict

to pr duce the ''W a ter
tanley and

eorge,' and in 1974
tudy · City of Prin ce

ociate

ntral Interio r
eorge ."

These studie were undertaken as a result of a recommendation by Desmond Parker that the
City of Prince George revisit its planning for "non-re idential activitie and with particular
regard to the qualitative change occasioned by g rowth pattern and trends since the adoption
of Zoning Bylaw 1967 and the companion Community Plan ."

9

These studies were to act as a

basis for developing a new Official Community Plan and ub sequent zoning bylaw . However,
Mr. Parker was never given the opportunity to develop that Offi cial

ommunity Plan becau e

the city created a municipal Planning Department in 1975 . Mr. P arker tayed in the City
providing planning and architectural consulting services.

9

Desmond Parker, Jetter to Prin ce George Mayor a nd Council, 5 January, 1973, City of Prince George Official
Community Plan fil es.

1I 0

th

r ult fth r quir m nt fl r th d

pm nt

tter Pat nt fl r amalg mati n,

it

un J! ad pled

it

rg

ntra t

uppl

t

t ting that " th

f Pnn

mmunit Plan and that th
i tri t tafT"
pr parati n

f

h dul d t b

Th c mmunit

n

4

brua

the previou

un II r

plan " h1 h

rr d t

ab

d Ma t r Pl an fl r

Thi

prelimina

mmunit plan, 1n lud d in

R gJ nal

i. tri t to fini h th

f as i tan e t

b

tn t pr par d a

rg

nn

th

R gional

rk plan fl r th
Thi

plan wa

tob r, l 7 c:.,

e, and dir ct d th

r at r Prince

R gi nal D1 trict to

e rge," creat d by

hander

atellite town planning c nc pt out lin d in

plan £1 r gr ater Prince

eorge wa

pre ented t

ncept

fl r Propo ed

ntitled " ummary Report on Pl anning

reater Prince

Oth, 197

r ~ !uti n n Janua

r at r

un Jl1n

a an xpand d er i n f th

ouncil in the docum nt
Ma ter Plan for

hni 1an

25th, l 7 th R gi nal

mpl t d and pre nted t

chapt r.

ill ial

ith th

hat ' a t rm d a Ma t r Plan fl r

c mplet , wa th " Pr p
uri . Thi plan

it

fan

eorge" in March 1974

In June of 1975 the Cit of Prince George created a four per on Planning Department headed
by Dave McDonald . The increa ed planning and regulatory function created by re tructuring
and the incorporation of uch a large area with ignificant planning problem warranted the
creation of a Planning Department.

10

A di cus ed in chapter five the

ity planning function

prior to 1975 had been provided through the combined effort of the Technical Planning
ommittee compo ed of key

ity admini tration, the Advi ory Planning

compo ed of community repre entative , and the
10

De mond Parker, in terview bv author, 10

u 'll t, 1998.

electi

u

of con ultant

.
Olllllll

.
lOll

(primanl

1 11

m nd Park r

nald' fir t ta k

firm) . Mr. M

the pr p

d ma l r plan

i tri t

c n pt pr par d b the R gi nal

t th

a t a

un il m ting h ld Jul 2

1 7

nald

r

pr

d th .fi 11 wmg

R p rt f Mar h, 1 7 , it i
ing th R gi nal i tri
.fi rmulati n f a c mmunity
cl ar that ub tant1al ba i data n
a
plan a th n n t a ailabl , a d fici nt in qualit r lacking in br adth and
hich did n t I ad logical! t th plan
ub tanc , r wa manipulat d in
11
p li i
nun iat d
In addition t qu ti ning the alidit
that th prop

d 'land u

th data and it int rpr tati n Mr. Me onald not d

and arti ulati n f tran p rtation route [wer prop

greater detail and pr j ted tim

ed] in far

frame than available information ba e could r asonably

account for or ju tify. '

l o, it

a n t d that the plan wa developed with little or no public

.
. . 12
mput
or con u1tattoo

The

comment

preliminary plan done by De mood Parker on

choed a review of the Regional Di trict '
pril 17th, 1975 .

On August 11 , 1975 Chancier uri presented to

ouncil the preliminary plan concept which

he had developed followed by a Council debate on the plan.

The following day Dave

McDonald presented a report to Council restating his criticisms of the Regional District ' s plan
and encouraging Council to con ider the practical and legislative implications of a Community
Plan. That report restated that the plan was based on data that was "limited, out of date, or
irrelevant to the goals or development policies put forward for adoption," and that "there are

11

Dave McDonald, Director of Development Service , letter to Chester Jeffrey, City Manager, 29 July, 1975.
The memo outlines the issues di sc ussed at th e ouncil Meeting dated 18 July, 1975.
12
Dave McDonald, letter.

I

11 2

maJ r h rt
dra n

n

i ting data ba , th manag m nt f that data, and th infer n

mmg in th

f th plan "L

d t 1 ad t th ba 1 p Ii

hi h ar pr

hni al Planmng

pt mb r th I 7 th

mmt 1 n r

unci] that

mm nded t

tmm dtat I plac d tn harge f directing and
Plan proJe t v 1th th und r tanding that the
Park r and hand r un and th m mb r f
th Te hni al Pl an111ng
mmtttee \, til a ~. 1 . t lr
c onald wh nev r
and \ ill r p rt "In am ra" . trnpl be au . e if oun il m mb r
di u
tr un '. rep rt 1n mor d tad , It can b d n with ut
au ing undue public mbarra m nt l.t
nald ,

Th

rea

n gt n for thi

r

be

me e tabli h d and operati nal much m re quick! than expected and that the I ng term

ornmunit Plan h uld bead

On eptember 9th, 1975

' it

Pl anni ng

ument pr par d and admini . ter d by

ity Planning Department The

epartment had

ity admini tration

unci! re-a igned the preparation of the new

Plan to Dave McDonald and the
be prepared by the

mmendati on w re that the

fficial

ommu nity

ommunity Pl an that would

ity ' Planning Department wa much different from that being prepared

by the Regional District under the direction of Chander un
been implemented a proposed by Chander

lf the atellite town co ncept had

uri , the city would certainly be much more

disperse and disjointed that it i today, a the population projection accepted a the ba i for
the Regional Di trict plan were almost four time higher than the actual population growth
that occurred . These satel lite town were not needed .

Dave McDona ld Report to J>m1 ce Geor~e A!ayor and Co uncil, I ~ . lug ust. /9 7.- Prince George. 1975 The
report i regarding th e Prince Geor e Official ommunit) Plan .
14
T echni ca l Planning ommitt ee. Report to Pnnce Ciem~ge J\/ayor and ( 'ouncil, 5 ,\'eptemher, /9 7 5 Pnnce
eorge, J 975 .

13

113

Th man u ring for

ntr 1

tru ggl fl r

r th planning fun ti n fl r th

ntr

an alm t e 1u i

r th

ba i , th

rvtc

th juri di ti n f th R gi nal
r e pand d, and th
functi n und rtak n b
McD nald and th
of

it

it

ffi ial

of Park r

i tri t Planning
Planning

firm and th

Planning

epartm nt

ntr I

fficial

ov r futur planning to th

it

Ianning

it

ri r t 1 7 th

n ulting firm

it utilized n

ut ide of the

ity wa

partm nt und r uri Wh n the

ity limit

partm nt

rk r

mmunit Plan r f1 ct d an und rlying

a

Regi nal
The

r at d m 1975 , c rtain planning
i tri t w re a umed by

It Planning

av

partment a umption

mmunit Plan marked the tran ition

f control

epartment

Z onin g B ylaw N o. 2876

In early 1976 the

ity of Prince

eorge began a proce

to am nd Zoning Bylaw 1967 .

The e amendment were thought nece sary becau e "bu ine e have been allowed to locate
in certain zone improperly for the following rea on :

15

a)

The by-law is indefinite in certain definition and u e .

b)

The by-law has been interpreted differently by various member of the
administration and their consultants.

c)

Errors have been made by the Administration .

d)

The structure of a business operation gradually varies over the long term or in
the short term the applicant develops a business which contravene the original
application.

e)

New types of businesses develop which are not anticipated by the by-law. 15

he ter Jeffrey, City Manager. R eport to Prince George A!a_yor and Co uncil, 23 J anumy, 1976. Pnncc
George, 1975 . Report is regarding the procedure to develop a new zonmg bylaw.

114

h

nald

M

pp

iti n wa

publi

h aring fl r th

ntr d r und t

I

~ ra,

r Ri

n th
Meti

r m I land

a h

r id nt

ti n fr 111 futur f1
indu trial u

t park u. e

Th

nt nti u

cond
Highwa

t

dmg H>

U

pr p

pr

Th fir t

h b Ia

th

z ne

Thi

h ld in

ar a

av

pt mb r
tt nw

d

hi ar a wa, the I cati n fa

d d tn I 7....

Th re wa pr . ur
and pr vid

1th 111uni 1pal . rv1

pr po ed r zo nmg the area fr 111 r , idential and

u ' a th pr p

mm rcial

tafT and h aded b

a th z nmg f land at

R 1 nd .

r and th

1d

it

d n w b Ia

h v hi h \ a fl

I land

ttl 111 nt all d th

111pn d fk

mmitt

a pr par d b

Th draft b Ia

f

d r 1110 al
z n

a pr

downto n, and in di per ed lo ati n throughout the
tating that ' the new zoning prohibit architect

111mercial

al nt al ng

f1ice u e from the
ictoria

tr et tn the

mond Parker wa quoted a

it

building contractor , engineering con ultant ,

and the like from having office in an building other than the high ri e palace which are aid
to be owned by large corporation , mo t of them multi-national ." 17 The intent ofthi change
wa apparently to force office u e which required mall amount of pace, ( uch a lawyer ,
architects, and engineer ), to locate in the C-1 (Commercial

entral Bu ine

Di trict) and

2 (Commercial General Bu ine ) zone in order to trengthen the viability of the downtown
core.

Prince George Zoning Bylaw No . 2876, 1977 wa adopted by

16

Mike ven , "T he 1 land ache Project" (Prince eorge:
B , 1999)
"New Zoning ylaw Rapped," Prince eorge iti;.en 12 eplemb r 1976

17

ouncil in early 1977 after

11 5

mm r r

nt nti u it m rai d at the public hearing were n t changed .

Th tw

The light indu trial z ne
hich r quir d th larg

Th

n w b la

111

a am nd d in
it

r a d th

numb er

di cu ed abo e, th e ap licati on

over tim

erv1c

rient d bu ine

r nt a ailabl in light indu trial area

and r lati

f z ne

gr gati n f land u

increa ing the futur

d and

rd r t ac omm dat

nc fr m 22 t

m

within the

it

0, ignificantl y

ther than th e thr

1

u

f the n w zoning cat g n e r fl eeted th land u e whi ch

rved to legitimize what

re fi rm erl

illegal land u e whi ch had dev l p d

18

T he S econd Offi cial

ommuni ty Plan

Having been given the ta k of developing th e Offi cial

ommunity Plan th e

ity' Planning

Department, under the direction of Dave McDonald, began a public con ultati on process in
1976. Thi proce

wa de igned to gain input on a comprehen ive li t of economic, ocial

and physical planning issues facing the community. Documentation of the nature of thi input
process and the input received could not be found .

