It is also a reciprocal relationship; we are all enriched when different parts of the region nurture and develop neighbourhoods and places that are expressive, cherished, enjoyable to be in and meet a range of daily needs and desires of local residents. It gives us a chance to engage with our natural and built history, as well as giving us a sense of the diversity of experience and backgrounds of Metro Vancouver residents.

Steveston during the annual Salmon Festival. Flickr: Rick Chung.

Looking to Downtown Vancouver from Lonsdale Quay. Flickr: Eugene Kim.

As advocates for public space, we support public transportation for its role in enabling people from across the region to get where they want to effectively, affordably and comfortably. Public transportation is a key pillar in a multi-modal strategy to give people choice in how they get around.

Flickr: soilse.

At the same time, it’s important to acknowledge that a number of people rely on public transit as their primary means of accessing services, seeing loved ones, or obtaining the necessities of life. In this regard, supporting public transit is not just about more bus service or trains; it’s about ensuring we are building an inclusive society with systems, places and services that cater to and welcome everyone — regardless of their age, ability, status or other barrier.

Flickr: Christopher Porter.

For these reasons, since late 2012, the Vancouver Public Space Network has endorsed and participated in the activities of Get on Board BC — a diverse coalition to support consistent funding for regional public transportation service and infrastructure. This past Thursday, June 5, Get on Board BC convened its first annual general meeting, and its member organizations collectively passed its bylaws and elected its first Board of Directors.

Get on Board BC is also in this for the long haul. While the referendum has been the major issue of concern for most public transit supporters, Get on Board BC aims to work with provincial and federal governments to ensure the funding for the public transit infrastructure we want and need for thriving communities and regions, is and will continue to be there.

The newly convened Board of Directors for Get on Board BC at the conclusion of the first Annual General Meeting. From left to right: Bob Ages, Zak Bennett, Eoin Madden, Bahareh Jokar, Gudrun Langolf, Kelly Wainwright. Not pictured: Ian Bruce.

We look forward to working with the new Board of Directors at Get on Board BC as one of its member organizations; and continuing to support Get on Board BC in their actions to spur on much-needed conversations — about the kind of region we collectively want to live in, and the ways in which public transit makes that a reality.

Speaking of regional transit…

TransLink has an Online Survey, as part of its future upgrade work on Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station — the busiest station in the entire transit system.

Artist’s Rendering of Commercial-Drive Broadway Station, from TransLink SkyTrain Station Upgrades Backgrounder.

After holding information sessions, TransLink launched an online survey that is be accepting responses until Monday, June 16. Check out their consultation activities and more information on the proposed upgrades from TransLink’s website.

You can also find more information (including what TransLink has heard from previous rounds of consultation on this project) at their Document Library on the Commercial-Broadway Station Upgrade Project.

UBC’s Alma Mater Society is hosting a Community Transit Forum to discuss the future of the Broadway corridor. The event will take place on Thursday, May 2nd, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm at the Hollywood Theatre on Broadway.

The Broadway corridor (from Commercial Drive through to UBC) is a key economic, residential, institutional and cultural area for Vancouver and British Columbia. It boasts the highest concentration of jobs in B.C. outside of the downtown core. More than 100,000 public transit trips occur in this part of the city each day, making it one of the most heavily used diesel bus routes in North America.

Broadway’s current and potential demographic and economic development has driven recent discussion about the future of the corridor. Given the ongoing discussions regarding the future of the corridor, the AMS is inviting a number of speakers to lead a discussion, with community input, on the kind of future that is envisioned for Broadway. Informed debate will help the community shape and articulate its own future within a rapidly growing region.

Vancouver Public Space Network’s Karen Quinn Fung will be participating as a panelist to share her views on this issue through her experience as VPSN’s public transit project lead, and to bring forward VPSN’s interest in enhancing Vancouver’s public spaces to the dialogue. Other panelists include Yuri Artibise (Yurbanism), Claire Havens (SFU’s Carbon Talks), and Arno Schortinghuis (HUB – Your Cycling Connection).

Want to join us? Register online at the event’s Eventbrite site. Looking forward to see you there and hearing from everyone on this very important topic!

On Monday, May 30, Allan Jacobs, former director of city planning for San Francisco and the author of “Great Streets”, and Elizabeth Macdonald, professor at the University of California Berkeley and urban design consultant, gave a public talk at SFU Harbour Centre concerning best practices in street design. I gathered from the talk that the City of Vancouver has brought Jacobs and Macdonald on board to advise them on rethinking Broadway.

Rethinking what? Consider this: Broadway is one of the most important east-west arterials in the city. It has a high concentration of jobs and people, it is one of the region’s largest transit corridors with 100,000 daily trips by bus, and it is Vancouver’s only continuous truck route north of 41st Ave. And all of the above are expected to grow significantly in the next 20 to 30 years.

Peter Judd, the City Engineer, characterized Broadway as “schizophrenic”, and I believe he has a point. West of Arbutus, Broadway has a good sense of place, with mature trees, a diverse mix of residential, retail, and entertainment uses, awnings and vibrant sidewalks. Between Macdonald and Alma on any day of the week you see lots of activity on the sidewalks, restaurant patios spill out, and people run errands, walk with leisure, and socialize. Every summer, this part of Broadway is the venue for street festivals. If you’ve been to any of them, you know what a great place it can be.

