• Surveillance in our schools? Province proposes CCTV
• Where’s the Square Pt.2 and North East False Creek
• Pedestrian Issues Working Group – Pedestrian Safety
• Planting goodness with a balaclava and flashlight
• Great Trees Contest. Make a map. Support the urban forest. Win a prize!
• Sticking It to the Streets (SITS)
• Public Transit – the Broadway Corridor
• Other things we’re working on… (Vancouver 125, Film Fest, Community Gardens)

PUBLIC SPACE EVENTS

• Friday, May 7, 2010 – Northern Voices Festival
• Saturday, May 8, 2010 – Stone Soup Festival
• Saturday, May 8, 2010 – Feathers and Fedoras
• Thursday, May 20, 2010 – The Art Gallery and Cultural Precincts

VPSN VOLUNTEER

• Parks Advocate Co-Coordinator
• Bicycle Transportation – Co-coordinator

VPSN UPDATES

Surveillance in our schools? Province proposes CCTV

Recently, the Province announced a series of proposed changes to the School Act that would allow surveillance cameras to be installed in public schools. The Vancouver Public Space Network is concerned about these changes. It is our position that schools should be free of video surveillance, using CCTV only as “a tool of last resort” and when their use is demonstratedly justified. Research shows that surveillance cameras are ineffective both at decreasing unwanted behaviour and at catching criminals after the event. The technology is also expensive and in the light of the recent budget shortfalls and layoffs experienced in local school boards, cameras are just too costly, economically and culturally, to be deployed in our schools.

The proposed bill states that a school board may install and operate a video surveillance camera in a school facility or on school land for the purposes of protecting the safety of individuals, their belongings or school property. However, this connection is flawed. Our organization is concerned that the BC government has positioned surveillance cameras as an effective tool for protecting the safety of students and school property when research shows that they are not very effective at deterring or solving crimes or bad behaviour.

We are currently drafting a letter to the Province expressing our concerns about this development and will be providing further updates on this issue shortly.

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

Urban Design Working Group Updates – Where’s the Square Pt.2 and North East False Creek

The VPSN’s work to advocate for a grand gathering place in Vancouver continues. The Where’s The Square? project is moving toward ‘Phase 2′. This project will aim to “animate” a space(s) downtown to raise awareness about the need for a grand gathering space for Vancouver. The “Where’s the Square” project is the immediate opportunity for volunteers to get involved but there will be other projects and advocacy work in the near future.

The City of Vancouver’s proposal for development at Northeast False Creek will likely be our other big project this year. The VPSN has been part of a consultative committee for over a year now, providing feedback on design aspects on the project and advocating for better use of public space. After a brief hiatus, meetings with the City have resumed and a few key updates are in. The Vancouver Art Gallery will no longer be built in NEFC, freeing up more space for a civic plaza to be constructed on/near the Plaza of Nations site. A new Civic Plaza Task Group has formed from the larger consultative group and future meetings will help to create a concept for design, uses, and management of this space. In March the Province announced that a large casino resort complex will be built on the west side of the stadium as part of the plans to build a new roof for BC Place. Construction on this massive project officially started on May 4 with the deflating of the old air-supported dome.

The Urban Design Working Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month. The next session is scheduled is for Tuesday, June 1 from 6-pm. Location TBD. For more information – urbandesign [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Pedestrian Issues Working Group – Pedestrian Safety

In Vancouver, more than 2000 vehicles struck pedestrians between 2000 and 2005, resulting in preventable injuries and deaths. Over half of these collisions (61%) occurred at spaces designated for pedestrian crossings. The Pedestrian Issues Working Group wants to bring these numbers down by identifying the most dangerous intersections and developing street design, operational and other recommendations for the City.

Lend a hand. This summer we’ll be exploring and analyzing these spaces in the field. We will need urbanists, researchers, walking enthusiasts, photographers, and other interested Vancouverites to develop our recommendations and imagine safer, more walkable, shared public streets.