The City also reassessed the population projections for th e area. It was proj ected th at in
1992 there would be approximately 103 ,000 persons living within the City limits. In 2002 this

number was projected to be 140,000 per ons. And in 201 2 the population was expected to be

18

lt shou ld be noted that Zoning Bylaw No . 2876 appli ed only to th e a rea previously govem ed by Zo ning
Bylaw 1967. The zoning bylaws inherited from th e Regional Di tri ct rema ined in place fo r there t of the
ity.

116

appr

imat 1

1

000 p r

n .

19

r than pr

p pulati n figur

n
Plan

lth ugh high r than what actually occurr d, th

ct b r 14th 1 77 th
red

th g n ral gr wth trat g

pr p

d g al

i u pr j cti n di

and p li

u

tat ment

un il

n id rati n and t ntati

and th

r id ntial

d in chapt r [i ur.

~ r th

ad pti n

new

mmunity

he g al r lating t

mm r ial and indu trial d v lopm nt w re

a follow .

1)

rban and Rural

e

I pment

o a ur the containment of XI tmg urban area , provide for the orderly,
economical
taged ,
di er ifi d
and
c mpatibl
development
and
redevelopment of th e ar a , and a ur an fftcient tran ition fr m rural to
20
urban land u e.
As ociated with thi goal wa the propo ed creation of two new development centre . The e
were the

ranbrook Mill

entre we t of the City in the

Nechako Centre along Foothill

ranbrook Hill area, and the North

Boulevard north of Heather Road .

The

011h Nechako

Centre was intended to draw future commercial and residential development from the Hart
Highway corridor to an area of City and Crown owned land accessed by Foothills Boulevard .

The Cranbrook Hill Centre was proposed to accommodate the demand for growth in the re t
of the city as the bowl area was nearly fully developed .

19

21

The concept behind the e town

Dave McDonald, Director of Development Services. R eport to Prin ce George Alayor and Co uncil, 19
A ug ust, 1977. Prince George, 1975 . Report i regarding the "Population Projections and Propo ed taging
Plan, Residential Land Use, 1977-2012'" .
20
Dave McDonald, Director of Development Services. Report to Prince George ll!nyor and Co uncil. 1-1
October, 1977. Prince George, 1977 . Report i regarding the goals and policie proposed for the Official
ommunity Plan.
21
Dave McDona ld, R eport, 14 October, 1977.

117

ntr

imilar t

larg r

al Prince

2)

R id ntial

a!

t a mall r

f,

hand r

.,

un

at llit t wn centr plan for a

rg

pm nt

T
r at
n ni nt and attra ttv
urban and uburban r id ntial
n ighb urh d
hi h an b tTc tJ
Lv tc d \ 1th r ad , utilittc , h I ,
park and c mm rc , and an tak advantage f d 1rabl ph i al fi atur ,
and t gi a , ati fa t
rang
f
th pro. p tJ e h u, eh ld r in
r p t t r id nttal n 1r nm nt r
and hou, 1ng ace mm dation
22
fa va net of Ia out and de. 1gn on pt
thr ugh th imagi nati v u

Thi g al in

d the ad pti n f th netghbou rho d un1t concep t . imilar t that utilized by

D m nd Park r in th pr

1

u

and the concept of cr ating th
prepared a gr wth de

m ial

mmun1t

ing th e new gr wth fi gure ,

t o new dev I pm nt c ntre , the Planning

I pment trategy for the n \

wa entitled Population Projection and Propo ed
2012 . ' In thi

Plan

fficial

mmunity Plan

epartment
hi

trategy

taging Plan, Re idential Land u e, 1977-

trateg , 6 percent of new hou ing wa to be pro vided in the form of

ingle

family dwelling , 25 percent wa to be pro vided in the form of two family dwelling and
medium den ity multiple family dwelling , and 10 percent wa to be provided a hi gh den ity
re idential development. The bowl area would contain 20 percent of the new growth , the
Hart Highway and North Nechako area would contain 25 percent of the growth, the
ranbrook Hill area we t of the bowl would contain 50 percent of the growth, and the area
ea t of the bowl would contain 5 percent of the growth 23

22
23

ave McDonald, R eport, 1-1 Octoher, J9 77
ave McDonald R eport, 19 '" lug ust , 1977.

ll R

Within th e r a pr
uld pr

trat g

1 772 p r n
p r

1 1,

id d £1 r r id ntial d

id

tn pha

n , r ulting in a a£1 t fa t r
I p d b t'

n I

n the d n iti

hi pr

an m r a

in d ellmg un1t

a a£1 t fa t r f I . . .

pr p

d, th

b

2, a

mm dating

r th1 p n d

a.. pr p

d t be nl

h u h ld

d £1 ran additi nal 12,

27 Ph a

all

and 1

mm dating an stimat d 2,2

..... ,

1d da , aflt fa t r f 1 7 Ph a, thr , fr m I

p r n

)

0 n '

t d p pulati nm

Th pr

!ling unit t b de

d

ne £1 r

I pm nt, g1

2 to 2 12, provided £1 r

f 22, 51 , a omm dat1ng a p pulation in rea, e f 77,52 , and

21

mm r ial
T cr at an n ir nment £1 r comm rcial d el pm nt hi h will pr , rv and
enhan th italit
f th
ntral bu in
i.. trict a the major centre of the
rvice
r creation, and
communit for bu ine , finance, retail trad ,
nt rtainm nt, a ure th pr i ion of a rang and di tribution of hopping
centre facilitie in keeping with the need and gen raJ growth of the
communit ; and protect and enhance ke hi gh ay- ervice, touri t and
recreation-commercial u e , area of activity and potential ite in re pon e to
need and pecific location and pace requirement 2"

Thi

goal involved the development of local commercial centre

ranbrook Mill and

orth

m the propo ed new

echako town centre , and the limiting of additional commercial

development out ide of the e new area and exi ting commercial centre

It al o identified the

twenty acre ite at the corner of 5th

ommunity hopping

venue and Tabor Boulevard a a

entre i te ? 6

24

Dave Mc Donald, R eport, 19 . !ug ust, 19 77.
Dave McDonald, R eport, l.J Octoher, 19 77.
26
T hi prope rty, owned b_ the ity of Prince George, \V<1 put on ale b) the
and ha not yet been deve loped
25

tty for ommcrcwl de' clopmcnt

119

4)

lndu trial

f imilar t p ,
IC
n ed and performance
n ntrat indu tri
t r ~ t
chara t ri ti within l ct ar a f a h f th maj r d l pm nt
r rv uitabl land [i r n indu trial d l pm nt pri r t a tual d m nd, t
n ourag th r l ati n f e i ting indu tri fr m und irable 1 ati n in
rd r t eliminat land-u
nflict , and t attract new indu trie m
ace rdan
ith n d t maintain a
11 balanc d r a! pr p 11 ta ba and
a hi
a bett r balan d mpl m nt ba , at th arne time maintaining an
27
ace ptabl tandard f n ir nm ntal qualit

To implement thi
wa limited

trat g additi nal indu trial d
o, additi nal land n ar

pm nt out idee i ting indu trial centre

tton\ o d I land and n rth of th

airport were

de ignat d for indu trial u

The

ommunity Plan Public Debate

After review and tentative upport wa given to the goal and policy tatement portion of the
Official Community Plan by

ouncil, the entire plan, including the de ignation map, was

presented to the public beginning in early

ovember of 1977 through a eries of public

meetings held at local schools. These meetings preceded the public hearing on the plan held
on November 22nd, 1977.

More than 500 people attended the ten public meetings that were held throughout the city.
Half of this number attended the meetings in the Hart Highway area. The City al o received
98 written briefs for Council ' s consideration from citizens unable or unwilling to peak at the

. heanngs.
.
28
pu bl1c

27
28

Dave McDonald, Report, 1-1 Octoh er, 19 77.
"Almost 100 BrieL: Fi led," Prince George 'i tizen 22 November 1977.

l 0

Th publi h aring d aling .. p ifi
h ld

am

d

p r

rth

hak

fr m th

. p t d, the

t

f th

Hart

h ppmg

n

ntr

a.t

iti n fr m int r . t tn th I l rt ligln a

mm r ial, indu trial and r . tdential d
t pi
d

t th

I p d land

Ill

th

pp

iti n

pm nt a! ng th I Iati Hi gh a

tak n t limit d

r ati n f th
pp

ith the Hart High a and

mb r 22nd, 1977, and a

n

m a ur
plan

11

I Iati Higln a

ere pr p s d t b d ignat d

ec nd

e k of Public H anng.,

e hako ar as wa

a

ntred around th

ignifi ant

pp

ntr

wh

pp sed t

thill

ul

ard

n rn d

r th

nt al ng th

l Iart I lighwa

ar a, pr

nt

large! from land owner and d elop r

f

rth

re nb elt,

uJ

111

iti n t the
th

h r wa a!

r a d re tri ti n
Much

n

f th

de ignated [I r orne [! rm of

ith . tri t limitati n.

n th tr u e

ppo iti n c ntinu d to be ignificant and came
The e per on wer up t becau e area

f the Hart

Highwa were propo ed t be rede ignated from commercial and indu trial to re idential or
greenbelt de ignation , or th land wa de ignated for pha e two or three development and
not permitted to be developed in the near future . There were numerou threat to ue the
and demand that the

ity

ity purcha e the property if it wa not allowed to be developed 29

The local new paper reported the following on the public meeting held at Kelly Road chool
Land dealer Louis Matte accu ed the downtown bu ine intere ts on ouncil
of trying to stifle fre -enterpri e by forcing a community plan down r ident '
throats again t the be t intere t of the North echako . 'We should be
ity Planner Dave
planning for today,' Matte aid , ' not for tomorrow.'
McDonald, in a rare di play of emotion, told the meeting at Kelly Road chool
that it i ' difficult to eparate the elf intere t of peopl her from there ident
29

"Vcndctta Jaimcd by cveJoper." Pn11ce (ieorge Cit1zen 2--1- November 1977 .
" Blackburn Freeze Urged ." J>r111ce Cleorge Cltlzell 25 November 1977
' Hart Propo al Spmk Ia h." J>r111ce George Cillzell 30 November 1977 .

1 1

at larg . ' H aid aft r th m ting that
m ppon nt of the plan ar
ncern d main! b au e ' th
ant t mak a milli n d llar ' and th plan
kill that.
id nt f th Hart Highway ar a,
t with pr p rt
n th Hart
n ntr n F thill boul vard]
High a .
r , w uld kill land p culati n
i n t t b
art igbwa Th m
w uld al o inhibit
and ribb n d
futur
pan i
a comm rcial d v lopm nt in
what ha b n plann d
a a re id ntial ar a.
h
ntr ar
Matt and hi br ther T d L ui Matt
prin ipal in th Hart
aid at th m eting Thur d
th pr p d plan d e n t c n id r the
bu ine men wh pi n r d th gr
h f th Hart Highwa ar a Matte aid
th town c ntr h uld b planned fl r th ite f the pre nt Hart entr
it
can e pand a peopl n d ' !though M
nald defended th prop ed hift
ofth town c ntr we t t fl thill a an ffi rt t ave ta pa r the enorm u
c t of ervic , road , land a qui iti n and in tead return me m ney from
it c ffi r , Hart bu ine men complain d that the
land d l pment t
propo al i harmful to th ir pre nt bu ine
Th m eting wa l ad d

ith 1

Planner Me onald aid if ribbon de el pment along the Iart i not killed then
the million of dollar pent making it four lane will be wa ted . ' If you allow
the kind of acce that exi t now, ou 'll throttle it again,' he aid . ' If you
dreamed of the co t involved in water, storm ewer, you ' d know. ' 30

This quote

erve to demon trate the confrontational, politically charg d, and emotional

nature of the public debate over the propo ed Official Community Plan. It also highlight the
strong desire of McDonald to limit commercial development along the highway in order to
prevent further traffic, access and servicing problems in the Hart Highway area.

