As we transition calendar years, we want to take this opportunity to wish each of you the very best for the holiday season and the upcoming year. We’re looking forward to more public space fun and collaborations in 2022.

In the meantime, for those of you searching for some holiday-themed fun, be sure to check out the festive light displays found at Granville Island, St. Paul’s Hospital, and šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square (Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza). There’s also magic to be had in discovering the many individual examples of seasonal placemaking that adorn homes, businesses and streets throughout Vancouver.

Fancy a little more adventure? The outdoor skating rink at Robson Square is now open!

There are also a number of ticketed activities taking place, including:

• The Vancouver Christmas Market (through December 24)
• VanDusen Festival of Lights – (through January 3) – More than one million lights decorate the 15 acre VanDusen Botanical Garden.
• Stanley Park Bright Nights – through January 2, 2022 – The Bright Nights train chugs through the sparkling magically-lit forest of Stanley Park. (Note: The City’s webpage says this is sold out, but tickets are still available through 3rd party ticket agents.
• PNE WinterLights (in partnership with TransLink) – Ride the reindeer shuttle through nine enchanted lands filled with glowing lights, special characters and festive performers along the way.

Lastly, a chance to usher in New Year’s Day with a modified take on the annual Polar Bear Swim (January 1, 2022). As with last year’s event, the 2022 polar bear swim is online. You can find out details on this year’s “digital dip” by checking out the Park Board webpage.

Whatever it is that you get up to this holiday season, please stay safe, take good care, and look out for one another,

- Your friends at the VPSN

Photo: Holiday lights wind across the sidewalk of West 11th Avenue, between Yukon St. and Alberta St.

The City’s media release makes lots of funding and stakeholder partnerships – and these were critical in moving the project forward — but perhaps the biggest kudos need to go to the many members of the public who voiced support – signed a petition, wrote a letter, spoke to Council – over the years. Community advocacy made this happen!

The actual idea for a civic square in this location dates to the mid-20th century, and it had been formalized in Arthur Erickson’s vision for the Law Courts/Art Gallery in the 1970s. Most recently though, the push for the transformation of this space goes dates to just before the Olympics – and included a strong push through our own Where’s the Square design competition (2008-09), 800-block petitions, programming activities, and a number of other engagement and advocacy initiatives over the years – including several visits to City Council.

Today, seeing the construction hoarding removed and the first few folks make use of the space, we couldn’t be happier. This vital space truly is one of the great centerpieces of public life in Vancouver.

A great big thank you to the Councillors who supported the motion, to the City staff that helped to develop the proposals, and to the many community members (and friends of the VPSN) who lent their voice in advocating for this important public space.

Thank you, also, to the many previous Councillors who have supported the initiative in one form or another. This truly is a project that has spanned several different administrations. 

The 800-block Robson earlier today.

The original idea for a civic square in this space goes back to the early and mid-20th century. It was most notably formalized in the 1970s by the work of Arthur Erickson and Cornelia Hahn Oberlander when they redesigned the Law Courts and Vancouver Art Gallery. Most recently, the real proof of concept came with the 2010 Olympics and a series of temporary activations and summertime initiatives.

There are a number of , Wednesday, January 30. These include support for extending the Broadway Subway to UBC (good idea!), and the public engagement process for a the potential Granville Bridge Greenway (also good, provided a full range of design options are explored).

There’s a third, very important, item up for consideration: funding for the creation of a permanent plaza at the 800-block of Robson Street. This is the very popular, and extremely well-used space on the south side of the Vancouver Art Gallery – and securing the needed dollars to make design a reality is critically important.

We know that many of you support the idea of a permanent plaza at the 800-block of Robson. The pathway to creating a permanent plaza at this site has been a long one, and we are very close to seeing this become a reality – but we need you to take a few minutes of your time to help to make it happen.

A quick recap:

• 2010 – Olympic closures help to showcase the possibilities of the 800-block of Robson and its role in expanding and enhancing Robson Square;
• 2011–2016 – Seasonal summertime programming confirm the popularity of the 800-block space for a wide range of activities;
• April 2016 – Council votes to make the temporary space permanent and directs City staff to develop a design for an improved, year-round plaza;
• December 2016 – A draft design concept for the permanent square was shared with Council;
• 2017-2018 – Design work continued; interim design installations and + programming introduced in advance of a refined design. Proposed final design and build anticipated to begin in 2019.

A lot of progress has been made over the past nine years; however, in December last year, Council voted to defer funding to the Robson Square project in the midst of discussions on the City budget. It was a decision that caught many of us by surprise – and was made amidst a variety of other discussions.

In January, the VPSN wrote to Council asking that they revisit this decision and encouraging them to expedite the process of completing the plaza. Our rationale: after this many years of discussion, testing ideas, temporary programming plaza uses, and planning and design for a permanent plaza, we need to keep the momentum going and finish the project.

We wanted to remind them of the importance of this popular public space. Robson Square and the 800-block is the public space ‘heart’ of Vancouver. So let’s complete this important project so that it can be properly enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.

City Council will be re-considering the funding question tomorrow, Wednesday, January 30, 2019. We take this as a positive sign, and think that there is a good chance that Council will be willing to revisit their earlier decision. However, to help the case, it is important that friends of public space, such as yourself, send a strong message to Council to support this initiative.

We’re asking for your help on this. Please take a few moments to do one or more of the following:

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

Take 5 minutes to write a note to Council letting them know that you support the recommendation of City staff to (a) continue with delivery of the 800 Robson Plaza; and, (b) allocate capital funding for the project. (You can read the full recommendation and related details in the accompanying staff report – and you can also read our original letter in the appendix).

• Use the following email addresses for Mayor and Council (and key staff): kennedy.stewart@vancouver.ca; CLRbligh@vancouver.ca; CLRboyle@vancouver.ca; CLRcarr@vancouver.ca; CLRdegenova@vancouver.ca; CLRdominato@vancouver.ca; CLRfry@vancouver.ca; CLRhardwick@vancouver.ca; CLRkirby-yung@vancouver.ca; CLRswanson@vancouver.ca; CLRwiebe@vancouver.ca
• Be sure to CC the following key staff (the City Manager, GMs of Planning and Engineering, and the Director of Public Space): Sadhu.johnston@vancouver.ca; Gil.Kelley@vancouver.ca; Jerry.Dobrovolny@vancouver.ca; Margaret.Wittgens@vancouver.ca

Sign up to speak to Council and share your support in person. You can register to make a short (up to 5 minutes) presentation to Council by writing or calling the City Clerk’s office.

It’s important that we get as much support as possible for this, so if you have a few minutes this weekend to do one or both of the above, that will go a long way to ensuring that the Robson Square plaza project moves ahead.

Thank you in advance for helping to champion the importance of a permanent plaza on the 800-block and an expansion of Robson Square!

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!

Some background: City Council approved the creation of a permanent public plaza here in 2016 after several years of successful seasonal closures. The space is slated for a range of upgrades over the next year.

In fact, the 800-block / Robson Square is in the middle of a design process. A general concept has been shared with the public and discussed at City Council. The overall design will properly tie together the three blocks of the Robson Square (including the recently completed North Plaza complex) – as was Arthur Erickson’s original intent for the space.

In the meantime, pedestrians on the 800-Robson block are far better supported than they were when vehicles were allowed through. Allowing motorized vehicles through the space will render 800-Robson functionally useless as a plaza. It is also, fundamentally at odds with the idea of supporting active transportation – which, oddly, is a supposed goal of the Council motion.

But how could this opportunity be used to improve the Council motion?

Here’s one idea: Council could direct staff to come up with an interim programming strategy for the space in advance of the full stewardship strategy that is currently in development. Regular programming would help to ensure that the space is enlivened with activities for all community members. This could include cultural activities, art markets, and other plaza-friendly fun.

But whether or not a programming strategy is considered this week, it’s critical that the important work that’s been done to advance the 800-block/Robson Square project not be thrown out. Let’s keep moving the project forward, not backward, so that the plaza can flourish as a public space for everyone.

Show your support for the 800-block/Robson Square

• Send a note to City Council to let them know that you support keeping the 800-block free from motorized vehicles. The motion is going to be introduced at Council on Tuesday, but will likely be referred to Wednesday’s Committee meeting for further discussion. You can use this City of Vancouver website to send a message to Mayor and Council.
• Speak to Council. You can sign up to share your thoughts in person. To find out how to get your name on the speaker’s list, visit this webpage.

UPDATE (Tuesday, March 13) – We are pleased to report that the motion to introduce motorized vehicles to the 800-block / Robson Square was ruled “out of order” by City Council at their meeting earlier today. This is an important affirmation of Robson Square and its role as the heart of downtown Vancouver. Thank you to everyone that helped to spead the word!

Although things turned out for the better today, we remain concerned that the motion was introduced in the first place, and will be reaching out to all political parties to ensure that they understand the critical role that this public space plays in the life of the city.

In an effort to address the absence of a comprehensive approach regarding our public spaces in Vancouver, the City has announced the Downtown Places and Spaces Strategy. This follows on VIVA Vancouver, the program behind public space initiatives like Robson Redux and the Parklet Program, whereby private businesses sponsor public seating areas outside storefronts. The new strategy will help the City determine what kind of spaces are needed in our downtown while providing a framework for prioritizing and coordinating their delivery. The strategy currently only covers neighbourhoods on the downtown peninsula, but the Downtown Eastside, False Creek Flats and the communities south of False Creek will be included in future phases.

Public and private

The strategy will seek opportunities for the creation of public spaces on both publicly and privately owned land, specifically looking at street rights-of-way, including plazas, sidewalks, parklets, laneways and the spaces in front of retail and office buildings. A more concerted effort to activate downtown’s open spaces will address the concern that increased density and redevelopment in Vancouver are resulting in a loss of public space. Many office and retail buildings provide welcoming spaces through the provision of pedestrian shelter, patios and plazas. In recognition of this, the strategy will find ways to retain and encourage these privately owned public spaces.

Urban Pasture Parklet outside of Café Crêpe, Robson Street, Vancouver. Photo: Steve Chou under Creative Commons 

Data collection

Part of the process will be an inventory of current public spaces in the city and how these spaces are being used. The Standing Committee of Council on Policy and Strategic Priorities recommended that the work of the Vancouver Public Space Network be acknowledged in this regard and that the strategy be informed by the knowledge and data already gathered. A “public space and public life” study, to be conducted this summer, will help the city collect data while engaging Vancouverites in the planning of the strategy. The public can also expect the implementation of pilot projects throughout the downtown in order to test ideas and provide “action while planning.”

Pop-ups

Right now, the City is offering a funding opportunity for pop-up projects that will help activate and reimagine public spaces. An applicant can apply for up to $5,000 to implement an idea. Proposed projects must be:

• Interesting, fun, and engaging
• Easy to set-up and move
• Deliverable within the budget and timeframe

As part of their pop-ups, successful applicants will be asked to include in their projects a short survey for the public. Feedback from this survey will help the City gather input on future public space initiatives.

For more details and to apply, visit the City’s website here. Applications are due by 5 PM on April 28, 2017.

All photos by Creative Commons license

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 Robson Redux Design Exhibit is on until March 15th.

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.