:: If you’re interested in getting involved please email mike@vancouverpublicspace.ca

Planting guerrilla goodness with a balaclava and flashlight

The VPSN’s Guerrilla Gardening Working Group is growing in leaps and bounds this season. The group has planned events throughout the year with the latest ones being a seed ball workshop on the 13th May and a downtown planting event on the 23rd May. Planning meetings take place on the first Wednesday of each month. Guerillas are welcome to come along and bring photos of their gardening sites and discuss their sucesses. Anyone curious about starting their own gardening patch and wanting some inspiration is welcome, we would love to see new faces.

In addition to this, the Guerrilla Gardening Working Group is aiming to create an online interative map this summer to display spots which are planted and provide a comphrehensive tool for identifying sites near you.

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

Great Trees Contest. Make a map. Support the urban forest. Win a prize!

The Vancouver Public Space Network is looking for your help in profiling the stars of the city’s urban forest. We’re holding a contest to find the Vancouver’s most amazing arboreal specimens. The goals? A permanent record, an interactive “Great Tree” blog, and community-based map of the city’s favourite leafy giants. What makes a tree Great? Whatever you think. The tree in question doesn’t need to be big necessarily, just something you consider special, important, meaningful, amazing — for whatever reason. It could be the shade at your favourite picnic spot, or the place you met for your first date… or maybe it’s the best climbing tree you’ve ever met. If you’ve got a favorite tree in the city, then this is your chance to nominate them for a branchy high-five.

Win a prize for your efforts! We will be randomly drawing one submission each week for a special “thank you gift.” The first prize draw is on Monday, May 10, 2010. Good prizes too! We’ve got some neat Vancouver-ish books and other city-friendly, tree-loving goodies to give away.

:: For more information – www.GreatTrees.ca

Sticking It to the Streets (SITS)

A group music event where we are equipped with only drumsticks and the street is our instrument. We hope to encourage public space re-animation, spontaneous interaction, showcase art and music in the public realm, and embrace new functions of urban design. Most importantly, we hope to make beautiful music and have fun!

If you would like to get involved with this event please contact simon [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca for meeting details.

Public Transit – the Broadway Corridor

The Public Transit group is gearing to get involved in the Broadway corridor (both the transportation and corridor consultation processes) through compiling research for a document, holding a community outreach event, and reporting on those outcomes. Our activities are still in the planning but if you want to help by writing or lending a hand with the event, please give the Public Transit coordinators a shout at quinn [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Other things we’re working on…

The 2nd Annual Public Space Film Fest, as well as some fine film screenings in local parks. For more info – jaspal [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Planning and plotting around Vancouver’s 125 birthday in 2011. What to do? How to do it? Lend your ideas – lyndsay [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Community Gardens everywhere! This would be awesome… and we’re doing our best to make it happen. There are some good projects on the go and others that we’d like to start. Dig in – gardens [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

PUBLIC SPACE EVENTS

The following are a selection of the upcoming events that we’re involved in. But there’s lots more going on to animate the city’s spaces. Check out the main events calendar at vancouverpublicspace.ca. And feel free to submit your public space events to us as well (please, text notices only, no posters!) – events [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Northern Voices Conference - exploring technology and public space. Takes place Friday, May 7, 2010 at UBC. Public Transit Co-Coordinator Karen Quinn and others explore the use of social media in movement building. Find out more – quinn [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

The annual Stone Soup Festival takes place this Saturday, May 8, at Britannia (Commercial Drive and Napier). It features an inspiring mix of sustainable goodness, food issues, greenery and other exciting things. We’ll be there giving away seedballs and spreading the public space gospel. Drop by, say hi, or lend a hand! For more information – events [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Feathers and Fedoras – Saturday May 8. An evening of fashion & foolery inspired by the height of Art Deco!33 East 3rd Avenue; Doors Open 8pm * Music Starts 9pm. This is a benefit gig in support of the excellent Gramorail Project and the fine work of the Vancouver Design Nerds. Cover $7.