Despite the objections from concerned developer and businessmen the plan appeared to
receive general support in the community. The need to addres the ervicing issues re ulting
from the sprawling and poorly planned area

30

'' Pian Faces First Major

recently incorporated into the City were

hall enge", Prince George Citizen -1- November 1977.

122

gniz d a th fl 11

re

mg c mm nt fr m a ne

paper arti l

h w.

Th
it i fl rc d t dir ct it gr wth - r id ntial , c mmercial , and indu trial wh r
ill c ntribut th m t t ta r
nu and th I a t t ta burd n.
Prince
a committ d b the l 7 amalgam ti n t a larg numb r f
it
h plan
pr m1
li ing
ft v r fr m pr ba icall 1 a c mpr
amalgamation da
h maj r gr wth f urban tandard n ig hb urhood w uld continu from th
pr ent
!lege H ight n rth
t a r ~ Marl au and a! nde and fr m
High a 16 W t n rth ard al ng the a t lope f ranbr k 1-Iill. In the
ry I ng rang , a maJ r t n
ntr , including hopping, recreation,
entertainment and lig ht
r ic indu t
v uld be cit d
uthw t f the
curr nt end f Ma
n but on t p of th hill.
t
the trip comm rcial g h tto that g rew in the 1960 '
In a deft mo
along the Hart High a , the planner ha
t a id a large pare l f rown land
n ar Heather R oad and F othill B uleva rd for a larg
rth echako town
centr . The mo
to put the centr
n rown land give city hall , in one
troke, control of comm rcial dev lopment in the Hart Hi g hway area and kill
the commercial land peculation which wa throwing planning in the area into
chao . The town centre like that in ranbrook Hill would include commercial,
31
recreational , entertainment and light indu trial ervice areas

Given the significant amount of oppo ition from tho e affected by the plan, Council scheduled
a second round of Public Hearings for D ecember in order to allow the City Planner, Dave
McDonald, to comment on the submissions heard by Council at the previou hearing . The
final Public Hearing in 1977 was held on D ecember 20th . Thi final hearing and the overall
hearing proce s were described in the following newspaper reference .
The City Planning Department, brunt of more than a month of charges of
political patronage, conflict of interest and poli6cal decision making, wa
accused Tuesday of resorting to innuendo and exaggeration to upp ort the
proposed community plan.
' I mu st take exception to orne of the
exaggerations in the response to our brief,' lawyer Grant Hughes (hired by
developers and land owners on the Hart Highway to addre s Council on their
behalf) told the last of the ten public hearing ses ions into the propo ed plan.

31

" City Blueprint Would Slam Lid on Land pecu lation .'' Prince George C'tttzen 14 Nu\'ember 1977.

12

Tu da
h aring
i n a th la t f I 0 itting t h ar public c ncern
ab ut the prop d plan. Th
i n ha e la t d m r than 0 h ur and
aim t half that tim ha b en
nt li t ning t argum ent n th c ntentiou
un cil b gin di cu JOn
f th propo ed
Hart High a ar a planning
ntinu e fl r at 1 a t thr e m ting b for e
mmunit plan Jan . 17 and
It i e p ct d the plan
nding th plan ba k t th plann r fl r fin al re
2
ill b ffi iall ad pt d b
ar h

the ab

pa ag

d m n trat ~, th e meetings were a!

all gation

f in omp et nee, 1 ing, p r

b ing 1

d again t

On March 2

197

av M

v ry

nfr ntati nal with

nal ende tt a , and bia ba ed n p liti cal influence

nald and th

it

Pl an ning

epartm nt :n

co uncil end r ed a revi ed et of goal and poli cy tatement for th e

Official

ommunit Plan. Howe

Official

ommunity Plan invo lved a review f all in tance of oppo iti on to the map. Thi

r, th e proce

of amending th e

e ignati on Map for th e

took another eight month to complete. In Febru ary, 1979 the City of Prince Geo rge Official
Community Plan De ignation By-law

o. 3138, 1979 wa

adopted and th e Official

Community Plan wa in place. There were no signifi cant changes mad e to th e Designati on
Map regarding the Hart Shopping Centre, the Foothill town centre, or th e de ignation of land
as Greenbelt. Most changes were small boundary adju stm ents. Prior to final ad opti on of th e
Community Plan Dave McDonald resigned as Planner fo r t he City in December 1978.
was replaced by Assistant Planner, Mark Stagg.

32
33

" Community Plan Still Under Fire," Prince George Citizen 2 1 December 1977 .
"Pianner Hits ' Sl eazy. ' Petition as Only
Cit1 zen 16 December 1977 .
. Pressure," Prince Geon;e
'''Land Exec. Queri es Council 's Proce ses," Prince George Ci tizen 16 Dece mber 1977.
''Former Planner Rapped for ' Reckl ess ' Es timates," Prince George Citizen 16 December I 977.

He

124

Zonin

Bylaw No.

With th

482 1980

cr ati n

f th

ffi ial

mmunit

Plan

II und 1 a

z ning b law in
obj

f the plan

ti

hi n

f th

b cau
hi h

pr

in i l g

r a fl rm f land u

the

it

the

oll g

ernm nt
appr

n and land u
ight area, w r g

zoning b law would ha

uld r pla

z ning b la

i tri t'

z ning b law inh rit d fr m th R gi nal

rd r t

plan t

ity Planning

impl m nt th g al and

Zoning B law

p

liminat

the

o. 2 7 , and the

n w b law wa al
th

al ba d up n c ntra t

u

f Land

nece ary
ntract ,

tw en th pr perty own r and

r gulation in igniftcant p rti n of th city, particularly in
rn d according t the e Land

t account fl r the

e

ntract

he new

area

The fir t tep undertaken in d veloping the new bylaw wa the development of an inventory of
land u e and den ity on all land within the city.
direction provided in the draft Official

iven thi information, combined with the

ommunity Plan, the new bylaw wa drafted . The new

bylaw contained a new zoning district cla ification y tern, a statement of intent for each
zoning district, a detailed li t of permitted uses for each zone, and a exten ive definition
section.

The first draft of the bylaw contained 71 zoning districts, an increa e from the 3 0

zones which existed under Bylaw No . 2876 .

The bylaw proposed two zones for

environmental sensitive area , four rural or agricultural zones, three suburban residential
zones, 16 urban residential zones, five multiple family zones, 17 commercial zones, s1x
industrial zones, 13 park or public u e zones, and three overlay zones.

125

Th fir t draft f th z ning b la

ed b

unci! on

pril 15th, 1979 .

partm nt taff in onjuncti n with

h b la

n a c ntra t ba i .

mm1 i n th

Planning

m nt

Th

b la

m

ting

uth rit ·

a pr
bet

attend d b appr

n

a a! o r

d

d and

e 1gn P n I, th

hi bylaw

av McDonald acting

mment d up n b

H u ing

th

dvi

ry

mmitte , and the B

4

nted t

th

public for re 1 -v

ug u t .... 1 t and
imat I , 0 p

ug u t
'

5

Oth

There

and c mment in a
The e m eting

a no ignificant

ne

of i

public

were r lati vely wall

pp

ition expres ed and

the b law wa finali zed with r lati el min r chang

After the zoning b law wa gi en fir t reading the

ity undertook a review of the Official

Community Plan and made minor amendments to the plan ba ed upon that review.
zoning bylaw was then amended to reflect the de ignation change

The

made to the Offici al

Community Plan. A1 o, the number of zones within the bylaw were al o reduced by five
36

zones.

The zoning bylaw wa given second reading on May 20th 1980.

The public hearings for the Zoning Bylaw No . 3482, 1980 were held in July of 1980
were numerous objection

to the zones proposed for

pecific properties .

There

As the zonmg

proposed in the new zoning bylaw was ba ed on the Official Community Plan, the oppo ition

Mark Stagg, City Planner. R eport to Prince George A!ayor and Co uncil, 20 Ju~v, 1979. Prince George.
1979 . Report was regarding the proposed zoning bylaw.
35
Mark Stagg, City Planner. Report to Prince George A!ayor and Council, /-I September, 1979 Pnncc
George 1979. Report was regarding the propo cd zoning bylaw.
36
Mark Stagg. R eport, J..l Septemb er, 19 79.

34

126

t th z ning b la
r th

Plan.
input

it

r fl

f pp

ition e pre ed t

publi h aring and furth r mm r r

f Prin

19 0. Th n

t d th natur

org Z nmg

2 19

mmunit

Plan and z nm 0 b Ia

fficial

c mm rcial, indu trial and re id ntial gr \ th
hich had b n in pla

t

th

fficial

ommunity

th bylaw ba d upon public
wa ad pt d
rv d t

n

ugu t 24th,

limit the pr ad of

mpared t th pr v1ou land u

r gulati n

.

The Official ommunity Plan R vi w
ity of Prince

org polic wa to h ld an

time all amendment to the

P

nnual

fficial

t the fir t

ould be c n id red

were 8 application to amend the

P, at the econd

application , and in 1992 there were 6 application .

mmunity Plan Review at which
P R view in 1979 there

P Review in 1981 there were 39

iven the ignificant number of applications

to amend the OCP there wa a concern that the 0 P wa acting a a form of zoning. If an
amendment to the OCP wa supported by Council at the Annual Review it wa perceived by the
public that Council would not be in a po ition to deny the ubsequent re-zoning for the arne
property, even though the specific issues relating to the re-zoning would not have been fully
considered at the time of the OCP designation change. Therefore, the result of the rezoning
process was considered by many of the public to be a foregone conclusion.

In order to address this situation, a number of steps were taken by Council, on the recommendation
37

ofMark Stag, Director ofDevelopment Services.

37

First, applications for land u e designation

Mark Stagg, Director of Developm ent ervices. Rep ort to the Tech m ea / Planning Committee, 17 FehntmT.
1982. Prince George, 1982. Report wa regarding the OCP Re\'iew proces

127

re p nnitt d at an time.
d ignati n appli ati n

c uld b

applicati n. Third, th u

f

n id r d m
r lan '

and ubdivi i n. '· 8

ct r plan \

n id ring re-z mng

a o iat d r -z rung

P and d tail d 1 gal implem ntati n thr ugh zoning

f th

fth

land u

r incr a d in rd r t pr vid a "link betw n

br ad land u e and pha ing p li ie
h u

njun ti n with th

cond, the

and h lp diffi r ntiate th

uld pr

ide great r dir ction t
f thinking, and th

al

1

uncil wh n

ue involved, in
ctor and land u

con idering an

am ndment compar d t a r z mng Thiri n f th

plan had be n d

1 p d b th planning d partm nt ~ r diffi rent ar a of the city in th late

1970 t aid in the d elopm nt of the

De pite th

P 1n the arl

t

mid 19

ub tantial number f application t amend the

1 more were devel ped .

P, the plan remained relatively

unchanged. The Director of Development ervice n ted in 1982 that "while we went through a
large number of application at the third annual review . the um total of amendment adopted
(numerically and substantively) wa quite mall. On the face of it, the foregoing indicates that the
OCP i both sound and sati factory." 39 The OCP remained largely unchanged until the l 990s.

