VANCOUVER - More than a decade after the last Canadian Pacific Railway train made its way down the Arbutus line, the company is considering putting the spur railway back into service.

On Thursday, CP said it has crews out surveying and cutting brush on the overgrown line that runs 11 kilometres between Kitsilano and the Fraser River.

That activity has sparked concern among residents and gardeners along the line since the railway — long considered abandoned — has become a popular strip for walks and community gardens. City hall has been flooded with calls from people complaining about the renewed railway activity.

Mayor Gregor Robertson issued a statement Thursday saying his office is against the reactivation of the railway line.

“Recently, the Canadian Pacific Railway began preparations to reactivate the Arbutus corridor to run trains. However, the city has very little detail from CP about their plans, other than that they intend to run trains along the route.

“The city doesn’t support the reactivation of cargo trains along the corridor and we have expressed this clearly to CP. The corridor is a unique, green route running from False Creek to the Fraser River, crossing several residential neighbourhoods, and our vision for it is to maintain it as greenway for residents of Vancouver until there’s a viable case for rail transit use,” he stated.

Robertson noted the city has been trying to work with CP Rail for years to convince them of the need for the corridor to remain a community greenway until there is a viable case for passenger rail use. He noted the rail line is not suitable for large-scale development or cargo trains.

“I support the Arbutus corridor as a community greenway and future transit corridor, and ask CP to respect the neighbourhood’s wishes and the Arbutus corridor official development plan.”

CP spokesman Ed Greenberg issued a statement following the mayor's comment:

“CP has attempted for many years to reach a deal on this line with the City of Vancouver. Unfortunately, we have failed to reach an agreement, so we are now reconsidering our operational options. In saying that though, CP remains open to continued dialogue and discussion.”

In an earlier interview Greenberg said the railway company is clearing out brush along the line as well as surveying its property lines.

“We are doing a new survey to ensure we have a current record of our property,” he said. “We are continuing to explore operational options for the line, but no decisions have been made at this time.”

Greenberg said CP did not formally abandon the line as required under federal legislation, and it “remains an active rail line as defined by the Canadian Transportation Act.”

However, in a letter CP is issuing to residents along the line, Mike LoVecchio, western director of governmental affairs, said the company is considering putting the line back into operation because it hasn’t been able to resolve long-standing community desires for non-railway use.

In 2006 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled the city had the right to designate the line for transportation and greenway uses. It affirmed the city’s right to enact its Arbutus corridor official development plan, effectively killing a proposal by CP to sell or develop the land for commercial or residential use. The line has not been used since 2001.