One of the most common times people engage with public space is during their lunch break. It can be relaxing – not to mention good for your health – to get out of the work environment for a much needed interlude. But finding a no or low-cost alternative to the office or shop kitchen or crowded school cafeteria can sometimes be a frustrating task. Luckily, there are many excellent public spaces that provide the perfect spot for a mid-day escape.

There are a few common elements that make a public space an ideal place for lunch: shelter, seating, tables or ledges and other amenities help to ensure comfort, while proximity to offices, commercial areas, and schools ensure easy access. Takeout locations or grocery stores provide the necessary ingredients for those who may not have brought their lunch with them. And lastly, there’s the setting itself – which can include places of quiet respite, views, good people-watching, or the melody of a busker, among other things.

As we head into some nicer weather, we wanted to take an opportunity to highlight some popular and some less well known locations to break for a bite in the downtown Central Business District.

Art Gallery Steps / Robson Square

The south steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery have long been a favourite gathering place for downtown residents and workers. The steps receive unobstructed sunlight and provide seating, while the nearby food trucks parked along Howe Street offer a variety of options. With the 800 block of Robson Street closed to motorized traffic, there’s plenty of space to gather and sit away from the noise of the street. For an even quieter location, the elevated areas south of Robson (lead photo – above the Law Courts) feature ample greenery, plenty of benches, and an oasis-like feeling that feels quite removed from the the steps.

Vancouver Convention Centre

The seawall path wrapping around both the Vancouver Convention Centre and Canada Place offers one of the very best views in all of downtown. Close to many office towers and cafes, the Convention Centre is a convenient location to eat while taking in the North Shore mountains. Jack Poole Plaza (at the foot of Thurlow Street) presents one good option, while a short stroll west west leads to Harbour Green Park (pictured) where grass and trees help to break up the surrounding forest of high rise towers.

Bill Reid Gallery Courtyard

Tucked between the Bill Reid Gallery and Cathedral Place Building is a small and quiet public space. Despite being only steps away from the busy intersection of Howe and Georgia, this space is usually empty. Designed in the manor of a medieval close, this little green space comes as a real surprise for first time visitors to the space. As a bonus, the nearby Smokehouse Sandwich Co. in Cathedral Place features fantastic sandwiches. (Access the space by taking the steps on Howe Street, just north of Georgia; or, follow the narrow path to on the west side of the Cathedral Place building).

Lot 19

Lot 19 is a small park at the north end of Hornby Street where it terminates at Hastings Street. Once the site of the original Vancouver Club building, this open space features a mix of paving and grass – along with some interesting public art. The park receives direct sunlight through the towers in the summer and is set back far enough from the street to create a relaxing and enjoyable environment. In the last couple of years, the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association has helped to transform the space into an excellent lunch spot by putting out tables and chairs, as well as programming events in the summer. Music and games are available during weekday peak hours.

Indoor Public Spaces

In a rainy city like Vancouver, it’s often not feasible to eat outside. Most indoor eating areas are restricted to paying customers, so where can you go if you brought lunch to work but want to get out of the office? Here’s a couple of ideas.

The Sinclair Centre at 757 West Hastings Street provides a large atrium open to the public with tables and chairs covered with a glass roof. Despite only having one café in the building, many people enjoy this spot to eat their own lunch from home or from nearby take out. The historic building also features a large historic clock built in 1909 that rings on the hour.

The atrium of the downtown Central Public Library is open to the public and provides seating and tables under cover. There’s also a nice selection of cafes and take out options that line the northern side – and many more just outside on Robson Street. And if you have a few moments after finishing your lunch, you can always explore the library – which offers a limitless breadth of knowledge and entertainment! (Also to note: in good weather, the southwest plaza (facing Robson) is also a popular and sunny gathering spot).

Andrew Burns is a local writer and fan of public space who spends his lunchtime exploring the city.

What’s your favourite lunchtime public space? Where’s the best park or plaza to chow down on a sandwich? Drop us a line and let us know!

The renewed square looks great, and we will be interested to see how the space is used – both formally for events, and informally, for everyday activities or a more casual nature. It’s a large plaza with some interesting design challenges – including a northerly orientation, and busy arterial streets on three sides. It will be intriguing to see what sorts of anticipated – and unanticipated – activities take place in this renewed square. One thing is for certain: the redesign is an improvement on where things were at just a few years ago.

Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza – Concept Rendering, November 2015

Up next, the 800-block of Robson… the North Plaza’s more intimate counterpart. The redesign of this plaza started last year after Council voted to permanently pedestrianize the block. A design concept was presented to Council in December, and work is expected to begin in the not too distant future.

In the meantime, check out the new North Plaza and let us know what you think. Good public spaces always take on a life of their own – so pop by and tell us what you see going on there!

Here’s the media release from the City of Vancouver:

VAG North Plaza reopens as Vancouver’s most compelling public square

Upgrades to the North Plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery are completing this week in time for the Jazz Festival on Saturday.