The Recession

In the early 1980s the province entered an economic recession that la ted into the early 1990s.
This recession brought a sharp decline in investment, product output and employment in the
province. When the level of investment did increase in the city in the mid 1980 , it was in the form

38

Mark Stagg, Director of Development Services. R eport to th e Jrayn e Buchanan, D1rector of. ldmllnstrnllO!l
and ity Clerk, 11 February, 1982 . Prince George, 1982. Report wa regarding the 0 P ReYicw proce
39
Mark Stagg. Report, 11 Februm~v. 1982.

128

f capital inten ifi ati n f the pulp and a

mill

It w

n t in th fl nn of div r ificati n or job

40

cr ati n.

Th impa t fth r

1gur

bu il ding p nni t acti
Fr m I

2t

I arl r pre nt d in th

19

b th

, th buildmg acti

in th

ity dropp d ignificantly

r l 0 ingl -famil h u

n a erag JU t

i com par d t a high f I 000 h u
famil d

4 h

built in 1 7

r ml

built ach year. Thi

2 until 198 ther wer n multiple-

lling tart

imilar decline wa

mm rcial and indu trial d

een for

1 pm nt during thi p ri od
Fi ure 5.4

41

Building Permit Va lu e 19 75-1988
120
100

"'=
0

~

a

80
60
40
20

a

0
1975

1979

198J

1987

year

The Offtcial Community Plan had been based on significantly higher growth rates . The land
designated for development in the plan wa not required a development in the city came to a
relative standstill for almost nine years.

40

Subdivision that were in the process of being

Tom Hutton and David Ley "Vanco uver ' Corporate Complex and Produ cer e rvices Sector: Linkage and
Divergence Within a Provincial Space Economy,' R egional Studies 2 1.5, -1-1 6.
41
Development Services Department, Comparahle Building Statist1 cs 1970 to 19 , City of Pnnce George.
Bulletin No. 12, 1989 .

129

d

d
fr

nt ankrupt or imp l walk d away
gl\' nth Ia k fh u ing d mand

arti 1 in th 1 a! n ' . pap r th
ight

ar and th

uti

k D r th futur , a. th

rg

i tizen, n

a

I , 19

di cu

d the Ia t

n m_ finall b gan t Improve

p L d D r a pen d f . tead gr ' h after v raJ ar of
I 'vth L a term that 1 fer t nail ltke progr
lt '
m thing we've
m u d t 111 Pnn
rg
h p pulatt n remained 1rtuall y unchang d
Dr m r than fi,· y ar. foil ''111g th Dr . t mdu try r es i n of 19 2
ut th
n ti n that Prin
rg ha. t d . till . mce then i. more an illu ion than fact
ur , th
ha,·en' t
n b om tun , but I k around th cit has chang d ince
Th itiz n I t ran a progr ..• uppl m nt in 19 _)
If m n fell a I p in that ·ear like Rip an Winkle, only t awake today, he
' uld b . urpri ed Pnnc
orge i a changed place
everal mini malls have
b n built, \'erwait a F d. ha built one of it large t upennarket here, dozens
of n ' r tauranL have emerg d, a lew of mall office have been built in the
downt wn area, the h tel indu t i flouri hing and more than 600 hou e have
b n built in th la t 6 year
The city boa t a new lane pan over the Fra er
Ri r - th Yell head Bridge, a new $10 million ewage plant, and a l 0 kilometre
tern ha b en built along the Fra er and echako River . In the
trail and park
fore t indu try, awrnill have embarked on numerou multi-mi llion doll ar
modernization e pan ion , while both C and BCR have expanded their
operation . There more, but you get the picture. There are worri orne clouds on
the horizon, but the cit eem to have rounded the comer and can finally look
42
forward to tronger growth in the future.

The situation began to change near the end of the 1980s. Again, the building permit activity,
shown in Figure 5.5, reflect this change in the level of development within the city. Despite the
optimistic interpretation given by the newspaper, the improvement was relatively slow. Significant
change did not occur until 1992 when it was announced that the Univer ity of Northern Briti h
Columbia would be built in Prince George.

42

"New Wrinkles for th e Rip Van Winkles," Prin ce Geort;;e Citizen 3 I May 1989.

1 0

F i ur

Buildin g P e rmit

alue 198 - 1 97

1991

1988

Y ea r

Urban Fo rm a nd F un cti n by 1980

Prince George

urban en ironm nt can be categ oriz d into thre general

The first i the

TPR ubdi i ion which wa planned by a Bo ton land cape architecture firm ,

subdivided in 191 , and de eloped
speculative g rid , which was

hortly thereafter.

ubdivided by land

topography and function between 1909 and 1915 .
between 1940 and 1960.

The econd

ubdivi ion type .

ubdivision type i the

peculators with little thought given to
The e area

were developed primarily

The third subdivision type is the neighbourhood unit concept

outlined in the City ' s Community Plan, ubdivided by both the City of Prince George and
private developers, and developed after 1965 .

By 1981 the population of Prince George was alrno t 6 , 000 people. The growth rat

over

the previous ten years had been 4.5 percent annually, double the provincial growth rate . Over
two thirds of the population li ved in the bowl area, which was nearly fully developed .

43

mce

BuiJding permit data obtained from the monthl y report to Mayor and Council from the Mana ge r of Pcnmt
and Licences rega rding building activity in th e ci ty.

Ill

amalgamati n in 197

pm nt had 1 w d ignifi antl and gr wth ut id of th

rural d

cit limit had be n curtail d Thi wa du t in r a ed r gulation out ide f th city limit
and th incorp ration

f urrounding land int

gr at r planning and de

1 pm nt

b n primaril
d

lop d

m ubdi

d

ntr

th

cit limit wher they were subj ct to

~ The p pulati n growth mc amalgamation had

lop d b

th

it

f Prince

rge, and the privat ly

11 g H ight ar a Thi wa a a t impro em nt over th prev10u y ar a thi

growth had occurr d in full

0 er two third

d and plann d ubdi

f th city' p pulation lived in ingle family dwellings

increa ed from 61 . perc nt in 1976 to 64

perc nt in 1978

his number had

Thi increase, contrary to the

provincial trend, wa likely due to the relatively high di po able income in the community, and
the availability of hou ing within the city.~ 5

By 1980, the City had gained control of growth in greater Prince George. Unfortunately, the
past 40 years of growth outside of the city limit with insufficient planning and development
controls had resulted in a very dispersed urban form out ide of the bowl area. The City could
benefit from its control of surrounding developed and developing lands; however, the City
was now responsible for providing and improving the services and amenities to these areas,
and in dealing with the numerous functional problems a sociated with poorly coordinated and
organized development. The long term plan for redirecting future growth and reorganizing
existing areas for the greatly expanded city was the econd Official Community Plan . It is

44

Dcvelopment Services Department, "Prince George Population urvey and Housing
George, 1979, 1.
115
Devclopment Services Department, '· Prince George Population .'' 5.

nalysi s,"

it;, of P ri nce

132

m what ir nic that

nc th

it

futur growth th pr

m e

uld b

t n

ar , r ulting in little

level

p r1en ed pn r t 1 0

f

nnce

eorg b am abl to properly plan for it

ubj ct t an c nom1c r

r n gr wth

ion that would la t over

Th cit ma n ver ee growth appr aching th

hapt r

The Downtown

hallenge

Introdu ction
he r

itali ati n f d

th hi to
the d

ofth cit .

rg ba b

nt wn Prin

n a fl

u

f planning

rt thr ugbout

n th e tent and imp o rtan e o f d wnt wn planning v r tb year

nto n planning and d

lopm nt hi t

ha

b

n d alt with

eparat ly m thi

chapter.

A a re ult of hrinking economic and

cia\ function and the deg radation of phy ical form ,

the majority of Canadian citie have embarked on
Planner , merchant

and politician

orne form of downtown revitali ation . 1

eek to increa e the vitality of downtown for a number

of reason . They are thought to influence how touri t and other vi itor , investor , and
re idents perceive the vitality of the city a a whole. As fully erviced, centrally located land ,
they contribute weakly to the municipal tax base due to declining property values.
Increasingly dilapidated and tawdry, they lose their ability to function a the cultural and social
heart of the city, and ultimately the economic function decrea es .

Like many other communities throughout Canada, the City of Prince George, Briti sh
Columbia has a downtown that does not meet the needs of the city. From a ocial , cultural,

1

Downtown revi ta lisation is defined as the purposeful procc of redeveloping the ce ntra l bu me d istrict with
the primary goa l of enriching the quality of life throug h improve ment to th e phy ical , eco no mic, ocia l, and
c ultura l clements of the downtown.

1 4

and a th ti p r p cti
th

o ial and

ultural h art

rge r id nt t

revitali

d

n verthele

)

r

i t~

t planning l u

fl rem

nt

nd
ntr

ard th ir d wnto

a th ti probl m that
th

th d

nt
Ln

n t functi n ad quat 1
f th
ill

11

n Prine

th

ffirt ha e had an affect
. I i the b und a

B law

0

o. 4 2 I

f Prine

f th

ocial and

larg I a a r ult

f th

ntinu

h [ have b n numerou

rg

nt

dark line in figur

n gati

he g n raJ attitud

n r itali ati n ha been, and

Prin e
rg

ommunit

The d wnt wn 1 not

f th

att mpt

n th dov ntown
entral

u m

t b ' n of
attempt to

ha e had limit d

ucce s;

The area border d by the
i trict Z ning und er Zoning

Fig ure 6.1
treet Ma p of Dow ntown Prin ce George

EB

\\
Map courtesy of the City of Prince George Developm ent Services Departm ent

2

Hea lt hy Communities
1997), 25-27 .

ommittce, R eport on th e Qualr(v of Life in Prince Ueorge (City of Prince George,

135

The Downtown Plan
Th

hi t ry

f planning for d

rg

nt wn Prin
nl

t,

partiall

i d minat d b

imp] m nt d

grand plan

hi h

had th gr at

t ffi ct n th fl rm and fun ti n f th d wnt

h fir t
n

mpan , a
firm which utili

d man

pnn ipl

two . Thi plan

a foll w d b th

cheme , all of

hich

re r

th

d vel pm nt of

f th

e grand plan

hi plan wa th

riginal

n land cape architecture

f th

it B autiful M v ment a di cu ed in chapter

d

pm nt

ponding t

f fi

maj r red velopment /revitali ation

a need to addre

ordinated and relative! unplann d rapid downtown expan ion

th

hortfall of th

poorly co-

hich occurred during period

of economic boom .

The City Beautiful Plan 3
The development of

Prince George ' s downtown began m 1914 in association with the

coming of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway through the Yellowhead Pas to Prince George on
its way to the west coast at Prince Rupert . As discussed in chapter two the GTPR employed
a Boston landscape architecture firm to plan their Prince George townsite .

The GTPR

townsite lots went on sale in 1913 and subsequently attracted development away from the two
surrounding townsites of Central Fort George and South Fort George.

By 1914, when the

first trains arrived the area had a population of approximately 3,500 people . ~ By the end of
1915, Prince George was the social, political, and economic centre of the Briti h Columbia

3

See chapter two for a detailed discus ion of the GTPR plan and the early year of the downtown .
Francis Runnalls, J1 ffistory of Prince George, 2"d ed. (Prince George: Fra er Fort George regional M u cum,
1984), 130 .