East of Arbutus, Broadway has a different story. It is generally wider (up to 99 feet wide), lined with tired buildings and sometimes mega-office or retail buildings, sees much heavier traffic flows, and for the most part is void of trees, awnings, and architectural details that engage the eyes. The so-called “Central Broadway”, the stretch between Arbutus and Main, has the second highest concentration of jobs in the region, which results in much street activity during business hours. In the evenings, though, you don’t experience the type of activity and vibrancy that define Broadway west of Macdonald.

Central Broadway, 2010. Source: Arlene Gee on Flickr

This may be the turning point for Broadway. At City Hall, a planning program is underway for Central Broadway to rethink how this part of Broadway can achieve its growth objectives with the right mix of uses. Translink is also undertaking a rapid transit study along the corridor, which if (or when) realized, can increase transit ridership and reduce vehicle flows, allowing the City to rethink the functional and aesthetic aspects of the street, such as wider sidewalks, landscaping, bulges at intersections, and on-street parking.

During her talk, Elizabeth Macdonald made a several interesting points related to balancing what we need with what we want:

• She hinted that we are probably asking Broadway to do too much for us. It is already a major transportation corridor with heavy vehicle flow, transit use that is reaching capacity, and a high concentration of jobs and people expected to grow 30 per cent by 2041. And we want it to be a Great Street. Are we asking Central Broadway to do too much? Quite possibly we are.

• Macdonald also pointed out the need for “balanced street”, that is, the sweet spot where we balance out competing interests: accommodating different types of movement (walk, bike, transit, car), accommodating both movement and being in place (allowing people to sit and enjoy the public realm while the street functions as a major transportation route), and having the right amount of hardscape and greenery.

In its current state, Central Broadway hardly finds that balance: its public realm is poor and uninviting, sidewalks are sometimes too narrow, activities are drowned in traffic noise, its built form and street edge appear dilapidated, and it generally lacks visual interest.

Both speakers brought examples of great streets and interventions they have been involved with, namely Octavia Boulevard in San Francisco, where part of the freeway was turned into a boulevard that keeps cars moving while making the surrounding neighbourhood a better place. International Boulevard in Oakland, CA, for instance, which is about as wide as Central Broadway, home to a BART station, a neighbourhood shopping street and transit village with traffic calming measures to slow down vehicle speeds to a level appropriate for the neighbourhood context.

Octavia Boulevard, looking south, 2008. Source: sfcta.org

There is much to think about over the next year or two as the City completes the Central Broadway Planning Program, renews its next transportation plan (Transportation 2040), and Translink wraps up the UBC Line Rapid Transit Study. As Elizabeth Macdonald pointed out, there is much to balance out and through these processes we need to question the role we want Broadway to play in both the city and the region. If we want Central Broadway to become a great place for pedestrians, similar to the section west of Macdonald, then we must rethink how the transportation functions of the street can be balanced out with the residential, office, retail, and leisure functions which can bring much-needed vitality to this part of Broadway.

In the course of providing feedback for this process (such as proposed road space arrangement, mode alignments, station placements, and the comprehensiveness of the evaluation process), there are three key factors that apply across the board as TransLink and stakeholders move forward on a decision:

• The status quo is not working. With the desired growth in employment density along the central Broadway corridor as desired by the City of Vancouver, the over-crowding on transit on Broadway can only get worse. While the precise trajectory of other factors affecting travel, such as the nature of growing demand for trips to UBC, is uncertain, it is more than clear that we have passed the need for incremental increases capacity and require more than buses.
• We want the most people able to access transit. Our ideal is that the chosen solution moves the most people possible while maintaining high safety, convenience, accessibility and affordability for today’s and tomorrow’s population. We urge respondents to keep in mind that Broadway has the potential to be a “great street” and currently serves as Vancouver’s second downtown. This is an important factor while weighing the options for the transit alignment. The transit option selected will have an impact on public realm development and how roadspace will be allocated on Broadway for the future.
• How we fund what we decide to build matters. Many aspects of public-private partnerships deserve closer scrutiny, not least because they alter the balance of whether transit operators are able to take profits from some parts of the system to help fund transit operations in other places, such as buses serving seniors, low-income individuals and others who depend on transit. While funding is a primary consideration in later stages of the study, we should ensure we get the system that meets our needs on a wider spectrum of factors, not simply in moving us around.

TransLink will be reporting back on feedback it has received near the end of 2011, when decision-makers at TransLink and the Province will settle on a preferred alternative.

Want to keep in touch with the Vancouver Public Space Network’s work on this issue? Send an e-mail to Karen Fung (quinn AT vancouverpublicspace DOT ca) and we will be sure to keep you in the loop.

From Wednesday, March 30, to Wednesday, April 6, TransLink will be holding a series of community consultation workshops in different areas along Broadway to share where they are at with Phase 2 of the UBC Rapid Transit study. Since Phase 1, a new crop of considerations have appeared, so now is a great time to get caught up on the status of the study!

The Vancouver Public Space Network did a lot of thinking about the Broadway Corridor last year, when we held a series of open workshops exploring the concept of Broadway as a ‘Great Street’ called Transforming Broadway.

