{"id":701021,"date":"2026-05-29T07:01:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T07:01:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/701021\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T07:01:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T07:01:28","slug":"big-area-of-oakridge-park-malls-7-5-acre-rooftop-urban-public-park-opens-daily-hive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/701021\/","title":{"rendered":"Big area of Oakridge Park mall’s 7.5-acre rooftop urban public park opens | Daily Hive"},"content":{"rendered":"

While the long-demolished former \u201cOakridge Centre\u201d indoor mall once featured expansive rooftop vehicle parking, its complete transformation into Oakridge Park has introduced a major new destination park<\/a> \u2014 one of the largest publicly accessible rooftop green spaces of its kind in North America.<\/p>\n

Today, as part of the new mall\u2019s long-awaited opening<\/a>, \u201cThe Commons\u201d \u2014 the central portion of the rooftop park \u2014 welcomed its first visitors. However, this initial opening represents only roughly 20 per cent of the redevelopment\u2019s overall nine acres of public park space.<\/p>\n

Of the total park area, approximately 7.5 acres are located atop the mall rooftop, while the remaining 1.5 acres are situated at ground level.<\/p>\n

This urban public park is among Oakridge Park\u2019s most significant public amenities. It is formally designated as a City of Vancouver park, with the Vancouver Park Board overseeing operations and programming, while QuadReal Property Group \u2014 the mall owner \u2014 is responsible for ongoing maintenance.<\/p>\n

The overall vision and broad range of features for the public space were approved by the Vancouver Park Board in July 2018<\/a>. The park component of the project is designed by landscape architectural firm PFS Studio, which collaborated with the project\u2019s lead design firm of Henriquez Partners Architects.<\/p>\n

At present, with major mixed-use components of this first and largest phase of the redevelopment still under construction, the opened section of the rooftop park can only be accessed through the indoor mall. Currently, the only entrances are located on the second level adjacent to \u2014 or through \u2014 the Time Out Market food hall<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Time Out Market also features prominent outdoor signage facing the park, along with a large covered patio directly beside this public space. During fair weather, the food hall\u2019s expansive floor-to-ceiling glass walls can slide open, seamlessly connecting its 51,000-sq.-ft. indoor dining area with the outdoor patio and park environment.<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

Directly fronting the food hall is a large event-friendly plaza adjoining the mall\u2019s second-level entrance from the rooftop park, complete with a sizeable built-in performance stage. It has previously been suggested that the rooftop park\u2019s event-oriented spaces \u2014 particularly the plaza \u2014 could accommodate community gatherings, cultural programming, and performances with event attendees numbering in the thousands.<\/p>\n

However, the viability of hosting events at that scale will also depend on the eventual completion of the park\u2019s multiple public access points beyond the indoor mall, creating a highly permeable and accessible public space. Future plans include grand staircases providing direct access to the rooftop park from all four sides of the complex, including a convenient route from the street-level plaza beside the SkyTrain station. Multiple elevators will also serve the various rooftop park levels.<\/p>\n

The vast majority of the park will be extensively landscaped. Crews were seen today completing plantings within portions of the park that have already opened, and some wildlife \u2014 specifically birds \u2014 were also spotted enjoying the new plantings.<\/p>\n

The rooftop park\u2019s diverse features and experiences will be connected by pedestrian pathways, including a looping red-coloured, shock-absorbing running and walking track designed to reduce joint impact. With today\u2019s opening, a substantial segment of this track is now available for public use.<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

One of Oakridge Park\u2019s newly opened tenants specializing in athletic and outdoor apparel is already planning to take advantage of its close proximity to the track and green space. This summer, lululemon ambassadors will bring their run club to the rooftop and host informal sunset movement sessions, including yoga.<\/p>\n

lululemon also reopened its store at the property today, marking a return to one of the Vancouver-headquartered company\u2019s earliest brick-and-mortar retail locations. The new Oakridge Park store is among the first in Canada to feature the company\u2019s latest interior design concept, complemented by subtle references to Vancouver\u2019s landscape and culture.<\/p>\n

Other sports apparel tenants include Sporting Life, while the mall will also feature a 55,000-sq.-ft. fitness facility by Altea Fitness, scheduled to open in 2027.<\/p>\n

Additional features now open within the rooftop park include expansive lawn areas, an outdoor fitness zone, a parkour area, and ample seating, including seating integrated into the concrete planter edges. There is also a striking public art installation consisting of five metal structures rising up to approximately four storeys in height, appearing to represent oversized dandelion pappus seed heads.<\/p>\n