“The plaza to the north of the Vancouver Art Gallery is host to Vancouver’s most significant events and is a popular place for people to pass through, sit and relax, and meet one another,” says Paul Mochrie, Deputy City Manager for the City of Vancouver. “We at the City have the honour of maintaining this remarkable public gathering space, and we are excited to see how it will be used going forward.”

The new plaza complements Robson Square on the other side of the Art Gallery and the surrounding heritage buildings. The new fully accessible space enhances safety for large gatherings, improves flexibility for events and day to day use.

Design features include:

• A flexible space that can be used for solitary and small group use, as well as large events.
• A safe, inviting environment for formal and casual use.
• A surface with pavers that will be long-lasting and durable for heavy use.
• Full accessibility for all users.
• A continuation of the Hornby Street maple trees, with new trees added along the west side of the plaza.
• A flexible pavilion / bus stop on the east side which can be used during events and can accommodate future use as a food/beverage stand or tourist information centre.

The plaza redesign was led by Nick Milkovich Architects, HAPA Collaborative , and Matthew Soules Architecture, and construction was completed by Jacobs Brothers contractor.

Going forward, the plaza will be maintained and managed by the City of Vancouver, and event organizers interested in using it can apply through the City of Vancouver’s special events office.

Correction: An earlier version of this post quoted a City Media release that incorrectly referred to Hapa Collaborative as Hapa Collective. Further, the post suggested that the plaza was fully-reopened. Rather, it is being utilized for various events throughout the summer, but is still closed to everyday use while the remaining work is completed. Additional clarifying text was added around the potential usage of the site.

A quick post to let you know that City Council has just approved the creation of a permanent plaza on the 800-block of Robson. This move will pedestrianize this popular block, expanding Robson Square across the street right-of-way, and allowing for year-round programming to take place.

This is very exciting news, and we want to thank Mayor, Council and City staff for supporting this idea. This new and enhanced space will make a big contribution to public life in Vancouver. As Lon Laclaire, the City’s Director of Transportation noted: “it will be the premier plaza on the downtown peninsula.”

Council heard from about a dozen speakers, including the VPSN, several business associations, and community groups, in a discussion that ran over several hours. A lot of issues were raised around design, programming, stewardship, and transportation. These are all things that the City will be looking at through a design process that will unfold over the next year or so. (City staff noted that there will be further consultation on that, so stay tuned for future opportunities to share your ideas.)

In the meantime, a toast to the new plaza! After many years of discussion, and some great summertime experiments, it’s great to see things move forward with this important public space.

Photo credit: City of Vancouver. Corduroy Road. – 2013 summertime installation at 800-Robson.

You can help with the process! This is the second year that the City has held a competition – Robson Redux – to select the winning design, and the jury-based selection will be informed by a people’s choice voting process.

According to organizers, over 80 design submissions were received from around the world for this year’s contest. They’re going to be on display at the Museum of Vancouver for two weeks between February 28 and March 15, and you can cast a ballot for your favourite entry. The Robson Redux exhibition is included in the cost of regular admission to the Museum.

There’s lots of interest in this initiative, so be sure to mark your calendars and check it out. For the enthusiasts: a launch event on March 6 is already sold out and running a waitlist. There’s also a public talk on the design competition by the City’s Scott Edwards on March 5.

For the second year in a row, the City of Vancouver is holding a design competition to support the seasonal activation of the block between Hornby and Howe. The aim is to improve and expand the already popular Robson Square area, fully pedestrianizing this important public space, and animating it for residents and visitors alike.

If you’re interested in working on a design, you may want to check out the Information Session that the City is hosting on Monday, January 12.

Join VIVA Vancouver for an inspiring information session on how to get your design concept noticed by the judges. Learn about a few changes we’ve made to the design brief and meet last year’s winning team and hear about their experiences. Don’t have a full team yet? No problem! The event will provide an opportunity for designers and artists to meet and mingle.

The Info Session takes place 6:30pm-8:30pm at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The event is free, but to help with planning, the City is asking folks to register.

While you’re at it, you may also want to check out the vivadesigncomp.ca webpage – where you can find the design brief, as well as information on the submission process (including all important deadlines).

Urban Reef, the design shown above, was the jury’s choice and will receive a $40,000 honorarium to cover the building and placement of the installation. The design is the brainchild of Kaz Bemner, Jeremiah Deutscher, Michael Siy and Kenneth Navarra.

You can read the City’s media release on the subject below. There’s also a great interview with the designers in Spacing Magazine.

The winner of the People’s Choice award has also been announced:

With the award going to to “Tempo Vancouver,” submitted by an international team from Toronto, Stockholm and Tehran.

There were 79 excellent designs submitted for the competition – a testament to the strong interest in expanding Robson Square and enhancing this important public space. Big kudos to all the designers who took the time to participate in this initiative!