These workshops, as well as TransLink’s UBC Line Rapid Transit Study website, are a great way to learn more about what’s possible and what both TransLink and people in the area think, whether they work, live or play in or around the area. Transit — both in terms of getting around and the ‘fixed infrastructure’ which supports it — is a huge defining factor of both public space and life in Vancouver generally.

We highly encourage you to attend the workshop, attend TransLink’s online webinar on the topic, or weigh in online. If you participated in their workshops last year, or if you need to get caught up, I recommend checking out TransLink’s summary of what they heard in their Phase 1 Consultations.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world… a crowd gathers for New
Year’s celebrations at Mrs Macquerie’s Point in Sydney Australia.
Submitted by VPSN member Lisa M.

A late year greeting to all of you from the gang at the VPSN. This is it: day 365 of 2010 and we’re a mere few hours away from a brand new year. We hope you’re having a grand time with you various celebrations.

We wanted to take this opportunity to send you out a quick thank you for all your support this past year. 2010 has been an exciting one for us – and a busy year for public space related issues in the Vancouver. We had the opportunity to be involved in a great number of initiatives, and it’s been fun take this holiday period to reflect on the public space ‘scene’ in Vancouver over the past 12 months.

This time last year, Vancouverites of all political stripes were gearing up for the Olympics, planning a range of activities. In addition to some pre-Games advocacy work around Olympic gathering areas, corporate signage and the deployment of surveillance technology, the VPSN also launched our blog during the 1^st month of 2010 – using it to report out on urban issues – starting with the Game’s related transformation of the City. Since that time, we’ve seen our readership grow in leaps and bounds… and it’s been a great tool to connect with residents of the City about civic affairs issues.

2010 was also a big year on the active transportation front. The Olympic transportation plan marked a watershed moment for shaping urban mobility during the Games. But that was only the start! The Vancouver Courier recently declared their ‘Newsmaker of the Year’ to be the bicycle – no small tribute to the many initiatives that have taken place concerning the humble two-wheeler this year. Chief amongst these was the installation of the Dunsmuir viaduct separated bikelane in the Spring of this year and the more recent opening of the Hornby Street separated lane. These weren’t controversy free, to be sure, and yes, the process could have been handled better… but regardless, we feel that they will help to put Vancouver on the path to a more sustainable, healthful future.

Pedestrian issues have also begun to come to the fore and we’ve been working to support these where possible. There been an increasing focus on improving the pedestrian experience, the walkability of neighbourhoods, and attending to issues of pedestrian safety. And with the City focusing on “green mobility” as part of its Bright Green Future initiative and planning to develop a new Transportation Plan in 2011, this positive trend will only continue. Our prediction? 2011 will be to pedestrian issues, what 2010 was to the bicycle. Just watch what happens when the international Walk 21 Conference landing in town in November.

Animating the city’s public spaces has always been part of our strategy to focus attention on the public realm. This year was no exception! In the summer time we transformed Granville Street into a giant percussive ensemble with our Stick it to the Streets event. Later in the year, we were pleased to roll out two of our annual favourites: in September we participated in our third Park(ing) Day celebration – that international day of parking space reclamation (this year we had sites in Davie Village and at City Hall). Then in late October, we had our annual Halloween transit party – a massive costumed take-over of the Seabus. And then in November we managed to get 100 folks together on Vancouver’s coldest, snowiest day, to make a giant ‘ecological footprint’ as part of an international public art project.

In 2010 we continued to wear our advocacy hats on all aspects of Vancouver’s public space policy – from arguing against the deployment of surveillance cameras in schools to raising the alarm over new forms of corporate advertising, from to registering concern with increased fees for community-based events, to taking a stance against the proposal to extend the municipal vote to corporations.

We’ve also weighed in on site-specific spaces as well – we participated in the discussion around moving the Vancouver Art Gallery, developed new community gardens, completed an ethnographic film on Yaletown Park, and focused a considerable amount of resources towards advocating for a sufficient quantity and quality of public space (and other public benefits) as part of the development of Northeast False Creek. And of course there’s another item we’re very excited about: the push to transform the 800 block of Robson Street into a public square (a move that was recently supported by all three municipal parties!)

This was just a sampling of some of the things we were involved in last year. As with all our projects, the aforementioned initiatives gave us the chance to work with fantastic volunteers, amazing community organizations and stellar people in local government, schools and universities and the community at large. It’s an honour for us to be able to collaborate with Vancouver’s many excellent space-makers and urban enthusiasts. 

* * * * * 

VPSN Coordinators also took the first weekend in December to plan out some of our activities for 2011. Here’s a sneak peek of a few of the many things you can expect to see over the next 12 months:

• Where’s the Square II – stay tuned for our summertime animation of Robson Street – with a fantastic food-themed event.
• Vancouver Votes / Public Space Manifesto – 2011 is election year, and as with the last municipal contest, the VPSN will be developing a new manifesto and a number of election related events aimed at putting public space issues on the agenda. 
• Relaunching PubliCity – we’ve had an issue ready to go for a few months now… and we’ll be rolling this out in the first few months of 2011.
• Transforming Broadway – Due in January, our report on transforming Broadway into a Great Street will showcase exciting options for the future of Vancouver’s longest east/west corridor.
• Speaker Series / Backgrounders / Websites – We’ve been developing new backgrounders on public health, parking space reclamation, and greenspaces, to name a few. We’ll also be launching version 2.0 of our website, holding key speaker series events and a range of other open-source materials
• Collaborative ventures – We’ve got some exciting things lined up with the Museum of Vancouver and the Vancouver Art Gallery, and other projects in the hopper as well.

