The Shipyards received top honours in the ‘Excellence on the Waterfront Awards Program’ from the Waterfront Centre which was established in 1987 in the United States to recognize top-quality waterfront planning, design and development work from around the world.

Over the past decade, the city has transformed its waterfront lands into a unique, interactive, year-round public space that includes over 85,000 square feet of commercial and community amenity space.

Designed by Dialog, The Shipyards is now a dynamic waterfront tourism destination that features restaurants, cafes, shops and services, two hotels, space for community events, concerts and markets, plus the region’s largest outdoor skating rink in the winter and a splash park in the summer.

“People always tell me how much they love our revitalized waterfront,” said Mayor Linda Buchanan. “The Shipyards is of great historical and economic importance to our city although it needed transformation for modern use. That is why the city has delivered a space that embraces our history, grows the economy in new ways, and offers vibrant and welcoming spaces for all people. It’s an honour to take home the 2021 Excellence on the Waterfront award.”

The redevelopment of The Shipyards provides local businesses with an opportunity to expand and grow as part of a lively waterfront destination that attracts local and regional visitors and is home to creative year-round programming, events and attractions and unique seasonal experiences. Public spaces at The Shipyards have been reimagined to support local businesses and provide family friendly, safe and welcoming spaces for people to connect and socialize through expanded outdoor patios and outdoor alcohol approved zones in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Shipyards took top marks in meeting the award criteria including the sensitivity of the design to water, quality and harmony of design, civic contribution, environmental values, enrichment, and degree of difficulty.

The awards are selected by an interdisciplinary panel made up of professional planners, designers, city officials and representatives from business, community and development sectors. The awards were announced earlier this month.

“The Shipyards offers a public amenity that is distinctly North Vancouver, and promises to be a regional attraction for a new generation in this historic precinct,” said Shane Oleksiuk, Dialog project architect.