City of Vancouver Media Release: Swim the “Urban Reef” this summer at 800-Robson Street

The 800-block of Robson Street will become an “Urban Reef” this summer. The winning submission to the Robson Redux design-build competition was selected among 78 entries from as far afield as Spain, Japan and the US.

Urban Reef is a sculpture that invites people to sit, relax and play. The shape is a series of sections that morph into one another to create a dynamic form that sparks curiosity and invites exploration. The design was created by Kaz Bemner, Jeremiah Deutscher, Michael Siy and Kenneth Navarra – a team of local architects, designers and carpenters.

Installation of Urban Reef will take place in early summer, and it will be accessible from Canada Day (July 1) through Labour Day long weekend (September 1).

A jury reviewed submissions considering creativity, design originality, feasibility and this year’s theme of “connection.” Jury members included Matthew Blackett (Founder and Publisher, Spacing Magazine), Amber Frid-Jimenez (Principal, AFJD and Associate Professor Emily Carr University of Art and Design), Nick Milkovich (Principal, Nick Milkovich Architects), Margot Long (Principal, PWL) and Ken Lyotier (Founder, United We Can).

A design honorarium and up to $40,000 will cover costs of materials, fabrication, construction, installation and de-installation.

The competition’s People’s Choice winner is “Tempo Vancouver” submitted by an international team from Toronto, Stockholm and Tehran.

VIVA Vancouver’s Robson Redux design-build competition invited emerging and professional designers to submit their design ideas for turning Robson Street into a pedestrian place. A public space program, VIVA Vancouver works with community partners to turn road spaces into temporary or semi-permanent public places. For the past three years, the 800-block of Robson has transformed throughout the summer months to encourage people to slow down, pause and connect with each other in an inviting urban setting.

To see images of the winning design, visit www.vivadesigncomp.ca/view/?ID=1162

• Sunday, October 6 – Harbour Hop!
• HOLD THE DATE: Thursday, October 31 – Halloween SkyTrain Party

VPSN RECAP

• PARK(ing) Day 2013
• P.S. I Love You – A Public Space Photo Scavenger Hunt

ENGAGE

• Saturday, October 5 – Oakridge Centre Rezoning – Open House
• Saturday, October 5 – VAG North Plaza Redesign – Open House
• Tuesday, October 8 – Improving Citizens’ Access to Speak to City Council
• Coming Up: Downtown Bus Service Review
• Coming Up: Community and Neighbourhood Planning Work – Public Realm Items
• Talk Vancouver – New online space for you to share your ideas and opinions

OTHER EVENTS

• Monday October 15 – Sunday October 20 – Living the New Economy 2013
• October 22, 24, 28, 29 – Carbon Talks presents: Moving In Metro: A discussion on mobility pricing
• Tuesday November 5 – The Creek Forum
• Friday November 8 – Saturday November 9 – Media Democracy Days

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

• Campaigning, Outreach and Communication — Get On Board BC

VPSN UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

Sunday, October 6 – Harbour Hop!

The weather this Sunday is looking sunny and rain free! What better time than now to join the Vancouver Public Space Network for a unique autumn walking experience – an urban hike along all of Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet waterfront. Beginning at the Coal Harbour entrance to Stanley Park, this walk will travel east, along the Coal Harbour seawall, through the historic streets of Gastown and Railtown, past the industrial areas bordering our working port, and through the neighbourhoods of Grandview-Woodland and Hastings-Sunrise, terminating at New Brighton Park.

This is not a guided tour, but rather a communal stroll to enjoy the diversity of our harbour and its bordering neighbourhoods. Come see the many faces of Burrard Inlet – from its forest of glass towers to its historic cobblestone streets to the trucks and cranes of a busy port, to the quiet and leafy East Van neighbourhoods offering peek-a-boo views of the water.

Meet at the base of Aerodynamic Forms In Space, that funky airplane sculpture on the western end of Devonian Harbour Park, just east of where the pedestrian/cycling underpass under Georgia Street emerges. (Where the Stanley Park seawall ‘begins.’). The walk begins at 1pm sharp. Estimated walking time – about 3 hours. (And when the walk is over, transit is close by to get you home.)

This will be a fun, relaxed event. Invite your friends, bring your camera, and wear your most comfortable walking shoes!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This event is contingent on decent weather – so please our VPSN blog or Facebook event page on Sunday morning for updates.

:: Have questions? Give Scott a shout at: scott [at] vancouverpublicspace [dot] ca
:: Facebook Event Page

HOLD THE DATE: Thursday, October 31 – Halloween SkyTrain Party

Our VPSN signature event is back for the eighth year! Gather your friends, get your sassiest costumes together and get ready to celebrate public transit by jumping on the SkyTrain for a Halloween ride like no other.

We’re in the process of sorting out event details and will be releasing these over the next few weeks. We’ve got a spankingly awesome dj lined up, an after-party in the works and all sorts of other goodies in store. Mark your calendars!

