The Shipyards plan, North Vancouver

Happy Cities and Resonance are creating a renewed plan for the Shipyards, which aims to strengthen the site as a vibrant, inclusive, and community-oriented public space.

Visitors at the Shipyards Christmas Market, with large lit-up ornaments and wooden vendor stalls. — The Shipyards Christmas Market. (Happy Cities)

What is the Shipyards?

Before 2016, the waterfront in North Vancouver was an underused industrial area. Today, it’s a pedestrian-only space bustling with restaurants, a market, and a public plaza. Seasonal offerings like an ice rink and water park guarantee year-round fun. The Shipyards has established itself as one of the best public spaces in Metro Vancouver. Happy Cities is working with Resonance to support the Shipyards’ continued growth and long-term resilience.

About the Shipyards Plan

The City of North Vancouver is creating a plan to establish an intentional, long-term approach to managing and evolving the Shipyards. The goal is to ensure the site remains relevant, resilient, and responsive to the changing needs of the community. This includes balancing the Shipyards’ role as a local gathering place with its function as a regional destination. The plan will guide City decisions related to investment, operations, programming, and commercialization, while also strengthening the Shipyards’ overall performance as both social and economic infrastructure.

Key services include:

Supporting the analysis of current conditions, including visitation patterns, site use, and performance
Informing comparative analysis of similar waterfront destinations and emerging trends
Engaging with key actors and partners to understand opportunities, gaps, and aspirations
Translating research into actionable directions for operations, experience, and use
Advancing a detailed programming plan to operationalize these directions

How can well-loved public spaces continue to grow?

The plan aims to provide a clear framework to guide operations, programming, and future investment. Key outcomes include:

Balancing business and institutional preferences, while aligning with the identity and community preferences
Planning a range of events that are “right-sized,” considering the type of event, frequency, cost, and local community involvement
Improved alignment between community needs, visitor experience, and economic performance
Stronger partnerships to support ongoing activation and stewardship
Positioning the Shipyards as:
- A resilient, year-round gathering place
- A driver of local economic activity
- A welcoming space that supports social connection, wellbeing, and community life