And there will be lots of other stuff coming as well… including all your favourite annual events, parties, film fest activities and more. 

Finally… don’t forget, the first big community opportunity to embrace public space takes place tomorrow morning, January 1, with the annual polar bear swim. Even if you don’t brave the chilly waters of English Bay yourself, the scene is a festive one.

The year begins and ends with celebrating in public space. Happy 2011 everyone! Very best wishes to you all.

Your friends at the Vancouver Public Space Network

VPSN PUBLIC SPACE FEATURE EVENT

• Friday, September 17 – Park(ing) Day

VPSN MEETINGS & PROJECTS

• Wednesday, September 1 – Volunteer Orientation Meeting
• Tuesday, September 14 – Urban Design Working Group Meeting
• Monday, September 27 – Billboards & Corporatization Brainstorm
• Transforming Broadway Report
• Great Trees Contest – Support the Urban Forest

ENGAGE: PUBLIC CONSULTATION OPPORTUNITIES

• Talk Green To Me
• Hornby Bike Lane Consultation

VPSN PUBLIC SPACE FEATURE EVENT

Friday, September 17 – PARK(ing) Day

Want to help us turn some dull concrete parking spaces into public spaces for a day? Join us for PARK(ing) Day on Friday, September 17th as we transform metered parking spots into temporary parks for the public good.

For the third year running, the Vancouver Public Space Network will be participating in PARK(ing) Day – a global adventure that sees parking spaces transformed into public space playgrounds for young and old. Sound awesome? It is! There are two ways for you to get involved:

1) Join the VPSN as we take over some parking spaces in a soon-to-be-revealed downtown location!

This year we’ve got some great concepts lined up including a street jam, swing dancing, and even a yoga class! Sound fun? Help us out and:

• Come to one of our weekly PARK(ing) Day Planning Meetings
• Email Simon at simon@vancouverpublicspace.ca to find out how you can help to make this year our best PARK(ing) Day yet!
• Join the Facebook Event to stay up-to-date on the latest plans and updates, and invite your friends!

OR:

2) Take over a parking space of your own on September 17th!

The best way to participate in PARK(ing) Day is to design and build a park. It’s easy – you don’t need to be an artist, community activist or have any special training to do a park, but you do need to be aware of your local regulations and do you best to stay within the law. Sound fun? Simply:

• Email Simon at simon@vancouverpublicspace.ca to get a simple step-by-step guide to run your very own Vancouver PARK(ing) Day.
• Visit http://parkingday.org/resources/ for more resources that will help get you started!

For more information about PARK(ing) Day, please visit: http://parkingday.org/

Did you know!?

The PARK(ing) Day practice dates back to at least the 1930′s, when citizens of Oklahoma City set up card tables, dropped a few coins in the meter and played bridge in parking spaces to protest the very creation of parking meters themselves! Come out and be a part of history on September 17th!

VPSN PUBLIC SPACE PROJECTS

Wednesday, September 1 – Volunteer Orientation Meeting

Join us for our monthly volunteer orientation and learn about opportunities to make Vancouver great! Session takes place at 7pm in Room 3047, SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings. Please RSVP.

:: More information or to RSVP – erin at vancouverpublicspace.ca

Tuesday, September 14 – Urban Design Working Group Meeting

The VPSN’s Urban Design Working Group works on a variety of issues connecting planning, design and public space. This month we will be reviewing progress around the North East False Creek High Level Planning Process, the next stage of Where’s the Square and planning responses to emergent urban design issues and opportunities in Vancouver.

:: For more information – urbandesign [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Monday, September 27 – Billboards & Public Space Corporatization

Our Corporatization Working Group is convening a meeting to brainstorm issues around the corporatization of public space – that is, the presence of billboards and outdoor signage, corporate branding and forms of privatization affecting Vancouver’s public realm. We’ll be preparing a discussion paper on the subject and we invite you to help us to think through the issues. The meeting takes place Monday the 27th of September at 6:30 pm. Location TBD.

:: For more information – stephanie [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Coming Soon: Transforming Broadway Report

In July and August we worked with the City of Vancouver to coordinate and host two public consultations and a ground-truthing session to the sorts of things that it will take to transform Broadway into a Great Street. Thanks to the participation of dozens of volunteers and VPSN supporters we’re putting the finishing touches on our report detailing our findings. Stay tuned for more on this.

:: VPSN Transforming Broadway Webpage

Great Trees Contest. Support the Urban Forest. Win a Prize!

Each week we give a way a prize to one lucky Vancouverite who likes trees. The process is easy and the odds are good. If you want to participate, all you have to do is send us a picture of your favourite Vancouver tree with a few words on why you feel its so awesome.

We’ve been publishing the submissions we’ve recieved, along with other neat articles on Vancouver’s urban forest on our Great Trees blog. In the next little while, we’ll also be kicking off our community-based map of the city’s favourite leafy giants.