VPSN RECAP

PARK(ing) Day 2013

PARK(ing) Day is a worldwide celebration of public space reclamation. The premise is simple: with a shortage of parks and an abundance of parking spaces, there’s an opportunity to rethink the way we allocate land within our urban environments.

On Friday, September 20 the VPSN – in collaboration with City Studio, Modo Car Co-op, Tradeworks and a team of great volunteers collaborated to transform two parking spots outside of Japadog on Robson Street into a vibrant, musical and ‘woody’ community space for the day.

Using recycled wood and pallets to create an intimate space for passersby’s and downtown residents, our upcycled parking space became a place for people to sit, read, eat, talk, rest, meet new people, play the piano, and engage in art. A base ‘woody’ surface was designed and built in an East Vancouver backyard supported the CityStudio’s ‘Long Table’ and Polka-Dot piano, along with Ken Lum’s mobile art cart and Robert Beckenwermert’s covered wagon.

:: Check out Eric Scott’s photographs of Park(ing) Day
:: Moving pictures – a short video of the event was put together by GP Mendoza

P.S. I Love You – A Public Space Photo Scavenger Hunt

At 12PM on game day, the VPSN Game Masters at PS I Love U HQ didn’t know what to expect, but then the pictures started to flood in. 30 teams of public space enthusiasts were on the streets of Vancouver, tackling a big list of 57 riddles.

We were totally blown away by the enthusiasm, creativity, and determination of all the participating teams from the moment we received the first photo. A big shout out to all the players who fearlessly combed the city on Saturday afternoon. We received a lot of great photos and can’t wait to share them with all of you.

A fierce game was played, but after the dust had settled there were three teams at the top – The Life Warriors (106 points), The Mole Hill Monsters (75 points) and Jessica’s Day (66 points). We’ll be posting all the answers to the clues in short order. Stay tuned!

:: Check out our blog post for more details and photos from the day’s event

ENGAGE

Saturday, October 5 – Oakridge Centre Rezoning – Open House

One of two City of Vancouver open houses taking place this weekend. A revised rezoning application for the Oakridge Centre development is now being considered by the City. In addition to the expansion of the mall itself, the proposed mixed-use development would introduce 11 buildings onto the site and a number of public space features. Features of the proposal include:

• Doubling the size of the mall to 1.4 million square feet
• 2,916 residential units
• 300,000 square feet of new office space
• A 70,000-square-foot civic centre (community centre, library, seniors centre and childcare space)
• Rooftop open space
• A range of building heights between six and 45 storeys

The Open House takes place 10:00am – 4:00pm at Oakridge Centre in the former Zellers location, 650 West 41st Avenue (41st and Cambie)

:: View the City’s Oakridge webpage and check out the “documents” tab for detailed boards and renderings
:: Provide a comment on the rezoning application here

Saturday, October 5 – VAG North Plaza Redesign – Open House

Earlier this week, the City unveiled three proposals for the redesign of the Art Gallery North Plaza (also known as Centennial Square or Courthouse Square). They’re part of a process of reviewing and redeveloping the plaza that began last year with the “Block 51” consultations that investigated the public space possibilities of both the North Plaza and the 800-block of Robson.

We’re excited to see the City move ahead with this process. The North Plaza is an important space in the City… and one whose historical significance and practical uses are currently undermined by a number of problematic design features (including circulation challenges, a fountain that many loathe and a bark mulch ground-cover that has recently turned into something resembling a mud pool).

If you’re keen on helping this plaza being something better than it is please lend your voice. We encourage you pop by Robson Square and visit the Open House. Check out the concepts and talk with the design team that put them together. (At this point they’re not trying to ‘pick a winner – just get feedback on the features that people like and don’t like).

The event takes place 12:30-3:30pm at the UBC Robson Square, Plaza Lounge (inside the main entrance opposite the skating rink).

:: Concept 1 – Wet 
:: Concept 2 – Active Edge 
:: Concept 3 – Plalo Ring
:: Main City of Vancouver “Block 51” webpage 
:: Feedback Questionnaire

Tuesday, October 8 – Improving Citizens’ Access to Speak to City Council

This will be of interest to VPSN members who are interested in the role of democratic spaces. A motion will be considered next Tuesday, October 8, at City Council that looks at the accessibility of Council deliberations to the average citizen. This is an issue that we identified in our Route Map of public space policy a few years back – and something that we continue to feel strongly about.

The motion – which has yet to be debated – asks that City staff “investigate best practices, consult with the Mayor’s Engaged City Task Force, the City’s advisory committees and others, and report back to Council within two months with suggestions on how to improve citizens’ access to speak to City Council, including the possibility of allowing citizens to sign up for daytime or evening time periods, and the use of technology to alert speakers as to which number on the speakers’ list is being heard.”

