Downtown Vancouver Updates

[Rusty Gull]

Originally Posted by Hed Kandi

Granville Street’s future begins today
Major transformation will, it is hoped, turn this outdated

The redesign... will implement the “ modified enhanced existing” design option as chosen by Vancouver city council in 2006.

This option proposes the fewest changes to the existing operation of the street. North of Smithe Street, the existing curved bus mall will be straightened to provide a consistent sidewalk width of 8.5 metres for pedestrians. South of Nelson Street, traffic patterns would remain unchanged.

The sidewalks south of Nelson will be widened by the width of the existing parking lane to provide a flex sidewalk that can be used to accommodate parked vehicles between street trees during the day.

At night, the parking spaces will be closed off and converted into more sidewalk space to accommodate the high volumes of pedestrians who come to the street for the entertainment options that are available.

Buses and authorized vehicles would continue to use the dedicated lanes north of Smithe.

A one-block civic event space will be created between Robson and Georgia.

OK, so let's get this straight. After all of the feedback, consultations, etc -- they are still going with the buses-only option for Granville Mall? UGH.

Why don't they keep buses off the mall for good? Seems to me that things are working well with the buses using the extra capacity on Seymour and Howe.

Well, cue up the Pete Townsend guitar riff and Roger Daltry's voice: "Meet the new Granville Street. Same as the old Granville Street."

[jlousa]

The city had lots of public consulation on this, the time to express your thoughts came and went. That's why it's important for the public to acutally attend these things.

I for one like the current plan, while not perfect I think they made the best choice.

[Rusty Gull]

Yes, I certainly gave my feedback. And I know that many others did as well. The question is, did the city actually listen to it? Or did they only listen to a handful of bureaucrats, consultants and special interest groups.

Really. Is there anybody who supports the notion of having some trolley buses cut through the heart of what is supposed to be -- but never will be -- a pedestrian mall?

If buses are to be allowed, they should open it up to all traffic, which would make it as vibrant as Robson Street.

The whole point of this exercise was to see major change for Granville Street. The cosmetic modifications mean nothing to me. By preserving the status quo, Granville Street is assured to be a second-fiddle street in downtown Vancouver, when it should be Vancouver's version of Younge Street.

[wrenegade]

Originally Posted by Hed Kandi

Construction will be complete by November 2009, in time for the opening of the two Canada Line stations on Granville Street and in time to welcome the world for the 2010 Winter Games.

So what happens when Canada Line construction is complete and the line is open by Thanksgiving, or Labour Day or sooner?

[jlousa]

That's okay as the Granville St redesign will be opened ahead of schedule as well, at least the Canada Line part of the street.

And yes the city takes all info from public consultations into account, hence nimbism being effective.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Rusty Gull

Really. Is there anybody who supports the notion of having some trolley buses cut through the heart of what is supposed to be -- but never will be -- a pedestrian mall?

If buses are to be allowed, they should open it up to all traffic, which would make it as vibrant as Robson Street.

I liked the old trolley buses on Granville. They are a hell of a lot quieter than regular traffic. Bus drivers also hit a lot fewer pedestrians.

[officedweller]

WRT the Concord trees - most of the trees weren't all that big as they grew naturally - but I don't see why they couldn't be included in the final "landscape plan". They provided much needed shade while watching the dragon boat races. The area is slated to become a park, so it's not as if the trees were blocking views fom townhouses. A similar clump of bushes exists on the seawall west of the foot of Davie St. (i.e. on the water side of the seawall).

WRT Granville - from what I recall, the history is that the revitalization was spearheaded by the Granville businesses who wanted to open up the street to general traffic (i.e. the default was not a pedestrian mall) - years of studies and consultations were conducted and the conclusion was that opening up the street to general traffic would restrict transit operation too much - so that option was nixed. i.e. stick with the bus mall concept. So what we end up with is a group of staffers at City Hall who need to justify the continuation of the project - so we have wholesale reconstruction of the street disguising what is really just a primarily cosmetic change. I recall at the open house one planner stating that the "design" needed all the existing trees to go because the design called for two straight rows of trees instead of the curving row of big trees. ... and the planners didn't like some of the species of trees planted in the 1970s - they weren't "uniform".
I chalk it up to a renovation crazy real estate industry-fueled culture in Vancouver. Improvements could have been made without straightening the street (i.e. without removing the big trees) - after all, bus drivers should be able to drive a curve - they are professionals.

Up next - the revitalization of Pacific Boulevard - another City Hall pet project - I expect that the pin Oak trees lining Pacific Boulevard (now getting quite tall) will all be chopped down too and replaced with a different species.

BTW - if a great street depends on "programming" - who "programs" Robson Street? Sure there are events - but those are relatively few and far between.

[dreambrother808]

Robson is a great street? It's more of just an outdoor mall to me.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Robson is a great street? It's more of just an outdoor mall to me.

One of the finest. In Canada anyways.

Plus some of the best food I've ever had is on Robson, or just off of Robson

Wish I was in Vancouver right now.

[Coldrsx]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Robson is a great street? It's more of just an outdoor mall to me.

amen.

far better places for shopping and eats

1. west fourth
2. south granville
3. west 41
4. commercial north of broadway
5. water street and vicinity

[osirisboy]

i disagree i like robson the best. those other areas are full of those stupid independently owned shops that are way over priced.

[Metro-One]

Robson is a fantastic place for food!

[Coldrsx]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

i disagree i like robson the best. those other areas are full of those stupid independently owned shops that are way over priced.

as opposed to overpriced brand name stuff you see on every 3rd person?

[vanlaw]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

as opposed to overpriced brand name stuff you see on every 3rd person?

LOL - exactly!

[officedweller]

Robson Street stands out as a "people" street more than any in Vancouver - and if that's because of the shopping, so be it.

Burrard Street and Georgia Street are the "ceremonial" streets in the downtown - but aren't "people" streets.

I'm not sure what people expect from a "great street" - it's not a plaza or an amphitheatre or a park. I don't think a street has to be "programmed" to force it to succeed in some sort of civic cultural popularity contest.

[Metro-One]

Exactly, and the best atmospheres are the ones that come together naturally over time, which is what Robson street has. It wasn't forced together over night at a single council meeting.

[SpongeG]

remember when it was "Robson Strasse" and it was the german street in the city?

[giallo]

I like Robson St more for what it gives to the streets around it than the actually street itself. The spill off from northern Robson is really important to the Westend. It brings a lot of people (visitors) down to a neighborhood they might not normally check out. It's a great feeder street.

[fever]

Allan Jacobs wrote the book on great streets (really, it's called Great Streets). He has these interesting diagrams of street networks around the best streets, and he analyzes things like the typical frequency of doors along the street, the width of the street, its height, etc. It's at the library.

[giallo]

^Sounds like a good read.

I think Hastings has the most potential of any street in Vancouver to become great (again). It's a long street with an existing urban context that touches so many different neighborhoods throughout the city. While Granville's redevelopment catches my attention, it's Hastings future that really interests me.

I love this picture of it.