If you have a chance this week, take a moment to snap a picture of your favourite tree and send it our way! Help us to pay homage to our urban forest.

:: For more information – www.GreatTrees.ca

ENGAGE – PUBLIC CONSULTATION OPPORTUNITIES

Talk Green To Me

How can Vancouver reach its 2020 goal of being the Greenest City in the world? Between now and October 7 the City of Vancouver wants you to share what you would do to make Vancouver the greenest city in the world… naturally the VPSN is helping out and making sure public space is on the agenda.

:: Have an idea? Want to vote on what you think is most important? Click here.
:: Want more info? Visit the Talk Green To Me website.

Hornby Bike Lane Consultation

We believe that Hornby street is a crucial link in creating a substantive and comprehensive bicycle lane network that will increase ridership and safety and will provide benefits for residents and businesses alike. The VPSN is currently preparing a letter for City Council outlining our support for this initiative. We encourage you to send Council your thoughts as well!

:: Have something to add? Email mayorandcouncil (at) vancouver.ca
:: City of Vancouver – Bike Vancouver webpage

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 your 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. Thanks!

VPSN PUBLIC SPACE PROJECTS & EVENTS

• Tuesday, July 6 – Transforming Broadway – Workshop
• Tuesday, July 6 – Surveillance & Security Working Group Meeting
• Wednesday, July 7 – VPSN Volunteer Orientation
• AGM Update
• Great Trees Contest – Support the Urban Forest

VPSN BLOG

• The new BC Place casino – a different kind of bird?
• Granville gets its groove on

OTHER EVENTS

• Saturday, July 10 – Parkour Gathering
• Monday, July 19 – Archival tour of the West End
• Monday, July 19 – Psycho!Geography Bike Ride

 
VPSN PUBLIC SPACE PROJECTS & EVENTS

Tuesday July 6 – Transforming Broadway: What would it take to make Broadway a Great Street?

Join us on Tuesday for the second (and last) of our “Transforming Broadway” workshops. Our Mt. Pleasant event last week was stellar (thank you participants!) and we’re looking forward to another excellent discussion this week.

Both the City of Vancouver and Translink are currently engaging in planning exercises that will shape the future of Broadway. This means that we now, collectively, have a very good opportunity to lay down a sense of direction that will enhance the street. Our position? Let’s take this chance to transform the city’s great east-west corridor into something fantastic!

The facilitated workshops will be focused around a simple question: what would it take to turn Broadway into a Great Street? We need your help to find this out. 

The evening’s session starts at 7:00pm and snacks and drinks will be served. Please note – the event is free, but seating is limited. Register to get your name on the list. 

:: For more information/to register – broadway [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca
:: VPSN Transforming Broadway webpage and backgrounder
:: City of Vancouver Central Broadway Corridor webpage

Tuesday, July 6 – Surveillance & Security Working Group Meeting

Our ever-vigilant S&S Working Group meets this Tuesday in Room 3047 of SFU Harbour Centre. On the agenda: ICBC’s new surveillance camera plan for Vancouver’s intersections, update work for our surveillance mapping of the downtown core, community policing issues and other issues pertaining to safe spaces. Please RSVP for the meeting as space is limited.

:: To RSVP – heather [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Wednesday, July 7 – VPSN Volunteer Orientation

Join us for our monthly volunteer orientation and learn about opportunities to make Vancouver great! Session takes place at 7pm in Room 3047, SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings. Please RSVP.

:: More information or to RSVP – erin [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

AGM Update

Thanks to everyone who came out for our VPSN Annual General Meeting last Sunday. You’ll be hearing more from our Board this year as we move into planning work around the VPSN’s long-term strategic goals. In the meantime, we’re please to present our Board officers for 2010: Erin O’Melinn (Chair), Adam Vasilevich (Vice Chair), Stephanie Doerksen (Treasurer) and Josh Paterson (Secretary). Rounding out the Board are Heather Forbes, Eliana MacDonald, Jaspal Marwah, Karen Parusel and Andrew Pask. 

:: More information on the VPSN non-profit – info [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca 

Great Trees Contest. Support the Urban Forest. Win a Prize!

Each week we give a way a prize to one lucky Vancouverite who likes trees. The process is easy and the odds are good. If you want to participate, all you have to do is send us a picture of your favourite Vancouver tree with a few words on why you feel its so awesome.

We’ve been publishing the submissions we’ve recieved, along with other neat articles on Vancouver’s urban forest on our Great Trees blog. In the next little while, we’ll also be kicking off our community-based map of the city’s favourite leafy giants. 

If you have a chance this week, take a moment to snap a picture of your favourite tree and send it our way! Help us to pay homage to our urban forest.

:: For more information – www.GreatTrees.ca

VPSN BLOG

The following are some of the recent posts from our blog. 