:: Read the full text of the motion
:: Have your say – follow this link to see how you can register a comment

Coming Up: Downtown Bus Service Review

The City of Vancouver and TransLink are in the midst of a joint study of downtown local bus service to take into account the many changes that have taken place downtown in the past few years. Recently, they released a summary of what they heard from the public during their consultations in late June and early July of this year.

We are following the City and TransLink’s work on this item closely, as it has the potential to benefit both transit mobility and the downtown public realm. Further information on this study will be released in Fall 2013 and we will provide an additional update at that time.

:: Downtown Bus Service Review webpage
:: Summary of initial consultation

Coming Up: Community and Neighbourhood Planning Work – Public Realm Items

Also on the books for Fall 2013 are a number of neighbourhood-scale public realm items:

• The Mount Pleasant Community Plan Implementation Plan, which includes a separate neighbourhood Public Realm Plan will be presented to Council.
• The West End Community Plan, which includes a number of public realm components will also be considered by Council
• Additional work is on-going with the Downtown Eastside Local Area Plan, the Grandview-Woodland and Marpole Community Plans, and the Eastern Core Strategy.

Stay tuned for updates on these items as they emerge.

Talk Vancouver – New online space for you to share your ideas and opinions

From the City’s webpage:

“As part of our Engaged City initiative, we invite you to be part of Talk Vancouver, an online space for civic participation.

Help us build a better Vancouver by becoming a member of the City’s online community of trusted, local advisors. We’ll be inviting you to participate in studies and discussions to ask you about your needs and ideas, share information with you about new initiatives, and find out what’s most important to you.

Why join? When you sign up for Talk Vancouver, you can:

• Play your part in shaping Vancouver
• Ensure that your unique views and ideas are included in the conversation
• Stay informed and connected to the City’s latest initiatives
• Participate in public consultations online

:: To join visit the Talk Vancouver webpage

OTHER EVENTS

Monday October 15 – Sunday October 20 – Living the New Economy 2013

Check out the exciting line up of workshops, film and capacity-building events at the second annual Living the New Economy conference. The event takes place at Granville Island and features a number of events that will be of interest to public space aficionados, including the following:

• Workshops with place-maker extraordinaire Mark Lakeman (Portland City Repair)
• Indigenous Leadership and Perspectives on the New Economy
• Reclaiming the Commons: Why the future will be distributed and open source (with Michel Bauwens, P2P Foundation, Dallas Luther, MakerLabs, and Tiberius Brastaviceanu, Sensorica)
• Shared Spaces and Physical Incubators: how co-location fosters a collaborative culture, (with John Bromely, Benevoland and Tara Mahoney, Gen Why Media)

Each event is individually ticketed, or you can get full passes for the week-long event (at quite a reasonable rate, we might add!).

:: More information via the Living the New Economy webpage including and complete

October 22, 24, 28, 29 – Carbon Talks presents: Moving In Metro: A discussion on mobility pricing

Being able to move around our cities is critical for transporting goods, accommodating jobs and population growth, building strong and vibrant communities, and connecting with our partners in the region and elsewhere. But how do we pay for our transportation system in a way that is fair and transparent and provides for our current and future needs?

The SFU Centre for Dialogue is hosting a series of four regional dialogues with residents to explore one response to this question – mobility pricing. The goal of each session is to increase our understanding of mobility pricing as it applies to roads and to hear citizens’ perspectives on its potential role in Metro Vancouver’s transportation system.

:: More information or to register

Tuesday November 5 – The Creek Forum

Continuing the work of the St. George Rainway Project, The Creek Stewards (students from Mount Pleasant Elementary) will lead a day of activities designed to inform and inspire engagement with place-making, specifically around the “headwaters” of theRainway (Kingsway and St. George st). This event reflects and celebrates over a year of work the students have undertaken to meet their community enhancement goals.

:: More information – Creek Forum Website

Friday November 8 – Saturday November 9 – Media Democracy Days

Media Democracy Days is an annual media reform conference that promotes alternative, independent, and democratic media in Canada. MDD is organized in partnership with SFU’s School of Communication, The Vancouver Public Library, and OpenMedia.ca, and is held annually to engage the public in critical debates relating to media-related issues…This year’s event focal points include information control, access to information, personal privacy, and online spying.

:: Check out this year’s programming at the Media Democacy Days webpage

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Campaigning, Outreach and Communication — Get On Board BC

The Vancouver Public Space Network has endorsed the GetOnBoard BC coalition to advocate for sustainable funding for improved public transit service and infrastructure across Metro Vancouver. Get On Board BC is in need of a number of volunteers to assist with tasks such as writing, research, coordination, outreach and community engagement, campaigning, communication and coalition-building around the future of transportation throughout the region.

:: Contact Karen Quinn Fung (quinn@vancouverpublicspace.ca) to learn more.

Exciting news! The City of Vancouver will be holding two Open Houses to showcase new designs for the North Plaza of the Art Gallery.