\"oakridge<\/p>\n

Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

As more of the sprawling complex reaches completion, additional sections of the rooftop park will introduce further lawn areas, some of which can function as informal sports fields or event space. Future features will include a meadow-like hilltop landscape above Time Out Market\u2019s upper rooftop, connected by a gently sloping stair pathway and anchored by a small Japanese-inspired teahouse, as well as a community garden and children\u2019s playgrounds.<\/p>\n

In addition to extensive landscaping, the park will feature numerous trees across both its rooftop and ground-level areas. At the southern end of the rooftop park, dense tree planting will create a woodland-like experience, with smaller trails branching from the main running and walking track.<\/p>\n

Upon the park\u2019s full buildout, the continuous running and walking track linking the park\u2019s various experiences will form an approximately 800-metre loop.<\/p>\n

The park will also eventually gain several whimsical features, including a section of track that overlaps itself west of the rooftop plaza. Another highlight will be a multi-storey slide that allows visitors to gently descend from the rooftop park to ground level, running parallel to the grand staircase near the property\u2019s northwest corner.<\/p>\n

While most of the park space is located atop the mall, one of the largest ground-level park areas will occupy the northwest corner of the site, directly adjacent to the 100,000-sq.-ft., five-storey civic centre currently under construction. This facility is being built by the developer but will be owned and operated by the City of Vancouver upon completion.<\/p>\n

The civic centre will include a community centre, seniors centre, youth hub, performance venue, fitness centre, gymnasium, movement studio, childcare facility, artist studios, music rooms, and a 25,000-sq.-ft. Vancouver Public Library branch \u2014 set to become the library system\u2019s second-largest location.<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Opening of a portion of the rooftop public park at Oakridge Park mall on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

A physical model of the completed Oakridge Park complex at full buildout can now be viewed on the second level of the mall\u2019s north atrium, just beyond the entrance to Time Out Market. It shows not only the first phase now nearing completion, including all nine acres of public park space, but also the latest vision for building the future second phase of the redevelopment.<\/p>\n

This living model, updated several years ago, reveals significant design changes for the western parcel of the second phase compared with the most current conceptual artistic renderings. Most notably, it appears to show increased density through the addition of more high-rise towers atop base podiums, replacing earlier mid-rise building concepts. Some density has also been redistributed following the removal of one tower site, while another tower location adjacent to the rooftop plaza appears to have gained substantial height, becoming Oakridge Park\u2019s second-tallest tower.<\/p>\n

The base podiums within the second phase\u2019s western parcel are expected to contain approximately 200,000 sq. ft. of leasable retail\/restaurant space along a pedestrian-only high street. Combined with the mall\u2019s existing 650,000 sq. ft. of leasable retail\/restaurant space, Oakridge Park would ultimately offer about 850,000 sq. ft. of such space across the entire development.<\/p>\n

No firm timeline has been established for the completion of the project\u2019s second phase.<\/p>\n

Previous concept of Oakridge Park:<\/p>\n

\"oakridge<\/p>\n

2021\/2022 conceptual artistic rendering of the Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre) redevelopment. (Henriquez Partners Architects\/Westbank\/QuadReal Property Group)<\/p>\n

Revised concept of Oakridge Park:<\/p>\n

\"oakridge<\/p>\n

Full model of the Oakridge Park project upon full buildout, as seen on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Full model of the Oakridge Park project upon full buildout, as seen on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Full model of the Oakridge Park project upon full buildout, as seen on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Full model of the Oakridge Park project upon full buildout, as seen on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Full model of the Oakridge Park project upon full buildout, as seen on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Full model of the Oakridge Park project upon full buildout, as seen on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Full model of the Oakridge Park project upon full buildout, as seen on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Full model of the Oakridge Park project upon full buildout, as seen on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Full model of the Oakridge Park project upon full buildout, as seen on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n

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Full model of the Oakridge Park project upon full buildout, as seen on May 28, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"While the long-demolished former \u201cOakridge Centre\u201d indoor mall once featured expansive rooftop vehicle parking, its complete transformation into…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":701022,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[43,44,41,39,42,40],"class_list":["post-701021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-headlines","tag-news","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/701021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=701021"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/701021\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/701022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=701021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=701021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=701021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}