June 30 - The new BC Place casino – a different kind of bird?
Earlier this spring the BC government released a major announcement about a downtown development project. Unveiled in a new proposal was Extreme Makeover: BC Place Edition, in which Vancouver’s downtown stadium will be getting a new retractable roof along with other building improvements, to the tune of $450 million. (Eat your heart out, Ty Pennington.) [more…]

June 26 – Granville gets its groove on
A roving team of 50 percussionists turned Granville Street into a giant drum, testing the resonance of street furniture, sidewalks and signs alike… Part of the VPSN’s Stick it to the Streets event, the pavement-level gig changed the soundscape of the street — animating it for passers-by and showcasing the real acoustics of Vancouver’s “entertainment district.” [more…]

OTHER EVENTS

Saturday, July 10 – Parkour Gathering

BC’a largest annual Parkour gathering takes place on July 10 starting 1pm at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The crew plans to “re-purpose” the urban landscape throughout downtown Vancouver, running, clambering and jumping through the city’s spaces. Lots of fun! This is probably one of the rare chances people get to see over 100 traceurs of all different skill levels from all over Canada and the US get down in the city. More importantly, it’s a great opportunity for the curious to give it a shot. 

:: For more information – www.pkbc.ca

Monday, July 19 – Archival View of the West End – Friends of the Vancouver City Archives

James Johnstone presents a virtual street by street tour of the old West End using images from the Archives photographic holdings. For more information, please visit the Friends of the Archive webpage. The event is free and there is no need to reserve a space.

And speaking of the Archives, they also have a new exhibit running in their gallery called Edifice: Exploring Art, Archives and Architecture. It’s on display until August 27 and represents a collaboration between the Archives, artist Graham Winter and Heritage Vancouver. You can visit the Archives over off of Chestnut Avenue in Vanier Park.

Monday, July 19* – Psycho!Geography Bike Ride

Join Gallery Gachet and artist/activist RedSara on this unique guided bicycle ride through the twilight summer night…. featuring stops at one ‘high incidence of car crashes’ site, one crazy industry site for screaming, one quiet river refuge, and the ICBC crashed car parking lot. In the evening River Road along the North Arm of the Fraser River is a quiet and beautiful place where industry meets nature, all reflected in water.

Ride departs Marine Skytrain Station at 8:15 and crosses the Fraser to Richmond, with stops for early evening observation & photography along the way. Ride ends at 22nd Street Skytrain Station, a distance of approx 20 km.

Participants should register in advance, and also be sure that they and their bikes are in good enough functioning order to be able to ride for 20km (will take approx 3 hr with stops). Assistance is available for people with unique mobility needs who wish to join the ride through tandems, chariots or loaner bikes. Please inquire. Note: rain date – July 26, 2010.

:: For details or to register – email sara [at] redsara.ca

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 your 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. Thanks!

The next seven days have another fine assortment of activities. Check out the following update to see what’s in store.

VPSN PUBLIC SPACE PROJECTS & EVENTS

• Friday, June 25 – Interventions Jam with the Design Nerds
• Saturday, June 26 – Stick it to the Streets
• Sunday, June 27 – VPSN AGM and Beach BBQ
• Monday, June 28 – Transforming Broadway – Mt. Pleasant Workshop
• Tuesday, July 6 – Transforming Broadway – Fairview/Kits Workshop
• Great Trees Contest – Support the Urban Forest

VPSN BLOG

• Quieting the roar of the pimped-out motorbike
• Open houses – Help shape the future of three Vancouver parks
• The limits of preserving heritage? The Great Harwood Tulip Tree
• Following up on the Local Government Elections Taskforce

VPSN PUBLIC SPACE PROJECTS & EVENTS

Friday, June 25 – Urban Interventions Jam
One of the local groups that we’ve always been fans of is the Vancouver Design Nerds — a cool bunch of design aficionados that put their talents to good use, coming up with ways to enhance the city and its spaces. Every few months they host a Nerd Jam where participants elevator pitch an idea and the assembled crew jams on the possibilities.

This Friday’s jam centres on the theme of urban interventions – a topic near and dear to our hearts. It starts at 7:00pm and takes place on West Pender. You can find all the details on their Facebook page.

:: Vancouver Design Nerds Facebook Event Page

Saturday, June 26 – Stick it to the Streets

How much music can be made with a pair of drumsticks and the street as the instrument? The Vancouver Public Space Network and friends will be descending on to Granville Street this Saturday to Stick It to the Streets and find out. Bring your drumsticks, spoons, keys, and selves to join a crew of Vancouverites as they move through the street making music with the urban landscape. Will we expect impromptu drum battles? Spontaneous street dancing? Come down and see for yourself! The fun starts at 1:00pm.

For more information, check out out the VPSN SITS webpage or Facebook event page. And while you’re at it, take a gander at the cool promo video we made for the event as well.

Sunday, June 27 – VPSN Annual General Meeting & Beach BBQ

The VPSN isn’t just a grassroots organization – it’s also a registered non-profit. Per the terms of our society registration, we’ll be holding an Annual General Meeting to report out on last years activities and finances, and other cool initiatives. But frankly, we’ll also be using the occasion as an excuse to have a bbq and celebration at Stanley Park at Third Beach. You should come!

:: VPSN Website – AGM Details

Monday, June 28 Transforming Broadway: What would it take to make Broadway a Great Street?

The City of Vancouver is currently undertaking an review of the Central Broadway Corridor – the portion of Broadway that runs from roughly Kingsway (in Mt. Pleasant) to Vine (in Kitsilano). The intent of the planning exercise is to review a variety of land-use policies connected with the street and the surrounding area. What this means in real terms is that we now, collectively, have a very good opportunity to lay down a sense of direction that will enhance the street. So let’s take this chance to transform the city’s great east-west corridor into something fantastic!