Tuesday, October 1, 5:30-8:30pm
Saturday, October 5, 12:30-3:30pm

“Drop by an open house to see the preliminary concept plan options for the Art Gallery North Plaza. It’s your chance to review the proposals and let us know what you think. City staff and consultants will be on hand to answer questions and receive your feedback. An online survey will also be available starting October 1. Help us create a plaza that’s an inviting, dynamic space for the city that works effectively with the Art Gallery, Robson Square and the surrounding areas.”

Both open houses will be held at UBC Robson Square, Plaza Lounge
(Inside main entrance opposite skating rink)

For more details, visit http://vancouver.ca/block51

UPFRONT: A New Year: with new public space activities on the horizon

2013 is now just over one-month old, and already it’s off to a roaring start. February is flush with exciting public space-related events – with something to tantalize everyone’s palate. You’ll find lots of interesting things in this month’s Public Space News & Events.

On the home front, the VPSN team held a project planning workshop for the upcoming year. We’ll be rolling out a calendar of events and activities to help enliven the city in the very near future. Among the items on our roster: more work on Robson Square, a new film fest, a city-wide public space game, and potentially, a brand new and extremely soggy design competition. We’ll be refining our full calendar of activities in the next week… and you can expect a report-out shortly thereafter. As always, we’ll be looking for the help, interest and support of public space aficionados in the city to make it all happen.

On that note, a few quick updates. We’ll be having our next volunteer orientation on Wednesday, February 6. If you’re interested in learning more about the Network, please join us! Details can be had at volunteer [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca.

And… it’s a little ways a way yet, but the VPSN will be heading to Richmond on March 28 as part of the 2013 Lulu Speaker Series. This year’s theme is Art in the City and part of our presentation will focus on sharing some examples of the best new public space activations, animations, art and design projects from around the world. Do you have any examples you think should be part of the conversation? We’re firm believers in crowd-sourcing case-studies… so if you’ve got something to share (photos, leads, ideas) please send ‘em our way: publicity [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca.

ENGAGE

Saturday, February 2 – Grandview-Woodland Parks & Public Space Dialogue / Workshop

Grandview-Woodland is one of four neighbourhoods undergoing a community planning process. As part of the work under way in this part of town, there’s an upcoming Planning through Dialogue event on Parks & Public Space.

The workshop will look at a variety of items, including greenspaces, plazas, streets & greenways, community facilities and public realm features. The event is free, but you need to register to attend. Starts at 12:30.

:: To register – Visit the Grandview-Woodland Community Plan Webpage

Saturday, February 2 – Point Grey-Cornwall Corridor Open Houses

The Point Grey Road–Cornwall Avenue Active Transportation Corridor Project aims to create a safe, convenient and comfortable connection for pedestrians and cyclists between Burrard Bridge and Jericho Beach. City staff will be available at all the open houses to discuss the project, answer questions and gather input. Event takes place 10:00am-2:00pm, Kitsilano Community Centre, 2690 Larch Street, Snowy’s Lounge.

:: More info – City of Vancouver webpage

Help transform Granville Street for 2013 – Deadline February 4

If you are a Vancouver-based not-for-profit, community, or corporate group, the City wants to hear from you! VIVA Vancouver is accepting proposals for public space activations on Granville Street (downtown) for summer 2013. The deadline is Monday 4 February 2013. Read the news release for more guidelines, application form, and more.

:: More information – vancouver.ca/viva

Other items on the horizon – Art Gallery, downtown public spaces, viaducts

No dates appear to have been set at this point, but a number of important public space-related discussions are due back at City Council in the near future. These include a discussion of the Vancouver Art Gallery’s business plan (related to their proposed move to a new site), a discussion on downtown public spaces (coming out of the City’s recently adopted Transportation 2040 Plan), and an update on the discussion around the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts. Stay tuned for details.

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

February 1 – Intersections

Hollywood & Vine. Haight & Ashbury. Portage & Main. Davie & Denman. Great cities are composed of great intersections. Recognizable outside of their city limits, these intersections play host to significant historical events, define the culture of a place, and are the meeting point for diverse groups of people. Launching February 2013 at the Platform Gallery, Intersections celebrates the unique attributes of seven essential cross-streets throughout Vancouver through graphic design. As of February 1, Intersections will be on exhibition at the Canada Line’s Platform Gallery, located underground at Waterfront Station.

:: Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/platformyvr

February 2 – Car-Free Day – Launch Celebration

Volunteers, participants, supporters, friends and family all welcome as the Car-Free crew work towards another year of bringing streets to life with community awesomeness and car-free fun. “We are always looking for new blood and ideas and planning is underway to celebrate the 9th annual Car Free Vancouver Day on June 16, 2013.”

Event takes place 8pm ‘til late at the Beaumont Studios, 316 West 5th Ave (5th and Alberta). Sorry, no minors.