The Vancouver Art Gallery and Cultural Precincts - a discussion about the proposed VAG move, and its implications for the city. Councillor Heather Deal, SFU’s Gordon Price, VPSN Director Andrew Pask and others. Takes place Thursday May 20, 7pm-10pm at UBC Robson Square.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

In addition to project opportunities with each of the initiatives mentioned earlier, we also have some key positions that need to be filled. This month we’re focusing on two key positions that we’re looking to get some support for. They’re longer term commitments (minimum 1 year) and offer a great opportunity for leadership training, skill-building and other benefits.

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!

VANCOUVER PUBLIC SPACE NETWORK NEWS

• VPSN Operational Planning
• Working Group Changes – Mapping & Wayfinding; Community Composting
• PubliCity 3 – Play and Public Space
• Whole Foods – Thank You!

UPCOMING VPSN MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS

• Tuesday, April 20 @ 630 – Pedestrian Issues
• Monday, April 26 @ 630 – Public Transit
• Monday, May 3 – Community Gardens
• Tuesday, May 4 – Urban Design
• Sunday, May 16 – Parks Issues & Advocacy

PUBLIC SPACE BLOG RECAP

• April 18, 2010 – A National Park for the Flathead Valley?
• April 15, 2010 – Advocating against the corporate vote
• April 6, 2010 – Vancouver Day: the city turns 124

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

• Coordinators positions
• Wednesday, May 5 – Volunteer Orientation Meeting

ENGAGE

• West End Visioning
• Translink – UBC Corridor Consultation

COMMUNITY EVENTS

• Wednesday, April 21 – Active in Action
• Sunday, April 25 – Pilgrimage to Burns Bog
• Saturday May 1 – Sunday May 2 – Jane’s Walk(s)

VPSN NEWS

VPSN Annual Planning

We’ve been a bit quieter than normal in this post-Olympic period… but no less busy than usual. Our efforts over March and early April have focussed on a number of planning exercises – a retreat in late March and some Strategic and Operational planning work that followed. We’ve been diligently scoping out a number of exciting new initiatives that we will be rolling out very soon… starting just two days from now on Earth Day!

We’ll also be getting back to the business of holding our “big meetings” every few months or so. For those that remember these popular sessions, they involved a cool mix of learning – a workshop or keynote with a guest public space expert – and then a reporting out on VPSN projects and activities. Dates will be in place for these very shortly.

Working Group Changes – Mapping & Wayfinding; Community Composting

Part of our internal work recently has also involved taking a look at some of our project areas and doing a bit of shuffling around. We’ve made two key changes to existing working groups.

In the first case, we’ve decided to split the current Mapping & Wayfinding Working Group into two. Our Mapping experts will now be part of the VPSN Communications team and will (much as they’ve been doing already) lend support to all our campaigns. Given our work with billboard and surveillance camera mapping (to name two recent examples) this seemed to make a lot of sense. Similarly, our wayfinding advocacy will now be handled in by our Urban Design Working Group – which fits neatly with our past work promoting wayfinding as part of good urban design.

In the second case, we’ve decided to close down our Community Composting Working Group in light of the City’s move towards curbside composting (starting this Thursday, April 22). Any compost “remnants” will be handled by the other Greenspaces Working Groups.

PubliCity 3 – Play and Public Space

Hopscotch? Street hockey? Playful design? We are stoked about the next issue of PubliCity, the VPSN’s quarterly public space, urban affairs and civic issues magazine. As we write, our production team is in the process of editing and layout of a gaggle of stellar contributions on the intriguing subject of play and public space. Not to be too brazen or anything, but it’s shaping up to be our best issue yet!

We’re planning to release the new issue sometime towards the end of April or early May. More news on this front (and a fun launch event) will be announced shortly. First, however, we thought we’d take this opportunity to send a shout-out to Chloe Perron, our lead designer for PubliCity – with best wishes on the birth of her baby boy! Congratulations Chloe!