4

136

int n r.

Th comm r ial and

ci l acti iti

diffu d out ard toward adja nt bl
along

e rg

building bo m and t a I

boom a
the

rg

tr

t and

Figur 2.11 how th beginning of dev lopment

tr t in 1 14

Prior to the arri al of th

ntral and

k

wer concentrated al ng

outh F rt

R the lo al lumber indu try had d veloped t
r xt nt, the n d

rand Trunk Pacifi

rg ar und 1910-1 1 l th re wa a

lopment

ompan

the local

ft r the initial building bo m at

f th rail a

ciat d with th d el pm nt f the rail a

uppl

nd p culation and building

tati n and the elling of the town ite 1 t by
in 191

The downtown did n t change

ub tantially until the ec nd World War a are ult of increa ed demand for interior lumber.

The econd World War marked renewed growth in the downtown a are ult of expan ion of
the region's fore t product indu try. Also, the city became the headquarter , and the central
supply and taging area, for the Northern Pacific Defence Command. The city ' role a a
regional centre was greatly expanded .

Growth continued after the war as the regional forest products industry stabili ed and
centralised in, and around, the city. As discussed, the urban growth that occurred in the
1950s and 1960s was rapid and relatively uncoordinated . The downtown commercial area
had sprawled one block east, and four blocks west of George Street and con isted almost
exclusively of one or two storey rectangular buildings constructed of wood . Only the hotel
were greater than two stories (Figure 6.2) .

1 7

Fi ure 6.2
Photooraph of downtown Prin e

».v...

or e taken in th e mid 1950

.

Photograph courtesy of the Fra~er-Fort George Regional :-.. tuseum

A study of the downtown commis ioned by the

ity of Prince George and completed in 1966

described the downtown as " a confu ion of residential properties, industrial buildings,
warehouses, offices, shops and parking lots."

5

By the 1960s, despite the intent of the Brett & Hall plan to have George

treet serve as the

primary thoroughfare, most retail activity was clearly centred along 3rd

venue. Figure 6.3

and 6.4 are photograp hs of George Street taken in the late 1920s and mid 1960s. Figure 6.5
and 6.6 are photographs of3rd Avenue taken in the late 1920s and mid 1960s.

5

Joseph Ward and Associates, "Space Requirement : Centra l Bu me
Prin ce George, 1966), 32.

District, Prince George, BC" ( ity of

1 8
~i

Photo raph lookin

ur 6.3

uth al n

eorg

tre tin the late 1920

.
.
Photograph t:otutes:. of the Fmser-I ort George Regwnal \fu<;eum

Figure 6.4
Photograph looking outh along George

Photograph courtesy of"the Fraser-FOJt Geo1ge Reg1nna l \luseum

tr·eet in the mid 1960

119

Fi ur 6.5
Ph to raph lo kin

a tal n

Photo J a ph co urt es~ o! the fraser J'ort George R ~:gt o n a l

rd

venu

m th lat

1920

lu seum

Fi ur 6.6
Photograph looking we t along 3 nJ

venue 111 the mid 1960
..
'

/

·---~,........ .,..........·~--- -~~-- . .__...,,::~::·::.:::·:~;:_....:-.-:::..:.., . ---~-~;~

140

h
Th

ph t graph
mer

th

a t impr

n it

f d

1 pm nt and r tail activit

al ng

rd

v nu

and a numb r f bank

an al

b

een.

tmp on

ear , Kr g , The

had b

m th

rtain le el
drinking

m nt in infra tructur and dev 1 pment d n ity.

h

ec ndai

a

area

f pr min n

tabli hment , and

f r tail con

ntrati n

rge

treet

ithin th d wnt wn, maintaining a

a the
it Hall at th

uth nd ll

Th Miracl
In 1964 a numb r of d wnt

anchored by

lan

people came together to d velop and promote the

n bu in

' Miracle Pl an,' which wa created b local architect Trelle Morrow. The plan propo ed a
dome covering the five block along

rd

venue from

eorge

treet to Victoria

treet. 7

Given the practical difficultie a ociated with implementing this plan it did not proceed
beyond the preliminary de ign tage. The propo al did, however, erve to draw public and
political attention to downtown issue , and , wa the first in a line of ambitiou scheme to
redevelop the downtown.

As a result of the increased public attention towards downtown revitalisation , instigated by the
"Miracle Plan," the City commissioned a comprehensive study of the downtown in 1965 . This
study was entitled " Space Requirements: Central Bu sines District. " 8 It warned of a potential
crisis due to development of shopping centres outside of the downtown area. The Parkwood

6

Joseph Ward and Associa tes, 33.
"The City' s $3 Million Question." Prince George Citizen ll October 199-t. .
8
Joseph Ward and A ociates, i.
7

141

Mall and

pruc land

10,000 quar rn tr

h ppmg

ntre (Figur 6.7 d v l ped in th mid 1960 add d

f r tail pa

t th cit , redu ing th downt wn'

fr m 7 p rc nt in 196 t

6 p rcent in 1 6

9

h

har

v r

f r tail pace

tud concluded that:

" ... th po iti n f th c ntral or a a iabl retail- omm rcial centre ha
d t ri rated .
mmtmum timat
f ll , 00,000 ill be p nt in th
tw
c ntre in 19 7
har
f thi am unt could have b n pent in th
tr ng a ti n by it
uncil and
entral
ill b nee ary to
n ure that furth r
Bu ine
Di tri t mer hant
10
decentrali ation f retail pa d e not c ur '

Thi advic wa not fi llow d

Pre ur from dev lop r and bu ine

4645 quare metre Hart Hi ghway
north and th

h pptng

11 ,694 quar m tre Pine

entre, 1 cated out id

int re t result d in the
of the city limit to the

entre Mall being developed in the 1970 (Figure

6.7) .

The

entrum Plan

The 1966 study was followed the next year by the " Centrum Plan," which was propo sed by
the Downtown Business

ssociation and local architect and planning consultant Desmond

P arker. The comprehensive plan involved the entire downtown area and wa intended to be
implemented over 50 years as the city grew to an expected population of over 140,000 by the
turn of the century.

9

Jo ep h Ward and Associa tes, i.
Joseph Ward and Associa te , ii.

10

142

Fi ure 6.7
A ir photo raph howin

th e di tribution of hoppin centre in Prin ce

eorge

Air Photogra ph courte y of the City or Pnnce George r\n :hi VCS

The plan proposed converting 3rd Avenue into a covered shopping mall, and usmg an
elevated monorail system to link the downtown and the propo ed parkade with Parkwood
Mall, a shopping centre on the fringe of the downtown. Also included in the plan were a
convention centre and numerous high-rise apartments and office building

11

' Thc Ccntnun Plan ," Prince George Citizen 17 January 19o7.

11

(Figure 6. 8) .

i ure 6.8

m d I f th d wntown a envi ion d in th e

ith th
c mmitm nt
a

ciat d

"Mira le Plan ," th
a
ith land a

fr m b th th
mbl

the plan b ing implement d
idewalk

grand

f th

public and th

and po ibl
Th '

al

ntrum Pl an'

pr p al, th
privat

igni ficant financial

ect r , and the difficultie

propriati n r ult d in

nly a mall p rtion

f

ntrum Plan" did , h wev r, r ult in the widening of

the de elopment of can pie , and the addition of treet furniture along rd Avenue

and George treet. 12 The current location of th

JVlC

entre,

rt Gallery, and Library wa

al o acquired by the City for uch u e a a re ult of initial implementation of th '

entrum

Plan.

Today the e plan may appear to be exces ive and grand for a community the ize of Prince
George, however, they were developed within the context of a cit that wa expen ncmg an
average annual growth rate of between 7 and I 0 percent ince World War II .

12

A. . LePage, ct al. ," ity of Prince cor 'C cnlral Bu 1nc
I uc ( it_ f Pnncc cor 'C, 1980), Introduction

D1 tri l tud~ . 19~W .

olumc I,

oa ls and

144

In 1 74, th "

wnt

th

i trict of

R gi nal

comm rcial

t r

n tud ' wa pr par d for the R gi nal
ra er-F rt

within th

rge.

downt

n, mad

demand , and rec mm nd d that ' the
rg b urg d t d v 1 p a p li

Fort

retail pac in th d
1mpr v d d

197

it

(Figur

,]3

ntown

pac within the city 14 a

ppo

Lud

pr ~ cti n

omm1

n of

pr vid d an inv ntory

f the

[! r futur

commercial

pace

rge and Regi na1 Di trict of Fra er-

f Prince

[! r c mmercial d

elopm nt that will r tain 60o/o of

It al o mad r c mmendati n relating to the need for

ign planning and am nit pr
. ) the do nt wn

hi

evelopment

i ion With th c mpletion

f Prince

e rg contain d

nly 5

f Pine

entre Mall in

percent of retail floor

d to 7 p rcent f the retail fl or pace ten year earlier.

The Town

entre Plan v . Parkwood Mall

The demand for commercial floor pace in the city continued to grow with the population . In

1979, the City commis ioned a comprehen ive four volume study entitled " entral Busine s
Di trict

tudy,' which wa

completed in 1980. 15

The primary aim of the

tudy was to

produce proposals for downtown redevelopment which would strengthen and preserve the
future viability of the downtown as the main cultural and ocial centre of the community. A a
result of this study, the City sought out a developer to undertake a redevelopment project in
the downtown. A joint proposal by the Cadillac Fairview Development Corporation and the
Hudson' s Bay Company was selected by City Council.

13

Region Development ommi sion, " Downtown tudy" (Prince George, 197-J.), l.
Region Development commi sion, 11 .
15
A. . LePage, J ntroduction.
14

145

h d

l p r pr p r d a

b1 k ar a

i th

rd

n

v n u e and

pt plan call d th "
u b

tr

n

ntre Plan which involv d a four

t at th c ntr (Figur

6. 10) .

Fi ure 6.9
The

~·---. -

--

adilla Fairview Town

-----

r r .,

t 1

., ,

1

,

1

,.

ntre Pl an

,

Drawing from the " To\\11 Centre Plan'"

This area of the downtown was proposed to be converted into a two level shopping complex
with over 3 8, 000 square metres of floor area. In the middle of the development was a central
court area which was proposed to be the new "town centre."
ity ' s portion of the total project cost was 5. 5 million dollar

The initial estimate for the
for improved downtown

parking, and from 9 to 11 million dollars for land assembly. The total public and private
sector cost was estimated at 54 million dollars.

1 6

Fi ure6.10
The

adilla Fair-v i w

own

entre Plan

, . ,{

·. ~
l

ttiljJ

Drawing from the "Town

'l ; ..

entre Plan''

The "Town Centre Plan" had it critics, given the high costs to the City of a sembling such a
large area of relatively expensive property. There was also oppo ition to the conver ion of
four blocks of public street into an enclosed shopping mall and the
implications of privatizing uch a large area of the downtown.
increased in June, 198 l , when the owners of the Parkwood

16

Thi

ocia1 and cultural

pposition to the project

hopping Centre, which i located

on the periphery of the downtown announced that they wished to undertake a foriy million

16

Tom West and Jolyon Brigg , " Downtown Redeve lopment: A Critiqu ,"Prince George, 1982 Tht
document is a 0 pa ge critique of th e propo ed adillac Fairview plan prepared by two loc;1l architect and
presented to Prince eorge it Council for co n ideration .