:: More info – Facebook Event Page

Saturday, February 2Crow Roost Twilight Bike Ride

So many crows, where do they go? There are more than twenty thousand crows that arrive at the roost from all over the Lower Mainland! Follow the crows eastward on their daily migration to their roost beside Still Creek. Bring a snack to share if you feel like it, and maybe something warm to drink. Also remember your bike lights and warm clothes. Meet at 4:00pm, Lakewood Drive and Central Greenway. Rain date: February 9.

:: More info –

Sunday, February 3 – Stanley Park Ecology Society’s 25th Birthday

Join the SPES at the Stanley Park Nature House as they celebrate 25 years of environmental education, conservation and stewardship programs. Join in on free family fun activities and learn about StanleyPark wildlife from local experts and dedicated volunteers. 11am -3pm

:: More information – http://stanleyparkecology.ca/

Tuesday, February 5 – Arthur Erickson Lecture Yung Ho Chang (Atelier FCJZ, China)

Yung Ho Chang will speak about five projects that FCJZ is currently pursuing: the Ism Project, the Mat Project, the Urb Project, the Other Project, and the Media Project. In addition, he will also discuss FCJZ’s recent exhibition Material-ism at UCCA in Beijing. Takes place 6:30-8:30pm at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, 149 West Hastings Street.

Wednesday, February 6 – Places that Matter – China Creek Cycle Track

Join Vancouver Heritage Foundation for Places That Matter plaque presentation #49. Meet cycling veterans and hear first hand accounts of racing on the track. The China Creek cycle track was built the 1954 British Empire & Commonwealth Games. Around 1900, Chinese farmers had worked the land along the creek south of Broadway; the track stood on fill atop the creek’s ravine, used as a city garbage dump until 1946. By the 1960s the track deteriorated, but it was rebuilt in 1973 and used until 1980, when Vancouver Community College transferred its campus from 12th and Oak. Track cycling moved to the Burnaby Velodrome in 1997.

Event takes place 10:00am, China Creek Cycle Track, at VCC Broadway Campus. Meet in the 1st floor atrium off Glen and E. 7th Ave.

:: More info – Jessica Quan – Jessica@vancouverheritagefoundation.org

Thursday, February 7 – Board of Change – Greenest City 2020 “State of the Union”

It’s been a year and a half since the Greenest City Action Plan was approved by City Council. In that time 125 projects have been underway across the City transforming the place where we live, work, and play. Come and hear some highlights of what’s been accomplished so far, areas that need more work, and plans for the future. Take this opportunity to give your feedback on priorities you’d like to see, initiatives that you appreciate, and areas of improvement. Doors open at 5:00pm, Panel & Discussion: 5:30-6:30 pm; Networking: 6:30-7:00pm. Event is free for Board of Change members; $10 for non-members.

:: To register – Board of Change website

Thursday, February 7 – Retrofitting Suburbia Revisited

How can ghostboxes, dead malls, aging office parks, out-dated edge cities and blighted commercial strips be retrofitted into more sustainable places? Co-author of the award winning book, “Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs”, Ellen Dunham-Jones will explain the drivers behind successful built suburban retrofits in North America and illustrate the three principal strategies: re-inhabitation, redevelopment and re-greening. Event takes place 7pm, SFU Surrey, Room 2600. Admission is free but registration is required.

:: To register: SFU event webpage

Thursday, February 7 – Vancouver: Our Diverse Heritage

The first Approaching the Past event in Vancouver features free public talks by Donald Luxton, conservation consultant, educator, and author, and Vanessa Campbell, educator, Squamish Nation Language Program. Takes place 6:00 to 8:00pm at the Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street.

:: RSVP to admin@thenhier.ca or (604) 822-6915.

Friday, February 8 (tentative) – Idle No More Flashmob

Tentative date for the next Idle No More flashmob. Scheduled for 5:30pm.

:: Details – Facebook Event Page

Tuesday, February 12 – Matt Hern: In Defence of an Urban Future

An ecological future has to be an urban future, but that vision rests on remaking our cities as something other than crass investment mechanisms populated by greed and shoppers. We have to reimagine cities as something better: compact, accretive, self-determining places full of commonality, and vibrancy. This rendition of density requires a politics that commits to participatory difference, equity, hospitality and friendship. Event takes place 7:00-9:00pm, 149 West Hastings – Djavad Mowafaghian World Art Centre – GoldcorpCenter for the Arts.

:: Registration Details – Facebook Page

Wednesday, February 13 – Bernadette Blanchon – Generating Urban Landscapes in France: A Historical Perspective Since 1945

UBC SALA lecture by Architect Bernadette Blanchon on landscape architecture during the post-war period in France. Event takes place 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Orpheum Annex, 823 Seymour Street near Robson

Wednesday, February 13 - Sex Talk in the City – Opening Reception

Be among the first to discover an innovative exhibition that explores the history of sexuality in Vancouver – from education to pleasure to politics. Explore sexuality not as science, but as part of our exciting, fascinating, thought-provoking culture. Doors open at 6:30, event starts at 7:00. Dress in red! Takes place at the Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street.

