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.

The 800-block space has been the site of a popular temporary plaza for the last five summers. The current proposal would now keep the area car-free year-round.

This makes good sense. The block in question – all 90 metres of it – has more people walking on it than almost any other block in the city. It’s a lively one too: the site of innumerable events – from markets to protests to music festivals. The area is also a well-loved meeting spot, with some of the best people-watching opportunities in the city.

There are other benefits as well. For one, it has a more intimate feel to it than its larger cousin on the north side of the Gallery, benefiting from the mixed-scale of the surrounding architecture and the verdant landscaping that defines the Law Courts. There’s good sun as well – which always serves to animate a space. Consider, as well, the symbiosis that the site has with the surrounding cafes and restaurants that do a good, brisk trade at the hands of plaza users. Grabbing a sandwich or coffee and sitting on the Art Gallery steps is a true pleasure.

However, bisected by car-traffic as it currently is, this important public space has never reached its full potential. The presence of cars creates a barrier to programming, congesting the limited space and constraining its uses.

That’s why this proposal is so important. Permanently closing this space will be one a big step forward. It will open up the possibility of year-round programming – everything from the additional of more seating, tables and public realm features, to a broader array of events and activities.

There have been – and we have always noted this – fair points raised about the impact that pedestrianization will have on transit users and drivers, particularly those living in the West End. The proposed re-routing of the #5 bus goes some way towards resolving these challenges. It’s not a perfect solution, (we would have preferred a Burrard>Georgia diversion), but on balance it attends to many of the concerns that were raised. Similarly car drivers who are used to driving on this street will also need to plan new routes. We feel these are fair trade-offs to make in creating an enhanced plaza area that all residents and visitors can enjoy.

Pedestrianizing the 800-block is a great move – and we offer our complete support for this initiative. We hope you will too.

The proposal will be discussed at City Council next Wednesday, April 20. You can read the related staff report .

Please consider taking a few moments to share your thoughts on the idea with City Council. You can send them an email at mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca.

Originally published April 13, 2016.

This is particularly important for Vancouver’s public realm, as the route changes also contain options that support at least two major public space initiatives:

• The opportunity to expand Robson Square and transform the 800-block of Robson into a pedestrian-only space;

• the possibility of pedestrianizing the 600-block of Cambie Street (between Dunsmuir and Georgia) as part of the proposed relocation of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Translink is looking for feedback on these concepts, and the deadline to provide input is this Monday, April 21. We are strongly encouraging VPSN supporters to take a few moments this weekend to complete the online questionnaire.

If you support the enhancement of Robson Square and pedestrianization of the 800-block and/or the creation of a new plaza at the 600-block of Cambie, this is the time to weigh in.

Good quality public space and transit – both are needed!

The VPSN has been following the Bus Service Review closely – both as fans of public transit, and as advocates for public space. The review is much needed and has been prompted by growth and change in downtown neighbourhoods, the opening of the Canada Line, and the potential to create substantial improvements to the downtown public realm. As noted in Translink’s study materials “over the past twenty years the downtown population has more than doubled.” The Review will help decision-makers plan for transit service that meets the needs of residents and visitors to the downtown peninsula.

We are particularly supportive of proposed changes to the bus routes that would enable the expansion of Robson Square. The Review has identified short-term changes to support the summertime activation of the 800-block, but it also looks at potential changes to support the permanent pedestrianization of Vancouver’s pre-eminent public gathering area. The idea of creating an expanded public square around the 800-block has been discussed since the 1950s. The Bus Service Review options have the potential to enable the City to take a strong step forward on this initiative.

Figuring out what to do with transit – and ensuring good bus service for West End residents – has been the key sticking point in expanding Robson Square. Suffice it to say, we are excited to see the kinds of workable solutions the City and TransLink’s review process has yielded. The Review shows that it’s possible to have better transit connections and create a more vibrant public realm.

What’s in the Review?

As part of the review, Translink has identified various ways that bus service in and around downtown Vancouver can be enhanced. These are explored in options that relate to three areas of potential change:

1. Downtown-only Routes (Buses 5, 6, C21, C23)
2. Cambie Bridge Routes (Bus 17)
3. Eastern Corridor Routes (Buses 3, 4, 7, 8, 19, 209, 210, 211, 214)

It’s worth taking a look at all of these possible areas of change, and you can do this by looking at both general and technical documents that Translink has produced. The online survey also provides much of this background information.

Our particular area of focus is on the first of these three areas of change, as it most directly relates to the possibility of expanding Robson Square.

Two overarching options for Downtown-only Routes… with important variations

The Local Bus Review identifies two potential options in redesigning the bus routes that stay within the downtown Vancouver peninsula. These are referred to as the L-shaped Loop (option A1), or the Rectangular Loop (option A2). In their basic form, both of these options show bus service remaining on the 800-block of Robson, but, both proposals also include alternate routings that would facilitate the expansion of Robson Square, and the creation of a pedestrian-only space on the 800-block.