147

pan i n. It wa

dollar

lear that b th rede elopm nt

chem

c uld n t

ccur and th

re id nt becam in

I d in on of th larg t p litical d bate in th city' hist ry .

maj rit of Prine

rg

it

and did n t upp rt the

ark

'Town

n

unci! m mb r had c mmitt d to th "
d

wn

Th

ntre Plan"

pan 1 n d pit th increa ing public oppo ition t

the

ntre Plan. ,J?

o emb r 2, 19 l

permitted the pr po

it

d e pan ion of the Parkw od

19 1 civic electi n the

ouncill r who opp

The only official re-el cted who
February, 1982,

un il d nied a rezonmg application which would have
hopping

entr . At the

ovember 2 1,

ed the Parkwood expan ion were defeated .

upp rted the " Town

entre Plan" wa

the Mayor.

In

adillac-Fairview and the Bay withdrew their propo al for a mall

downtown Prince George a a re ult of the lack of political upport for their project.

111

The

rezoning to allow the Parkwood ex pan ion was approved by the new Council in ] 983;
however, the recession of the 1980 re ulted in the delay of the expan ion of the Parkwood
Shopping Centre until 1998 .

The Prince George City Centre Strategy
There was little physical change in the downtown during the 1980s, apart from upgrading of
George Street from 3rd Avenue to ih Avenue with street trees, decorati ve light tandard s, and
brick paving stones. Figure 6.11 is a photograph looking north along George treet in the
1980s after completion of a street beautification project in partnership with a provincial

17

'' Critics B last Town Centre Plan,' Prince George Ci tt zen 28 July 1981. '· oun cil Make MoYc to Protect
Downtown," I rince George Citizen 29 Oct 198 1.

1 R

g

rnm nt d

nt

nr

it li ati n pr gr m

igure 6.11
raph I

kin n rth al ng

In 19 7, after completion of the George

tre t in th e 1980

r

treet treet cap improvement , there wa renewed

intere t in the idea of downtown revitali ation The Prince Georg e Region Development
Corporation (PGRD )
member repre enting

18

propo ed that the

ity

ity

ity Planning Department.

the development of the " Prince George 0 wntown

!< Thc Pnncc
ommi ion

one pt

ouncil , the Town Centre Bu ine

ommerce, the PGRD , and the

1

entre

eorge Region Development

trat gy

ommittee be formed , with
ociation, the

hamber of

hi group initiated , in 19
tud " t help determin ho\ to

orpor<1tion \\<1 pre\ 1 u ly th R g10nal De\ clop mcnt

149

addr

th i u

omm1 i ned the "Retail Mark t

f downtown revitali ation. It al

t d t rmine the natur and

tudy"

t nt f r tail leakag fr m th cit and t make projection on

fu tur r tail d mand

Th e tudi

r cone rn d primaril with ph

order t

the

addr

ical and c n mic r vitali ation i ue . In
wntown , the "Mayor ' Ta k Force on

cial i ue that e

rn "

a cr ated

Thi

ta k fore

devel p d a r port to

Downtown

on

outlined

re omm ndation r lating t the ocial a pect

'Ma or ' Ta k

ore on Downtown

George Downtown
Strategy" by the

trateg

ity

entre

ouncil which

f downtown r vitali ation . The

one rn ,' the " Retail Market

tudy," and the "Prince

tudy ' were con olidated into the " Prince George
oncept

ommittee. Thi

ity

entre

trategy wa endor ed by Council in

May, 1990.

In 1991 , City Council commissioned a consultant to develop a concept plan to physically
implement the objectives outlined in the "Prince George City Centre Strategy." In 1992, the
documents entitled "City of Prince George Downtown Revitali ation" and " City of Prince
George Downtown Revitalisation: Preliminary Design and Costing"
endorsed by Council.

were completed and

These documents proposed three elements to the downtown

revitalisation effort: a revitalisation of 3rd Avenue, the promotion of George Street a

a

gateway to the downtown, and the develop1nent of the courthouse plaza at the inter ection of
3rd

Avenue and George Street.

completed in 1996.

Construction of the cour1house began in 1994 and was

150

h

plan [! r

rd

v nu

m lud d conv r i n fr m

angle parking to parall I parking; removing the

19

hi plan

due t th high c

t, th rem

The propo ed r

itali ati n plan for

a

it

m

db

pp

al f th can pie

it

wa to be paid [! r b th
improvement loan. Th

i ting canopi

two way traffic; converting
; increa ing th width

f th

to 4 . m tr , and in tailing tr et light , fl w r ba k t , banner ,

id walk from thr e m tr
and tre t tr

n wa t

venue bu in

and th lo

orge and th

and property

of parking pac

venu wa e timated t

rd

of Prine
f Prine

rd

pr pert

c

t

.

wn r

20

milli n dollar and

owner throu gh a local

eorge wa to pay 1. million dollars ( 43 percent) and

the owner were to be re pon ible for paying the remaining 1.7 million dollar . Thi would
have re ulted in an increa e in annual ta e of approximately $24 8.00 per year over a ten
year period for property with a 10 metre lot width. Du e to opposition from property owners,
the City of Prince George agreed to as ume 60 percent of the co ts, reducin g the property
owner'

hare to approximately $1600 .00 per lot per year?'

In 1993, City Council decided that it was not prepared to proceed with the 3rd Avenue
improvements unless it had the support of the 3rd Avenue property owner . A referendum
was held in October of 1994, which resulted in the 3rd Avenue Revitali ation cheme being
rejected by 3rd Avenue property owners . Sixty-eight percent of property owners representing

Peter B loodoff, Director of Develop ment Servi ce . Report to Geor~e Paul, City J!anager, 11. 1\farch. 1993
Prince George, 1993.
20
" Shopkeeper Rap Downtown Plan," Prince ;eorge Citizen 15 Oct 1993 .
21
Bloodoff.
19

] 51

7

p rc nt of th

alu

f th

impl m ntati n f th " it

pr p rt

f Prin

ot d again t the prop

eorg

al.

22

Thi

nd d further

· nt wn R vitali ation Plan '

Downtown Form and Fun ction
T da

downto n Prin

rg

r ctangular w

d fram

1960 . Man

f the building ar in n

end of th ir ec n mi

pred minantl

building built primaril

liD

funded municipal ci i centr
with orne pri atel fund d ne

c mp

ed

f

ingl

and tw

try

during the b om p riod of the 1950 and

d f r pair and ar approa hing, r have reached , the

c rtain amount of r development ha b gun , with a publicly
art gallery, provin ial courthou e, and

R office building; and

building and renovation . Thi inve tment, however, ha not

been ignificant enough to effe t the general character of the downtown .

In 1994, Prince George re ident were polled to determine their perceptions of the quality of
life offered in the city. The fourth mo t frequent response regarding negative aspect of the
quality of life in the city related to the ugliness of the downtown .23

When a ked what

residents would change, the most frequent response wa a de ire to beautify the downtown .
Residents do not, in general , have a positive affinity with the downtown and do not perceive it
as the social /cultural centre of the city.

Despite these negative perceptions, Prince George ' s downtown has functioned adequately
from a strictly economic per pective. Since 1990, the total vacancy rate in the downtown has

22
23

"The Downtown ue tion ," Pnnce George C'l!i zen 18 Oct 199-t..
Healthy communities Committee, 25-27.

152

av raged at appr

imat 1

p r ent.

d wn in th r gi nal ec nom
little con ffil me nti

£1 r land

hi figur incr a d to 12 p rc nt in 1998 due to a
nth

n r t

pr

i u 1 w vacanc figur

pend ignificant amount

ther ha b en

f capital on d wntown

ciated with grand plan .

Th amount of r tail f1 or ar a in th d \ nt \ n (9 ,000 quar m tr ) i
the c mbin d fl or area

f the large h pping c ntr

(90,000 quare metr ). If th r c nt
and the

lightly mor than

located out ide of the downtown

tabli hm nt f big bo retail outlet , including

uper tore, are con idered in thi

equation, the d wntown contain

le

o teo

than 50

percent of the cit ' r tail floor area. De pite the decrea ing prominence of the downtown in
term of total floor area and de pite it inability to function adequately in a cultural and social
context, the downtown continue to be the mo t ignificant and large t commercial area
within the city.

A perceived ob tacle to downtown revitalization are issues associated with homele ness,
prostitution, and crime. The development of the courthouse at its present location re ulted in
the demolition of two single room occupancy hotels .

These hotels, with a total of

approximately 40 rooms had provided an important housing stock for the city ' s poor.
Although one of the intentions of constructing the courthou e at it present location was to
clean up a derelict portion of the downtown, the closure of the two hotels eliminated the
majority of affordable housing units in the downtown and redistributed social problems from a
concentrated location to numerous new downtown location .

153

additi nal challeng t
org

achi

a ucc

ha di tinct and contra ting

d ign which i
the po iti

en itiv

lem nt of ach

a

ful r

it lizati n t th north rn climate. Prine

umm r and wint r

ea

f climati c ndition

Part of the chall ng i to exploit

n and mtmmtz

th

negati

n which reqUire

an urban

r quently, the

outhern

f

ba d de ign implem nt d in the north r ult in th in ten ification of the n gativ
wint r.

In

appropriat n

inter th

do nto n tr

of d ign t

th

t

cal

pr

id

limat

pla

a pot ntiall

perc ption of p ople t ward th 1r nvtr nment, th

a

har h environment.

The

ignificant r le in determining the

climate, and th quality of life in their

c mmunity

In the Miracle Plan and the

adillac

aJrvtew Project the approach wa to create a large

enclosed tructure in which a outhern climate could be recreated . Revitalization require an
urban de ign that create

a more po itive winter experience and contribute

to increa ed

recreational activity, community involvement and interaction, and a more positive outlook
towards the community and the downtown environment.

This can be achieved without

creating the isolation of an enclosed mall .

A number of opportunities to increase the social and cultural function in the downtown have
been missed over the last few years . The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC)
was located on the periphery of the city in 1994 and two major cultural facilitie
major recreational complex have located outside of the downtown core.

and one

1 4

In

arl

1 96, an

n memb r

wnt

mmunit

e tabli h d a a ub-committee of th
c mpo d f acad mic , plano r , a
of

ial acti

It ma11dat

re italizati n including r

r c 1 db

Th

it

it

italizati n
Planning

unci! m mb r, th

UOCI'1. 24

formally

The group wa

ity Manager, and a number
sue of downtown

11 " 25

ction" r p rt wa

mm ndati 11

[! r acti

h "

ime for

un il n D c mb r 16th 1 96

nd r ult f thi rep rt wa th cr ati n of the Prine

ommunit Future D v lopment

the proce

mmittee wa

a " r earching and reporting on th

cti n T am und r th dir ction of th Prince
the

n R

orge Downtown Revitali ation

e rge Region Development

orporation and

rporation . Thi newly formed group i continuing

toward downtown revitali ation . At thi point in the hi tory of Prince George,

there i a trong en e within the community that omething must change in order to improve
the quality of the social, cultural, and built element of the downtown. There i a trong
desire to find

olution which will rever e the relative tagnation of the downtown , and

implement the appropriate changes to the form and function of the downtown. Community
leaders can learn from the mistake of the past and the ucce se of current revitalization
efforts in Prince George and apply this knowledge to their community development and
revitalization activities.