The VPSN will be hosting two facilitated workshops that will be focused around a simple question: what would it take to turn Broadway into a Great Street? We need your help to find this out. Please consider joining us on one of the following dates:

Monday, June 28 @ Mt. Pleasant Neighbourhood House
Tuesday, July 6 @ Kitsilano Neighbourhood House
(Correction: this date was originally posted as Monday June 5)

Both sessions will be taking place in the early evening (final times TBD) and snacks and drinks will be served. The events are free, but seating is limited. Please register to get your name on the list.

:: For more information – broadway [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca
:: VPSN Transforming Broadway webpage
:: City of Vancouver Central Broadway Corridor webpage

Great Trees Contest. Send Us A Pic of Your Favourite Tree. Support the Urban Forest Win a Prize!

Each week we give a way a prize to one lucky Vancouverite who likes trees. The process is easy and the odds are good. If you want to participate, all you have to do is send us a picture of your favourite Vancouver tree with a few words on why you feel its so awesome.

We’ve been publishing the submissions we’ve received, along with other neat articles on Vancouver’s urban forest on our Great Trees blog. In the next little while, we’ll also be kicking off our community-based map of the city’s favourite leafy giants.

If you have a chance this week, take a moment to snap a picture of your favourite tree and send it our way! Help us to pay homage to our urban forest.

:: For more information – www.GreatTrees.ca

VPSN BLOG

The following are some of the recent posts from our blog.

June 19 – Quieting the roar of the pimped-out motorbike

Today’s media brings news of two strategies being deployed in the fight against excessive vehicle noise. Both, coincidentally, aimed at the worst (in my humble, patio-loving opinion) of the summertime soundscape offenders – the pimped out motorbike…. [more]

June 17 – Open Houses – Help shape the future of three Vancouver parks

The city wants the public’s feedback on projects going on in three prominent parks in Vancouver: Vanier Park, Mount Pleasant Park, and perhaps most substantively, Hastings Park. Check out the following open houses and have your say… [more]

June 10 – The limits of preserving heritage? The Great Harwood Tulip Tree

Over the years, density bonusing has acted as an important tool in Vancouver’s city-building methodology. It’s a tool with which planners, guided by Council, have used to support the development or enhancement of important public benefits – parks, community facilities, and public art to name a few. Under the process, extra allowable height (“density”) is permitted on a given project, and in exchange for this, developers provide a public good… [more]

June 8 – Following up on the Local Government Elections Taskforce recommendations

The Local Government Elections Task Force delivered its 31 recommendations for improvements to local election on May 28, 2010. Two matters are of particular interest to the VPSN… [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 your 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. Thanks!

• Saturday, June 26 – Stick it to the Streets
• The 9th Avenue Makeover: Turning Broadway into a Great Street
• Sustainable Transportation & Neighbourhood Business Research
• Great Trees Contest – Send Us a Pic of Your Favourite Trunks

VPSN WORKING GROUP MEETINGS – YOU’RE INVITED!

• Wednesday June 9 – Surveillance & Security
• Monday, June 14 – Community Gardens
• Tuesday, June 15 – Pedestrian Issues
• Wednesday, June 16 – Parks Advocacy

VPSN VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

• Monday, June 14 – Volunteer Orientation Meeting
• Wanted – Parks Advocate Co-Coordinator
• Wanted – Bicycle Issues Co-Coordinator

VPSN PUBLIC SPACE PROJECTS & EVENTS

Saturday, June 26 – Stick it to the Streets

How much music can be made with a pair of drumsticks and the street as the instrument? The Vancouver Public Space Network and friends will be descending on to Granville Street this June to Stick It to the Streets and find out. Bring your drumsticks, spoons, keys, and selves to join a crew of Vancouverites as they move through the city making music with the urban landscape. Will we expect impromptu drum battles? Spontaneous street dancing? Come down and see for yourself!

:: For more information, check out out the VPSN blog post or Facebook event

The 9th Avenue Makeover – Turning Broadway into a Great Street?

The City of Vancouver is currently undertaking an review of the Central Broadway Corridor – the portion of Broadway that runs from roughly Kingsway (in Mt. Pleasant) to Vine (in Kitsilano). The intent of the planning exercise is to review a variety of land-use policies connected with the street and the surrounding area.

Broadway is the grand east-west avenue in the city – a major transportation route, a substantial business and retail corridor, and the site of some of the key intersections in Vancouver. Yet for all its importance, Broadway has never quite achieved its potential. Among other things, its role as a public space (or site of public spaces) hasn’t received enough attention over the years. Similarly, for a street of this stature, its position as a social or cultural space is under-whelming. We think the present planning exercise offers a chance to take the street up a notch and to put the wheels in place to do something substantial with Broadway.

The VPSN has teamed up with the Planning department to hold two facilitated workshops that will be focused around a simple question: what would it take to turn Broadway into a Great Street? We need your help to find this out. The dates for these events are currently being finalized but will likely take place towards the latter part of June. Please stay tuned. We’ll be sending out more information in the near future and hope you’ll consider joining in the discussion.