Here’s option A1 – the “L-shaped Loop”, with the Robson-closure ‘sub-option’ below:

In this case the Robson Square variant routes the #5 north on Burrard (at Robson) and then east on Hastings and over to Cambie. With this route, the bus swings by Waterfront Station (or close to it). Its southbound route (along Cambie) then brings it in close proximity to key cultural services such as the library. The L-shaped Loop option also has a second ‘sub-option’ (not shown here) that accommodates the closure and pedestrianization of the 600-block of Cambie, but not the 800-block of Robson.

Here’s option A2 – the “Rectangular Loop,” again with the Robson-closure sub-option:

On the Robson Square variant of A2, the #5 bus turns north on Burrard to Georgia, and then over to Cambie – a route that would take the bus directly by both Canada Line and SkyTrain stations (at Granville), the VPL Central Library and other other key amenities and services – including the potential new home of the Art Gallery.

Again, it’s important to note that while both the basic A1 and A2 options offer interesting transit-focused improvements, neither support the expansion of public space at Robson or Cambie on their own. It’s the the various sub-options to A1 and A2 where these important enhancements are made.

Help support the creation of improved public space in downtown Vancouver. If you support the enhancement of Robson Square and pedestrianization of the 800-block and/or the creation of a new plaza at the 600-block of Cambie, this is the time to weigh in and share your thoughts on these proposed changes to the bus network.

How to have your say

The deadline for input is Monday, April 21. The online questionnaire can be accessed here, or by pasting the following link into your browser:

https://www.talkvancouver.com/R.aspx?a=240

You can share your thoughts on the downtown-only routes, as well as the Cambie Bridge and Eastern Corridor routes. (The survey allows you to pick which of the three areas you want to talk about).

As noted above, much of the background information on the Downtown Bus Service Review can be found on the survey website; however if you feel like reading more there’s also an interesting backgrounder and technical paper that offers more details on the pros and cons of different route options.

Please do take a few moments to share your thoughts. This is a key opportunity for downtown public space, and your opinion is important.

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

The City of Vancouver has recently posted a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) related to the summertime activation of the 800-block of Robson Street. It’s part of the broader Viva Vancouver initiative – which is about “creatively transforming streets into vibrant public spaces.”

As many of you know, the VPSN has been happy to support the expansion and enhancement of Robson Square for a number of years now. In addition to our advocacy work on this, we’ve also had the opportunity to work on a number of projects connected with this important gathering space.

The VPSN is looking to submit a proposal and is interested in collaborating with other organizations or individuals who may have ideas to activate the 800-block.

Time is of the essence, and we’ll be holding a meeting next Friday, February 15 at 6:00pm. If you’d like to join in the conversation, please email us at robsonsquare [at] vancouverpublicspace <dot> ca and let us know. We’ll send out the location details once we get them finalized.

You can also read the RFEOI here – which will give you some sense of what the City is considering as part of the summertime initiative.

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.

UPDATE: The original survey deadline has been extended by a few days. It now closes on November 12, 2012.

The City of Vancouver has just launched a survey to gather input on the future of Block 51 – the area bounded by Hornby, Georgia, Robson and Howe. The survey looks at the possible expansion of Robson Square (creating a pedestrian-only space on the segment between Hornby to Howe) as well as the future of the north plaza of the Art Gallery (also called Courthouse Plaza or Centennial Plaza).

We’d encourage you to take a few moments to fill out the questionnaire – and to send it along to your various contacts and networks.

You can access the on-line version here: http://fluidsurveys.com/s/Block51/

Here’s a few more notes from the City’s announcement:

Please take a moment to fill out the survey. Let us know how you would like to see 800-block Robson Street and the Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza used in the future, and whether you support the permanent closure of 800-block Robson Street to create a pedestrian plaza.

Your feedback will be given to the designers of the Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza, and the feedback regarding 800-block Robson Street will be included in the report to Vancouver City Council.

If you could please help us out by sharing the survey link with your networks, via email or social media, it would be greatly appreciated. And if you are tweeting, please add the hashtag #Block51 to your tweets.

Survey link: http://fluidsurveys.com/s/Block51/

City webpage: http://vancouver.ca/block51

UPDATE: For those of you interested in our Robson Square petitions, please check out our newly created on-line versions. The “yes” petition started late yesterday, the “no” petition today. Here’s your chance to participate in the discussion:

YES, I support the expansion of Robson Square and the closure of the 800-block to vehicular traffic.

Or,

NO. I want vehicles back on the 800-block of Robson. Please DO NOT expand Robson Square.

If you haven’t already done so, please consider taking two minutes to have your voice heard on this initiative. The street is scheduled to be opened to vehicles on September 5 – at which point many of the great activities now taking place on the street will be removed. The VPSN supports the permanent closure of the space, but want to make sure that all sides are represented.

For those of you who have signed our paper petition or sent us an email of support – thank you! We’ve recorded your signatures and are grateful for your help.

Once again, even if you don’t like this idea we also want to hear from you. We will presenting Mayor and Council with the full range of feedback that we get on this issue. You can email any questions, concerns – or other Robson-related comments – our way at robsonsquare [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca.

(A side note: we’re testing out the online software at change.org. Let us know what you think!)

In December 2010 City Council passed a motion to expand Robson Square… However, a golden opportunity to do this may soon be lost. 

Legacy article – with link to photo of Robson Square being renovated and story about the opportunity to maintain the 800-block as a pedestrian-only space.