:: Tickets & Info – MOV Website

Thursday, February 14 – 22nd Annual Feb 14th Women’s Memorial March

March starts at noon from Carnegie (Main and Hastings) and proceeds through the Downtown Eastside, with stops to commemorate where women were last seen or found; speeches by community activists at the court house; a healing circle at OppenheimerPark around 2:30 pm; and finally a community feast at the Japanese Language Hall. Please NOTE that this year the march starts one hour earlier, at 12:00 noon.

:: More information – http://womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com/

Sunday, February 17 – Uberdrop/Community Arts Chinese New Year

Ring in the Chinese New Year and mark the year of the water snake. Giant blue drops. Giant snake… combining forces to sending a clear message about community, water, art and unity – all at the same time.

:: More information – Community Arts Vancouver; http://www.cacv.ca/tag/water; The original Überdrop event page: http://on.fb.me/X2SizM; Chinese New Year parade: http://bit.ly/113KyGr; The Blue Drop Movement: www.bluedrops.ca

Thursday, February 21 – Mark Kingwell – Is Public Space a Public Good?

Public space is routinely seen as the cure to every imaginable urban ill, from air quality to obesity. But how much of what we call public space is really public? Mark Kingwell will consider this problem, together with its implications for the notion of urban play and the so-called ‘right to the city.’ He will conclude with some reflections on the relationship between the city and the university. Event takes place 7 pm, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (at Woodward’s), 149 W. Hastings St. Admission is free, but reservations are required.

:: To register: SFU event webpage

Monday, February 25 – SALA Lecture with Peter Cardew

Lecture by RAIC Gold Medalist winner Peter Cardew, Peter Cardew Architects, Vancouver. Lecture free and open to the public. Event takes place 6:30-8:30pm at UBC Robson Square.

:: Details – UBC SALA Webpage

RESEARCH TIDBITS

A round-up of recent items and factoids from around the world:

Protected bikeways improve local businesses… “NYC DOT found that protected bikeways had a significant positive impact on local business strength. After the construction of a protected bicycle lane on 9th Avenue, local businesses saw a 49% increase in retail sales. In comparison, local businesses throughout Manhattan only saw a 3% increase in retail sales.” | More… 

Walk Score Ranks Canada’s Most Walkable Cities… and “Vancouver, with a Walk Score of 78, topped Canada’s most walkable cities …” | More…

[UPDATE March 16, 2019 – Walkscore has recently partnered with Redfin to produce the following resource, explaining how walkability calculations are made: https://www.redfin.ca/how-walk-score-works]

Less cars equals more money for the local economy… “If a city can reduce car ownership by 15,000 cars… $127,275,000 could stay in the local economy… “ | More…

Proximity Trumps Mobility: Smart Growth Maximizes Accessibility… [I]ncreased proximity provided by more compact and centralized development is about ten times more influential than vehicle traffic speed on the number of destinations that people can reach within a given travel time. | More…

SUPPORT THE VPSN

The Vancouver Public Space Network is an all-volunteer, community-driven enterprise that works on advocacy, education and outreach pertaining to the city’s public realm. We depend on member contributions in order to undertake our projects and activities. Looking to lend a hand? Please consider making a donation or signing up for one of our volunteer projects. Find out how you can help: info [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

CONTACT

Vancouver Public Space Network
Box 2754 Station Terminal
349 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC, V6B 3X2

General info: info [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Newsletter & Event Submissions: newsletter [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Facebook: VPSN Facebook Group and VPSN Facebook Page

Flickr: VPSN group and photostream

Twitter: @vpsn

The City’s report on the 800-block of Robson is now on-line – and will be discussed in front of Council next Wednesday, November 28. This follows up on a recent consultation on the future of “Block 51” (both the 800-block of Robson and the north plaza of the art gallery.

The report notes that one of the key findings from the recent survey was that “64% of respondents had a preference for 800-block Robson to function as a permanent public space, while 17% preferred a summertime public space and 19% preferred only occasional closures of the street to traffic for special events.” The report concludes that “it is clear that the public’s desire to have a permanent, year-round public square on 800-block Robson is very strong.”

From this, the report makes two key recommendations:

• That the 800-block of Robson Street be re-opened to cars and buses (our emphasis) on December 1, 2012, and that preparations be made for a summer closure aligned with Translink’s regular schedule changes.

• That City staff continue to work on addressing the issues raised by the public and report back to Council on impacts, challenges and opportunities for potentially creating a permanent public square on 800-block Robson Street.

You can read the report here, to understand the City’s rationale for these recommendations. The VPSN will be reviewing the document over the next few days in order to develop a formal response.

Based on our initial assessment of the document, we feel that the second recommendation makes sense (there are outstanding issues that need to be resolved), but the first does not (another opening, another closing and then nothing assured – versus a consistent closure that people can get used to).

As always, please feel free to send your thoughts our way: robsonsquare [at] vancouverpublicspace [dot] ca.