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What does living in a city striving to be the “greenest” by 2020 mean? It means that really extraordinary things start happening that change the way we use public space, and that our values begin to be reflected in our collective landscapes. At the intersection of Yukon St and W 17th Ave, such a thing is about to happen.

A new neighbourhood park has been in the works for this location since 2013, when the city purchased and demolished a derelict house in this location (the lot has been sitting vacant since July of that year). The area had been identified as lacking a park and play space within reasonable walking distance for residents, especially given the number of young families in this community. Through public consultation, the Vancouver board of Parks and Recreation learned that vehicles shortcutting along Yukon to avoid congestion on main arterial roads was the biggest concern, both for local residents and users of the popular Yukon bikeway.

The result? This summer, the asphalt on Yukon between W 17th Ave north to the laneway will be torn up to double the original intended size of the park. The bold move is the result of a partnership between the Park Board and the City of Vancouver Engineering Department, and is intended to both help with traffic calming in the neighbourhood and to provide the space for a much better park.

By early fall of 2015, this location will reflect a population that values community connection, safety and access to green space more than vehicular traffic. Small spaces like this can have a much wider neighbourhood impact and I certainly hope this is only the beginning of a much larger trend.