24

The ommuni ty Planning Counc.il is a non-profit society with the mandate to strengthen the communit}'
abi lity to pl an for growth and change, to coordinate social planning acti\·iti es and procc es, to engage in
social pla nni ng ini tiatives, to offer a procc s for building community well-being at all level , to dc,·elop <llld
ma intai n a knowledge and research base, and to ub cribe to and promote the \'alu c of soc1al planmng.
25
Downtow n Revi taliza tion ommittee, '' A Time for Action" ( ity of Prin e~,; Geo rge, l IJIJ7), II.

hapter even

onclu ion
Re arch Findin {1

Thi r

ar h ha

b

orge ha c ntinuall
umqu

local fa tor .

n, in br ad t m1 , ho
e
he

ult

i ting urban £1 rm and function of Prince

th

f the influence

I cal fact r can

nl

f many interr lated and often

be und r tood through attention to the

o ial, conomic and ph i al haracteri tic that e i t in a particular place.

The manner in which Prince
upon the action

e rge ha evolved wa , and continues to be, largely dependant

of individual , group , and agencie

operating within the unique

ocial,

economic, and political context that exist in Prince George. For example, the employment of
a Boston landscape architecture firm familiar with the principle of the

ity Beautiful Movement by

the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR), resulted in the creation of unique street pattern in the
city's central area and significantly influenced the form of new development for the next forty
years.

The South Fort George, Central Fort George, and railway town ite plans, and the

subsequent actions of the GTPR, determined the location and form of the city's downtown and
surrounding residential areas.

Prince George was the location of an anny ba e during World War II. The former anny ba e
detennined the location and boundarie of an important indu trial and recreation area within the
city. The war also drew attention to the need to regulate land use and building development.

156

ity plann r
ity

m nd ark r arriv d in Prine

un il and th

rge earl in l 57 He convinced Prince

provincial go en1rn nt t

am nd th ir land d velopment p !icy and

ignifi ant! redir t th exi ting trend in urban gr wth H al
unit a a ba i [i r future r id ntial d v 1 pm nt within th

impl m nt d th n ighbourhood

it

The ity wa unabl t gain ad quate ontr 1

r th nature of d v lopm nt ut id

prior to 197 5 Th exi t nc

d ar a be ond the

f larg

municipal r tructuring in the 1970 , fl llo ed b the
headed b a
Official

orge

fit b rd r

ity boundarie r ulted in a

it ' creati n of a planning d partment

irector fPianning det rmin d to implement hi vi ion and planning principle m an

ommunity Plan.

These are only a few of the notable example of the unpredictable, multifaceted, and con tantly
changing variable identified in thi research which have determined fundamental aspects of the
urban form and function of Prince George. There are multitudes of other factors that have
significantly affected Prince George's form and function. There are; however, al o factors which
are marginalized from the planning and deci ion making processes examined in this research and
are not in a position to directly influence the urban environment.

The e marginalized factors

influence the urban environment in more subtle ways. Further re earch is required into the nature
of these factors .

Change in the nature of any of the factors identified in this research could have notably affected
Prince George's existing urban form and function . Few of the e factor are constant or predictable
in their occurrence or form . Thi proce s i comple , evolutionary and unique to each place An

157

aminati n f th di tin t hi t ry and

ntext f ea h place mu t b gain d in rder t under tand
al ng with th g n raJ kn wledg and und r tanding

th I cal fact r that

i t. Thi kn

ffi r d b quantitati

ba d la

and m d 1 are requir d in

plain th urban d

ment pr ce

and pr di t urban [I rm and functi n.

Implication for Pl annin

Th gr at t b n fit t
pr

r an F rm and Fun tion.

b gained fr m an incr a d und r tanding

and urban fl rm and flmcti n fl r a parti ular place i

urban de 1 pm nt pr
planning i n t

nl

rd r to incr a e th ability to

and th

r ulting

nvir nment .

f th

urban development

ur ability to bett r manipulate the
Thi

re earch demon trate that

c ncemed with guiding futur new developm nt

Planning mu t involve

effi rt t deal with the urban form and function that exi t a the re ult of past planning and
development deci ion . Planning, at it be t, hould direct the nature ofthi evolution of the urban
environment for the maximum benefit of the community and ociety in the long term.

To

adequately manage and direct the future evolution of urban form and function, the proce e of
past planning must be under toad and the les ons learned from thi understanding must be utilized .

As di cu sed, the lessons learned from this examination of Prince George'

planning and

development history can inform current and future planning. Past mistakes can be recognized and
avoided in future planning decisions. Past success can be recognized and reproduced in future
planning decisions. Also, the understanding gained from an examination of the past can aid in
recognizing new and reoccurring planning issue and contribute to the implementation of the
correct planning strategy to address the e i sues.

158

Learnin from Pa t Mi tal e

rg ' planning and d

Thr ugh ut P1inc
i ue that ha
d

w r addr

full addre

n t b
ill

ntinu t ha

th r have b n numerou planning
d. Th in ffi cti

ng t rm n gati

mann r in which th
nth

I

U

ity Rec gniti n f th e

planning i u , and th und irabl urban fl rm and function that rna r ult, i important Many of
th e i ue

till

i t and an und r tanding f the fact r in olved will all w th

be av ided and ucce ful trategi
planning i u

t b imp! ment d in th futur

am mi take to

number of the ignificant

that wer n t ad quat l d alt with in th pa t, and which till e i t today, are

di cu ed .

Downtown Form and unction
A di cu ed in chapter eight, the downtown

ocial , cultural and economic function, and it

aesthetic form could be improved to better meet the need of the community. The downtown
is not perceived by the majority of residents to be a positive place or the cultural centre of the
community.

Aesthetically, the downtown has undergone improvements over the year .

Thee

improvements include new buildings and civic facilities ; however, the majority of ingle or two
story wood frame buildings built prior to the 1960s are in need of repair or replacement. The
canopy system along George treet and 3rd Avenue is al o in need of repair and it removal
or replacement would do much to improve the aesthetic of the street cape. Work has been
done to improve the pre entation of some treets with the addition of land caping, light ing,
and paving tones; however, the character of most treet requires improvement .

1 9

Th

cial and ultural a ti it

cti iti

uch a th

ar tmp rtant n

in th d wnt

umm rfl t 1 and building

additi n t th d

ocial and cultural acti iti

in th d

Pia h u

and th Th atr

downtown in rec nt

n c uld b much mor vital and diver

ar

uch a the

nt · n· how ver, man
nt

n ha e b n m1

r1h

t fa iii t

hi h ha

h r

a!

tvrc

entre and the

pp rtunitie t

rt

all ry

mer a e th

d, uch as th Prin e

orge

b th be n d v lop d ut id of the

a n ed fi r incr a d public pace in th d wntown in

the fi rm of park or public quar

An e amination

f the num rou

re ulted in the identification

pa t effi rt t

r vitali e downtown Prince

eorge has

f the foil wing factor which hould be considered in future

revitali ation effort . The plan development proce
and mu t function a a negotiation proce

mu t be inclu ive of all intere t group

where intere t are di cus ed and compromi es

reached · the intere t group involved mu t have legitimate and trong representation o that
the compromise made are upported by all groups and membership within each group ; the
plan development process mu t concurrently address i sue related to physical and functional
change in the downtown a we11 a implementation issues involved with those changes; and,
the plan must be able to evolve over time in relation to the complex and ever changing real
world environment. 2

The downtown's economic function would benefit from a reduction in the diffusion of

1

The Summerfest is a street festival held in Augu t of each year.
John Curry and Jason Llewellyn , Til e R evitalization of Downto11'n Prin ce George, British C. 'o!umhu1.
Forthcoming, B Studies. Accepted July. 1999.
2

160

mm r ial a ti it
office activit

a a

ut id

fr m th

f th do nt

n t b

n

n t

n ha b

n uc e full

r, th

P and zoning b law ; ho
d wnt wn ha

d wnt

ntr ll d

pan 1 n
d quat 1 .

ar a thr ugh ut the city.

limit d through control in th

f r tail a tivity in area out ide of the
The am unt

f r tail fl or ar a m th

d wnto n [94,000 quar m tre ] i l ~ than th c mbined flo r area

quar m tre ] :

the cit ha

panded it

retail pac ha b

n upplied through the d v lopm nt of new c mmercial ar a

the downtown . The re ult ha b
th downtown in the la t 40

n r lati el

f th

h pping

d wnt wn [appro imately 114,000

at d

and big b

ut id

f th larg

r tail outlet

c ntr

ommercial

1z and mark t area th demand for additional

littl

ut ide of

redevel pment and capital inve tment in

ar .

If commercial development out ide of the downtown had been controlled to a greater degree,
higher level of capital inve tment would have been directed into the downtown to meet the
demand for retail

pace.

This would have re ulted in a more dense, diver e, and vital

commercial core.

A more dense commercial core and less diffusion of large commercial

nodes throughout the city would also contribute to a more viable public transportation system
which could focus on providing service to and from the downtown .

Increased capital

investment within the downtown would also contribute ignificantly to an improved economic
function and downtown aesthetic.

The demand for new retail space in the future will re ult in further private inve tor wanting to

3

Development Service Department, " om mercia I Vacancy Report'' (City of Prince George. 1997). Th1 1 an
annua l survey of the vacancy rate within downtown Prince George.

161

mv

t in

highwa

mm r iall

ati n

i ibilit , land a

ut id of the d wnt wn becau
rp rat

trateg . If thi mv tm nt i permitt d, a it

ha b n in the pa t, th d wntown will n t lik

ignificant private capital inv stmenl in

n w r tail d

mbl , and

of i ue relat d to land co t,

l pm nt.

1 pment
Pa t land d v lopment ut id

f nnce

e ond the

it Limit

rge ha be n charact rized by period of rapid urban

growth that ha not be n guided b an c mpreh n ive form of planning r land u e control.
De l pment within th b wl area wa br ught und r contr I in the 1960 and many of the
problem created during the early ear of rapid gr wth were addre sed in the 1960 and
1970 · howev r, beyond the bowl particularly in the Hart Hi ghway area, the di sper ed and

unorganized development continued until the 1980 .

Planning for, and redevelopment of, area originally developed without planning controls
remains a challenge. These challenges include the cost of providing urban services uch as
street paving, sewage disposal, potable water supply, and storm drainage; conflicts between
cmmnercial, industrial, and residential land uses; a lack of amenities such as parkland and
neighbourhood shopping facillties; unorganized and congested traffic flow ; and the difficultie in
achieving redevelopment and residential densification because of existing lot organizati on and
layout, and availability of limited urban services.

Today the planning and development tools in place for the city and the regional district exi t to
control land development activities.

For example, the City has stringent limitation

on the

162

de l pm nt of mall! t rural re id ntial dev lopment within it
be avoid d wh r th R gi nal

i tri t pennit

r uburban r id ntial d elopm nt ut id

c

n umpti , it 1 ad to the c ng ti n f th

promot

mer a d d pend nee n the ehicl .

city' tax ba
ofFra r- ort

ituation hould

lopment of maUl t rural r idential,
t onl i thi fl rm f dev 1 pment very

f th cit

land

cit limit w uld u

1v d

uter limit . Th

cal road netw rk

ntering the city and

d p pulati n ba e out ide of the

city fa ilitie and ervtce without being re p n ibl for contributing to the

which upp rt th e faciliti
orge mu t c

The ity f Prince

eorg and the Regi nal Di trict

rdinat their dev lopment and growth management strategie .

