Sitting atop Burnaby Mountain and within walking distance of Simon Fraser University, is a new and unique kind of community which is attracting attention from all over the world: UniverCity. The difference between UniverCity and most other neighbourhoods is evident in its focus on design and sustainability.
Forty years ago, when Vancouver's Simon Fraser University (SFU) first opened, an idea was conceived to have community housing around the campus for faculty and staff. But nothing materialized until the mid-nineties when Alan H. Emmott, the then-university president and mayor of Burnaby, helped initiate a civic donation of just over 700 acres of university land to the city of Burnaby. This was exchanged for development rights to more than 4,500 housing units on and around the SFU campus.
After being appointed president and CEO of the SFU Community Trust Corporation in 1999, Michael Geller as its president and CEO. Geller decided to host a charettte--a design brainstorming session—to focus on how to develop the land based on principles of sustainability.
"That's really what got the whole detailed planning process moving ahead," says Geller.
The brainstorms led to the idea of UniverCity. Today, the community boasts one thousand townhouses and apartments, and is still only one-tenth of its projected size. Almost everything a UniverCity resident could want is within walking distance from the living quarters. Those who need to head down the mountain have the option of buying a three-zone transit pass at a reduced rate of only $28 per month—a fraction of the regular $130 pass. Co-op cars are also available and come with the benefit of reserved parking spots throughout the community.
"We are trying to encourage people to consider alternatives to the private automobile," explains Geller.
All the residential buildings in UniverCity are environmentally smart and have been built in accordance with the community trust's green building guidelines. The small, family- owned businesses in the Cornerstone buildings utilize a geothermal heating and cooling system, a ventilation system which recovers heat from building exhaust, and water-conserving toilets—all of which are topped by a green roof.
The price of a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment inside UniverCity is in the high $300,000 range, but Geller says that's still "extremely good" value compared to downtown Vancouver, where a similar apartment would cost about $500,000.
Dolores and Bill Storness-Bliss, SFU alumni and owners of Nature's Garden Organic Deli, are looking forward to the growth of the community.
"We've put in a year-and-a-half of struggling due to the community not being large enough to support us," says Dolores, "but it is improving."
Everything but the bread is made fresh daily at the deli, which means more work, requires more staff and results in higher operating costs, but the couple believes that the quality of the fare will eventually attract a strong customer base.
"This year we've actually doubled our sales on certain months over last year," says Bill. "It's still lower than what we need, but you can see the progression. That's why we're sticking it out here."
Childcare facilities and a neighbourhood park are currently under construction, and the community trust office has applied for approval to open the elementary school. UniverCity shares some of the same characteristics as gated communities, such as creating a sense of safety and community, and giving a feeling of protection from the outside world. But the difference, says Geller, is that "we are trying to do it without gates, but with design."
UniverCity has already won numerous awards, among them The Canadian Home Builders Association award for the best new community development in Canada.
"We were worried about the isolation of the place, but we've found it to be a very nice place to live," says local parent, Mike Maraun, whose kids have the run of SFU's facilities. "It's quiet, and of course the woods are a great attraction,"
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