While we’re at it, another round of thanks to all the folks who continue to order PubliCity 2 online — we really appreciate your support for this project and positive feedback about the magazine. Keep it coming! A reminder that the tidy sum of $6 an issue will get you your very own copy of the finest new publication in town.

:: For more information or to order your copy – check out the PubliCity webpage

Whole Foods – Thank You!

Finally, (before this issue of PS News and Events starts to sound too much like a Juno acceptance speech), we’d also like to say one more set of “thank yous.” This time to our friends at Whole Foods (Capers) on both Robson and Cambie Streets.

We’ve been receiving support from these two stores through their paper bag refund program (bring your own shopping bags to the store and they’ll donate 10 cents per bag to us). These dimes really add up, and we’re thankful for being able to participate in this program. Props to all you folks who ask for your small change to be sent our way! (And on that note… we’ll also be part of the Caper’s Earth Day celebrations this Saturday… so if you happen to be in the area, pop by to the 1675 Robson location between 1130 and 330 and say hi!)

VPSN MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS

Want to get involved with public space advocacy, lend a hand with a cool project or meet other people who care about the same issues you do? We’ve got a roster of new Working Group meeting dates to share with people. Everyone is welcome at these sessions, so please come on out!

Tuesday, April 20 @ 630pm – Pedestrian Issues Working Group

Join us at Rhizome Cafe (Broadway Avenue, just east of Kingsway) for a discussion of pedestrian issues – including pedestrian safety, neighbourhood walkability and more.

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

Monday, April 26 @ 630pm – Public Transit Working Group

The newspapers are alive with public transit issues right now – the Olympic streetcar, the UBC line and Evergreen. Come out and join in a conversation on how we can use transit to improve city life. This meeting will likely take place at the VPL Central Library (350 West Georgia) in one of the 4th or 5th floor meeting rooms. Details to follow.

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

Monday, May 3 – Community Gardens Working Group

Garden season has arrived! The VPSN Community Gardens team has been working on four community gardening projects around the city and has some key initiatives that require help. Feel like getting your hands dirty? Time and Location TBD.

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

Tuesday, May 4 – Urban Design Working Group

Where’s the Square (Part II) is on its way, as is the next phase of work on North East False Creek planning. To get involved in either of these projects, or to jump in with other city planning and design issues, please come to our next Urban Design meeting. Time and Location TBD.

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

Sunday, May 16 – Parks Advocacy Working Group

Interested in the state of the city’s parks and protected areas? Got a local park issue that needs more attention? Our Parks Advocacy Working Group might just be for you. Time and Location TBD.

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

And for more information on all of the Vancouver Public Space Network’s campaign-related Working Groups please email us at info [at] vancouverpublicspace.

PUBLIC SPACE BLOG RECAP

Every few days or so we try to say something wise. Here’s a recap of recent blog posts that may be of interest.

April 18, 2010 – A National Park for the Flathead Valley
…[W]e were especially keen on an article by Bruce Kirby in this weekend’s Globe and Mail. The piece looks at the possibility that the Flathead Valley – located in the south-eastern corner of BC – might become a national park. The area in question is adjascent to a UNESCO heritage area, as well as an already existing set of parks in Canada and the US. (More…)

April 15, 2010 – Advocating against the corporate vote
Earlier today the Vancouver Public Space Network sent off a submission to the Local Government Elections Taskforce. In October of last year, the Taskforce was charged with the reviewing issues relating to local government elections and has been gathering input with a view to recommending legislative changes “to improve the electoral process for local government elections across B.C.” (More…)

April 6, 2010 – Vancouver Day: the city turns 124
Today, April 6, marks the 124th anniversary of our home city’s incorporation. It’s not a date that features prominently on too many wall calendars, granted, but perhaps it ought to. After all, there’s so much to celebrate about this city and its inhabitants. (More…)

VPSN VOLUNTEER

In addition to a number of project-related volunteer opportunities, we’re currently looking for a few hearty souls to join our ranks as Working Group co-coordinators. This is an excellent opportunity for people who are looking to help us out with a variety of planning, project management and advocacy-related activities.