:: For more information – broadway [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca
:: City of Vancouver Central Broadway Corridor webpage

Call for Volunteers – Sustainable Transportation and Neighbourhood Business Research Project

The VPSN is undertaking a study to examine the relationship between sustainable transportation and shopping patterns of residents and visitors on four commercial streets in Vancouver. The study will survey people’s modes of travel and their associated spending, explore the potential “business case” for sustainable transportation, and look at how specific changes in street use and allocation of space (e.g. pedestrianized streets, separated bike lanes, etc.) could affect the attractiveness of these streets as a place to shop and visit.

On-street surveys will be undertaken on Wed. June 23, Sat. June 26, Wed. June 30, Sat. July 3. We need help with the on-street survey collection, which will be done in pairs. Interested in lending a hand? Please let us know.

:: For more info or to RSVP – Andrew Baxter andrew.baxter [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Great Trees Contest. Send Us A Pic of Your Favourite Trunks. Win a Prize!

Our Great Trees contest is unfurling itself, leaf-like, over the city. So far, we’ve had three prize draws and given away some excellent books on trees, forests and parks.

But things are moving a little more slowly than anticipated – and we need your help. We’re trying to profile the stars of the city’s urban forest and are looking for people to send us a picture of their favourite Vancouver tree. Our goal is to publish these images and the accompanying stories and to produced a community-based map of the city’s favourite leafy giants.

If you have a chance this weekend, take a moment to snap a picture of your favourite tree and send it our way! Help us to pay homage to our urban forest.

:: For more information – www.GreatTrees.ca

VPSN WORKING GROUP MEETINGS

Wednesday, June 9 – Surveillance & Security Working Group Meeting

New and returning volunteers are invited to join us on the 9th as we discuss various projects related to surveillance & security in Vancouver. We’ve had some recent success in raising awareness around the Province’s push to greenlight the use of CCTV in public schools. We’ve got some other surveillance camera advocacy work in process and are also looking to undertake research into community policing in the city. The meeting takes place at 6:30pm at SFU Harbour Centre, Room 3100.

:: For more information – heather [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Monday, June 14 – Community Gardens Working Group

The Community Gardens Working Group will be holding our next meeting on Monday June 14th at 6pm. We are hoping that the weather will have improved by then, so will be holding the meeting on the grassed area on the Coal Harbour seawall (at the bottom of Bute Street, beside The Mill Pub and Restaurant). We will provide blankets – please feel free to bring drinks and snacks. If the weather hasn’t improved we can retreat to a nearby cafe.

We would like to hear your community gardening ideas and feedback, so feel free to come along and share your thoughts. We are working on a number of projects this year and are always interested in welcoming new volunteers who would like to get involved with Vancouver Public Space Network.

:: More information – gardens [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Tuesday, June 15 – Pedestrian Issues Working Group Meeting

Help us explore the twin issues of pedestrian safety and community walkability. The next Pedestrian Issues meeting will take place a week from now and everyone is welcome. There’s lots to talk about as well: a potential motion at City Council to make pedestrian advocacy more of a priority, a push to make Vancouver the greenest city by 2020, and the creation of new, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. Mark your calendar! The meeting will take place at 6:30pm, location TBD.

:: For more information – natalie [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Wednesday, June 16 – Parks Advocacy Meeting

There’s lots happening in the world of parks and park planning – from the redesign of Granville, to the debate around letting anti-HST petitions in community centres. The VPSN’s newest Working Group is looking to connect with people who are interested in these and other issues. Join us at 6pm at the Italian Garden in Hastings Park (weather permitting, otherwise, The Grind on Main and King Edward).

:: For more information – simon [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Monday, June 14 – Volunteer Orientation

Our monthly VPSN 101 session takes place next Monday. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the Network and the various volunteer opportunities that exist. The meeting takes place at 7pm at SFU Harbour Centre, Room 3047.

:: RSVP to Erin O’Melinn, Volunteer Coordinator – erin [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

We also have a few key coordinator positions that we’re trying to fill. These offer great learning and leadership opportunities, fantastic connections and lots of fun.

Parks Advocate – Co-Coordinator

We’re in the process of developing a Working Group that will look at parks issues – including the design and planning of parks and parks facilities, their social use, and the regulatory aspects that affect these spaces (as enacted mostly by the City’s Board of Parks and Recreation). We’re looking for a keen volunteer who can help us to develop this working group, activate a volunteer team and assist with

• monitoring a variety of parks issues and following them as they unfold;
• keeping on top of related media;
• providing input where necessary and connecting the dots between these issues and other VPSN working groups (e.g. community gardens, urban design,public art, etc.) as relevant;
• raising awareness in the community about these issues, creating opportunities for engagement, identifying areas of common concern among neighbourhood groups etc.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, please contact Erin O’Melinn – erin [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Bicycle Transportation – Co-Coordinator

Our team is expanding to provide dedicated coverage to the various key modes of sustainable transportation. We’re looking for two people who can help to develop our Bicycle Working Group and enable us to work effectively on a range of cycling issues:

• cycling infrastructure – including advocacy around the development of bike lanes, bike locking infrastructure, bike share programs and other support systems that will enable more people to cycle;
• culture-shifting – including the promotion of cycling as an effective, healthy, sustainable mode of transportation.

To learn more, please contact Erin O’Melinn – erin [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

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 your 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. Thanks!