The City of Vancouver has launched a new strategy to encourage more public spaces like plazas and activated laneways in the downtown core.
The Places for People Downtown program will establish guidelines and a framework to encourage the development of new public spaces.
The city says due to limited available land and “competing priorities”, demands on public spaces have never been stronger.
The program will focus on:
- Streets
- Plazas
- Laneways
- Public open areas
- Privately owned public spaces that are part of retail or office buildings
Two high-profile public spaces in the downtown core have recently been lost to development or are about to be. The former cherry tree plaza on Alberni Street was demolished to make way for a new, freestanding luxury retail unit; and the popular plaza outside the Pacific Centre rotunda at Howe and West Georgia, will soon be replaced by a new, three-storey retail building.
This will be the first time the city has officially studied how people use public spaces throughout the downtown core. Twenty locations will be assessed beginning in August 2017, and people will also have the opportunity to share their views through surveys and workshops. A draft strategy will be presented to city council in 2018.
The new strategy will include spaces in:
- Central Business District
- Coal Harbour
- West End
- Downtown South
- Yaletown
- False Creek North
- Northeast False Creek
Mayor Gregor Robertson says downtown Vancouver has tremendous potential for creating new public spaces.
“From plazas to parklets, and laneway art to public squares, downtown Vancouver has tremendous potential to deliver vibrant, inclusive and memorable public spaces,” said Robertson. “I’ve heard clearly that Vancouverites want more and better public spaces across the city.”
General Manager of Planning, Gil Kelley, says the strategy will ensure public spaces are connected to multiple modes of transportation, including bike lanes and transit.
“The Downtown is growing and changing along with the lifestyles of the population that lives, works and plays there. We want to look at the types of spaces people want and need, and develop a more coordinated approach that is centred on people to deliver public space and connect it to walking, cycling and transit.”
An existing public space is downtown Vancouver is about to re-open: the north plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
The new plaza is nearly complete, with paving tiles in shades of grey, which replaces the former bark mulch landscaping. The derelict fountain was also removed from the plaza. New seating areas have been added throughout the plaza, as well as a covered bus shelter. The new plaza will officially reopen later this summer.
The Downtown Vancouver BIA is spearheading a campaign to activate an alley east of Granville Street between Robson and Smithe streets with an interactive light and sound display called FIELD.
To share your ideas on public spaces in Vancouver, visit vancouver.ca