In particular we are looking for

• - Corporatization (Billboards) (1 co-coordinator)
• - Guerrilla Gardening (1 co-coordinator)
• - Parks Advocacy (1 co-coordinator)
• - Cycling (2 co-coordinators)

Our communications team also needs some help as well. We’re looking to fill two positions here:

• - Photo Editor (PubliCity and VPSN Blog)
• - Business Coordinator (PubliCity)

To find out more about any of these positions or to learn about other volunteer opportunities, please contact Erin O’Melinn, Volunteer Coordinator – erin [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Wednesday, May 5 @ 7:00pm – Volunteer Orientation Meeting

Another great way to find out about volunteer opportunities is to come out to our monthly volunteer orientation session. The next meeting takes place in early May at Cafe Deux Soleils (2096 Commercial Drive).

ENGAGE

Thursday, April 22 @ 7:00pm – West End Visioning – Town Hall Meeting

The West End is currently facing not one but five substantial development applications, several of which are being advanced under the City’s STIR program (which aims to fast-track applications to create new rental accommodation). Many residents in the community are concerned about the developments and have been petitioning Council for a neighbourhood visioning exercise.

On Thursday this week, a forum is being held to discuss impending rezoning proposals and how they might affect the neighbourhood. 7:00 to 8:30 pm, (Doors 6:30, children welcome). It takes place at the Coast Plaza Hotel, 1763 Comox St. (Comox and Denman) ballroom.

:: For more information see the West End Vision website

Translink – UBC Corridor Consultation

TransLink has just launched its public consultation for the UBC Line Rapid Transit Study, and this is a great opportunity for people to be involved in the planning of a major public transit project in the City.

The details: Translink is hoping to get public feedback on six preliminary concepts identified for the corridor – some of which include the return of the streetcar (good news for all you Olympic streetcar enthusiasts!).

There’s lots of ways to participate: there are 5 in-person workshops throughout April and May, an online questionnaire, and an online discussion board so people can voice their thoughts in detail.

To get involved, visit TransLink’s UBC Line “Be Part of the Plan” webpage. You can also find more information on TransLink’s Buzzer blog.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

A sampling of some of the fine community events to be found on our VPSN Events Calendar. Got an event to post? Please send it our way – info [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 @ 7pm – Active in Action: New principles for a sustainable world

How do we take the principles of active living, combine them with active transportation and expand our ideas and concepts to achieve a fully sustainable world? An ambitious question – and one that Dan Burden takes on in a new and fresh presentation… Venue: SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver BC Admission is free; as seating is limited, reservations are required. Reserve at www.sfu.ca/reserve

Sunday, April 25, 2010 @ 1:30 – Pilgrimage to Burns Bog

Burns Bog, known as the “Lungs of the Lower Mainland”, is a massive and precious environmentally sensitive wetland whose existence is now in jeopardy due to the Gateway Project’s proposed South Fraser Perimeter Road. We will walk together across the Alex Fraser Bridge, to experience a panoramic view of the Bog and toss our seashell prayers down to the Fraser. We will then be guided along the boardwalks and trails of the Bog, getting a very special tour of the history, flora, and fauna of this unique ecosystem. Meet at 130 Chester Road, Delta BC.

Saturday May 1 – Sunday May 2, 2010 – Jane’s Walks

A series of self-organized walking tours taking place throughout Vancouver… celebrating the legacy of urbanist Jane Jacobs. details on specific walks can be found at www.thinkcity.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!

CONTACT

Vancouver Public Space Network
Box 2754 Station Terminal
349 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC, V6B 3X2

General info: info [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca
Newsletter Submissions: PubliCity [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca