“When are you guys doing this again?” I would be asked.

I couldn’t really give them a definite answer but it was something I wanted to do again in some shape or form. So to this day – and ever since our public space manifesto was on display at the VAG – people are still asking when we will stick it to the streets for a second time. It’s great that people are still excited, but there is something fundamentally wrong with this question and I’ll tell you why.

With SITS, my initial intent was to show everyday people the endless possibilities of how public space can be used and manipulated, beyond the promenade you walk through or bench you sit on. Essentially, it was designed to empower. Whether SITS continues as an annual event or not shouldn’t deter anyone from doing something similar, be it by themselves or with a group of friends. For me, the true measure of the event’s success is its ability to inspire and enable people to go out realize their public space dreams. Every public space event, from Park(ing) Day to the Halloween transit party, can fundamentally be organized by anybody. That’s really how it all began.

Though VPSN events have grown dramatically over the years, the sentiment will always remain the same. VPSN will continue to push fresh ideas to the masses. We’ll keep putting on energetic and engaging events. And we’ll always welcome your support and participation. But if you feel that itch to make some music with lamp posts and street furniture, then grab some sticks, call your friends and just head out and do it. Public space belongs to you.

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

A roving team of 50 percussionists turned Granville Street into a giant drum, testing the resonance of street furniture, sidewalks and signs alike. Photos and video can be found here.

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.”

After moving north from Smithe, the crew made their way down towards Gastown, beating the drum in a mid-afternoon nod to the city’s jazz festival.

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!

This awesome event is going down this Saturday, June 26, at 1pm at Granville and Smithe. Check out the Facebook page for details. Oh, and we put this together to educate and inspire (I couldn’t get this video to embed so please follow the link below).

Stick it to the Street – Promo Video from Ryan Betts on Vimeo.