There were many highlights, but as a public space geek (if you’re reading this, consider yourself in my company!) I was particularly pumped about the stories Shirley Chan shared about the role food played in the activism that the Strathcona Property Owners and Tenants Association carried out -with legendary success!- many decades ago when their rich neighbourhood was threatened by misguided and destructive urban renewal plans. I was also pumped when Devorah Kahn noted that it was only very recently that Farmers Markets were designated as legal uses of public space. Up until that point, we were all being a little badass for buying our radishes from these markets, and that is a pretty awesome feeling.

Herstory Cafe offers events like this on an ongoing basis, so I highly encourage going to one of their future events. Another event I wholeheartedly suggest you check out if you are interested in food and the connections it facilitates in the community is The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project Harvest Party. This local group harvests the unwanted or underutilized fruit from private and public fruit trees and redistributes it to community groups that use it to feed and educate people in our community without reliable access to good, healthy produce. It’s a pretty cool project, and it should be a cool event. Matthew Kempshaw from Environmental Youth Alliance – another wonderful local group – will be speaking on local food security and local musician Corey Hawthorne will provide tunes for the night. It all goes down on Thursday, November 4th, from 6:30-9pm at Rhizome Cafe (317 E. Broadway). It should be another great night for food and fun in the city!

Earlier this summer the VPSN’s Animating Public Space Design Charette brought the winners of the Where’s the Square ideas competition together to generate ideas about how to activate a downtown space. The event built on the WTS design competition to devise ways to have fun in public space.

Celebration = people + place

As part of the VPSN’s overarching mission, Feeding Vancouver’s Soul has the goal of generating a concrete example of an animated public space in Vancouver. The result will begin to articulate what constitutes a successful public space and how we can plan for better public spaces; and raise awareness about the need for a grand gathering space in Vancouver.

Why food?

As the name “Feeding Vancouver’s Soul” indicates, food goes beyond the physical. Vancouver is home to a unique food culture that emerges from the cultural diversity and fusion. In addition, shared eating is both a universal and bonding experience.

• Sociability – The presence of food enlivens space and encourages interaction
• Unity – Food has universal appeal and embodies the variety and integration of our diverse cultures and communities
• Abundance – Demonstrate the wealth of local food and local food culture we have access to while supporting local business

The event will celebrate the diversity of Vancouver’s cultures, communities, and neighborhoods. In addition, sustainability will be incorporated into the event through composting, recycling, and waste reduction.

Get Involved!

A lot of help is needed to prepare the grant application, plan the event, and put it on! Email Caroline [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca to find out more…