Heavy Indu try Location
The location of heavy indu try in and around the city of Prince George wa determined by the
provincial government while the e site were out ide city limit . The location of thi industry
has been ba ed primarily upon the need of the indu try.

on ideration

uch as acce s to a

water supply, the need to be ea ily acce ible by road and rail, the need to be near resources
(such as and and gravel), and the benefits of being near an urban labour force were the
primary determinants of heavy industry location. Little consideration was given to issues uch
as viewscapes and aesthetics, air pollution and noise pollution . ln electing the location of
future industrial area consideration must be given to quality of life is ues, as well as economic
Issues.

In the future major industrial development may have to be out ide of the city

boundarie in respect ofthese considerations.

Learning from Past Success

There are a number of planning i ues that have been succes full y add res ed in the past with the

16

r ult that Prin e

org ' urban nvir nm nt ha n t been n gativ 1 affi ct d;

r mam a chall ng

£1 r th

futur . Th

1

u

r qUJr

ntinu d c n id rati n in planning

n ur th £1 rm and fun ti n f Prine

futur . In thi ca

w ar abl t 1 am fr m pa t u e e in d aling with th

f th

ar the £1 ll wing

Retenti n f ffi e

eorg

not n gativ 1 affi cted in the

ffort in rd r t

chall ng

t, the e i ue

in the

challenge .

orne

wnt wn

The ity ha maintained a p lie ofke ping offic u e c ncentrat din th d wntown area, de pite
the continued pr

ur to permit diffiJ i n f offi e u e into re idential and light indu trial area

becau e of the cheap r land rent in the e area . Thi pre ure will continue a technological
advance in the communication and information indu trie free office function from the need to
locate in central city area .

ot only would thi migration of office u e into indu trial areas weaken

the viability of the downtown a a commercial centre, it would displace the city' s limited upply of
centrally located, affordable light industrial land .

Neighbourhood Planning
The development of residential areas based upon the concept of the neighbourhood unit,
introduced in the City of Prince George in the 1960s, has re ulted in the development of
residential areas which function adequately. The continued function of the e residential area
should be safeguarded in the future through the retention of local retail facilitie , mixed
residential dwelling types, resistance to the closure of walkways, and a focu s on the
promotion of the neighbourhood around elementary school .

164

Thi mod 1 h uld ontinu to b appli d in future re id ntial planning and d velopm nt. Th
abilit

to plan and d vel p a c mpl t

n ighbourh

d unit was aided by the high rate of

re id ntial growth that ccurr d in th pa t, and th

ity ' inv lv ment in ubdivi i n planning

urr ntl , the gr wth rat

ignifi antly reduc d and r idential

and d

nt.

devel pment i und rtak n primaril

b

pri at

intere t . In additi n pr vincial p licy i to

not plan fl r a chool it until th r quir d tud nt p pulation e i t m an ar a.
Prince

org mu t r i t the pr

Th

ity of

ur to all w p1 cem al re idential development to occur

without the guidanc

f a c mprehen i e n ighb urh

neighbourho d uch a

ch ol , park nei g hbourho d retail node , and mixed re idential land

u et p

d plan to en ure

lement

of th

ar accommodated and locat d in a 1 gical manner.

Maintaining the Official Community Plan Vision
Generally the City of Prince George ha followed the vi ion outlined in it Official Community
Plans (OCP ). There were in tance , however, when land use decision made by City Council
worked against the intended original goal of the exi ting OCP. In order to reduce amendments to
the OCP, that plan should undergo a review process every two or three years. This review of the
OCP 's goals and objectives should be undertaken for a number of reason . The e reason are: to
ensure the goals and objectives remains appropriate given changing economies, population
projections, and community visions; to allow a review of the logic berund the OCP goals and
objectives by the public, City Council, and City taff (particularly if new Council members and taff
are in place and were not involved with the development of the existing OCP); and, to allow the
amendment of the OCP goals and objectives after a review of its operation and effectivenes

165

m ndm nt t th

fficial

mmunit Plant fa ilitate an w d v lopm nt sh uld nly be done
f th co t and b nefit a

aft r an ad quat a

m nt and und r tanding

change. Pa t

ha r adil d mon trat d that p rmitting d v lopment to achi ve h rt

t rm mpl

pen n

ment and c norm gr

in ignificant n gati
Prin

r p r u

1

n t

h at th

iated with that

p n e f th long t rm community vi i n re ult

th

her

r lativ l littl c mp tition betw en

org and ther c mmunitie in th region fl r c n mic and d vel pment activity. Prince

eorge i infr quentl put in a p iti n f ha ing t low r it d velopm nt r planning standard
for fear fa d v I per moving t an th r nearb c mmunit

, devel pment propo ed a

being fl a ibl onl at on particular locati n, and with appro al given without a thor ugh review
ofthe implication to the

P, hould be iewed a

u pect

New Planning Iss ues

There are always new planning challenge which ari e a culture, technology, population, and the
numerous other factor involved in the urban development process change and evolve over time.
Being able to recognize the future negative implication of not adequately addre sing the e
challenges, and being able to identifY the correct strategy to deal with these concerns, results from
an understanding of the urban development proce s and the factors involved . Some new planning
challenges facing the City of Prince George are discussed below.

Urban Densification
There is a need to increase land use density in existing and new urban areas. In Prince George
increased density will reduce, or at lea t slow down the e calation of tran portation cost as
outward expansion of the city in reduced . Thi densification would also contribute to the viable

166

p ration fa public tran it

tern, and r due th city' high level f dep ndence on the per onal

hide.

Incr a d urban den i
urban infra tructur
eorg

will r du

th c t
n th

f c n tru cting and maintaining an ever ext nding

e agg rat d p pulati n ·fl reca t thr ughout Prince

hi t ry, th urban infra tructure wa built with th capability t ace mmodate incr a ed

d n itie . It would be pr fl rabl e in the long term t den i
capital t upgrad

e i ting infra tru cture, a

e i ting developed area and u e the

ppo ed t m eting n w h u ing demand imply

through the cr ati n of new ingle famil re id nti al area and cr ating new infra tructure.

In addition t achieving thi den ificati on, a eco nd goal hould be to increa e di ver ifi cation
of residential dwelling type in order to promote a greater ocial di versity in nei ghbourhood .
Homogenou dwelling type have tended to re ult in homogenou culture, ocio-economic
tatus, and age in neighbourhoods. In the pa t, multifamil y dwelling have been clu tered in
certain areas creating homogenous high den ity re idential areas, as oppo ed to a diver e
mixed use residential neighbourhood .

Winter City De ign
Prince George has short, warm and relatively dry summers; however, the winter i co ld, with
much snow and wind . These two distinct, and contrasting, seaso n produce the chall enge of
creating an urban desi gn which is sensitive to a variety of climati c co nditi ons. Part of that
challenge is to exploit the po itive elements of each sea on and minimize the negati e

In

Prince George, the urban design model s u ed are transplanted from the outh where there i a

167

much 1

outhern ba d d tgn r ult in the int n ificati n of
Iem nt , and a minimizati n f th p itive el ment , ofwint r.

th n gati

Th re ar a number f b i u negativ
e p ciall
maintenan
pnmary

f n t imp! m nting a climat

int r Iocr a d n rg u e t heat r c

111

en itiv de ign,

I indoor environment and increa ed

and r pair requir d fi r an outdoor n 1r nm nt which i poorly de igned ar
n ern . Perhap the m t ignifi ant negative efD ct relat t

the creation of an

urban en ironm nt that i at be t unin piring, and at wor t, v ry unpl a ant.

An urban de ign that i not climate en itive will affect more than energy con umption and

maintenance requirement .
appropriatene

It can affect people'

of de ign toward

it

climate play

temperament and p yche.

The

a ignificant role in determining the

perception of people toward their environment, the climate, and the quality of life in their
community. In Prince George, winter city planning and climate ensitive design have not been a
primary planning issues. No mention of winter city planning has been made in any communjty plan.
Future planning should involve the identification and incorporation of climate sensitive de ign
.

ISSUeS.

4

Big Box Retail
A recent retail phenomenon are big box retail outlets such a Co teo, Superstore. The city has
become home to two such outlets in the last few years, and other outlets are intere ted in locating

4

For information on winter city planning issues sec Norman Pre man , Xorlhern Ci tyscape: 1-tnkrng clmwte
to Design (Yellowknife : Winter City A ociation), 1995 .

168

in th communit

urr ntl th

bo retail r a th exi ting

ity f Prin
P wa d

org ha no official policy t deal with th big

1 p d without th ir c n id ration. There ha been no

n id rati n f wh th r big b
in light of th ir impact n xi ting r tail ar a
of

here the

h uld b located in th

utlet

hould b enc uraged t 1 cat in th city

There ha al o b en n c mpr h n iv
it

rge

of Prin e

xamination

If thi e amination i not

undertak n, and appr priate I cati n identifi d, it i po ibl that futur big box r tail outlet wi ll
be

atter d ar und the p riphery of the city al ng major art rial road . In the long term thi will

lik 1 ha

ignificant implication on traffic flow and the viabi lity f exi ting r tail area within the

city.

uality of Life

pectation

Quality of life i ue are increa ing m importance to re ident of the city.5

Previou ly, there

appeared to be the perception that because Prince George was an indu trial ba ed community the
quality of life should not be expected to be great.

As Prince George mature into a more

diversified corrununity, the standards demanded regarding is ue such as air quality, noi e pollution,
crime, prostitution, poverty, and community aesthetic

.

.

are mcreasmg.

The community is

demanding that these standards be raised and addressed .

Alternative Re idential Land Use Type
In response to the relative homogeneity, inconvenience, and excessive land consumption associated
with the existing residential land use types, there has been increasing demand for an alternative

5

Healthy Communi tie Committee, Rep ort on th e Quality of Life in Pm1ce Cleorge . (C ity of Pnnce George).

1997 .

169

form of re id ntialland u . Th tw m t pr mm nt alt mativ
. 6
de 1 pm nt, an d c -h u mg.

p tentiall hav

h

land u

are refl rred t a neo-traditi nal

type c ntain principle and lement which could

ignificant benefit to th qualit

f urban life if pr p rly inc rporated int

a

communit

Future

rban Form and Fun ti n

Thi re arch ha d mon trat d h w both planning for new dev I pment and planning to improve
what e i t can b inform d b an under tanding of what ha tran pir d in the past and h w tho e
proce e ha e creat d the urban environment that e i t t day

Thr ugh thi under tanding of

how and wh a particular cit ' form and function e i t a it doe , combined with the general
under tanding that can be provided by model

of th

urban environment, and the urban

development proce , we can advance our under tanding of how to guide the urban environment
toward its future form and function . Only through thi under tanding of both the particular as
well as the general a pect of the urban development process, can we hope to adequately determine
how the urban environment should exist tomorrow.

This research has outlined an urban biography for the City of Prince George a it has come to exi t
in its pre ent form and function . It has also briefly outlined orne general le on and planning
issues that can be better understood as a result of an increased understanding of the city's unique
urban development history. Future, more in-depth research into the nature of planning and the
urban development process will reveal future lesson and increase our understanding of the Ies

6

For a di sc ussion of alternative hou ing type
Planning Associa ti on) 1994 .

cc Randall Arendt, Rum / by Des1gn (Chi cago.

men can

170

dominant fa t r m 1 d in d t nnining urban fl rrn and functi n. Th future will det rmine how
thi and th r r earch will b utilized and incorporated int futur planning fl r Prince
other citi .

org and

171

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