26 Things That Should Happen In Vancouver in the next Four Years (Discuss)

[djh]

OK folks,

DailyHive just posted a really thoughtful, but controversial article about what they think are 26 projects that the new mayor should tackle. They specifically only named projects that the City of Vancouver has (theoretically) remit to influence - not national or provincial projects or whatever. So it makes great conversation.

In light of a new mayor with a non-political (read: talk much, do little) background, a unified (i.e., same-ballot) council, and thus the possibility of things actually getting approved, let's discuss these ideas and see which ones are good, bad, possible, impossible, and what it would take to see the city become noticeably better in 4 years than it is now.

We all have our pet gripes about the city, so please let's not let this thread degrade into either a moaning thread, or a political posturing thread, or a blame-them thread. Let's actually discuss the ideas presented, and evaluate what it would take for them to happen.

Article in full is over here


Summary of the 26 ideas presented:
----------------------------------------
(All image courtesy Daily Hive article)


1. Legalize drinking in public spaces, and allow more patios

- ABC has already committed to do this.
- ABC want to simplify the process and reduce costs for pop-up plazas & sidewalk patios.



(image courtsey Daily Hive)

2. Placemaking to help revive historic Chinatown and support its businesses.

- revive Chinatown neon signs.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


3. Rethink International Village mall

- encourage the mall to attract alternative uses (e.g., big box, or educational)


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


4. Build a “VANCOUVER” sign

- make a tourist attractor


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


5. Placemaking for Punjabi Market

- make the neighbourhood a cultural hub


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


6. Pedestrianize Water Street in Gastown

- remove the traffic, attract activation


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


7. Revitalize Robson Street, including making it car-free

- make Robson a draw, and allow more density.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


8. Placemaking on Alberni Street

- strengthen the luxury village feel.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


9. Bring out the true potential of Granville Entertainment District

- make Granville more entertaining, get rid of weird parking.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


10. Approve the 800 Granville redevelopment

- allow a major office and entertainment hub that sets new heights.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


11. Approve the Hudson’s Bay redevelopment

- do to The Bay what they did to Sears.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


12. Catalyze a truly world-class redevelopment of the Bay parkade

- approve the building of a world class tall tower.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


13. Rethink building height restrictions due to view cones and shadowing

- what do you want, mountains, or towers?


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


14. Make real progress on the Waterfront Station precinct

- Staff, why have we not upgraded our main transit hub yet?


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


15. Retain the Northeast False Creek viaducts, and build around the structures

- maintain the viaducts, densify around them.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


16. Encourage more post-secondary institutions to open in downtown Vancouver

- encourgage more academia in the city core.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


17. A major mixed-use development for Broadway-City Hall Station

- about that city-owned block in the centre of town just doing nothing...


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


18. Granville Bridge elevator to Granville Island, and the return of the “Olympic Line” streetcar

- make it easier to get onto Granveille Island.
- dust-off the ancient streetcar plans.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


19. Take advantage of Queen Elizabeth Park’s views

- make use of the best viewpoint in the whole city
- F-F-Ferris Wheel?


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


20. Move the “East Van” sign

- find a more photogenic location.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


21. Widen the sidewalks of Commercial Drive

- enhance a thriving commercial district that has been long-overlooked


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


22. Encourage small retail and restaurant units in laneways

- alleyways shouldn't just be for rubbish.


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


23. PNE renewal and Playland expansion

- theme park time?


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


24. Revitalize the Museum of Vancouver

- update and expand the facility


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


25. More support for the Vancouver Economic Commission

- give them resources to raise Vancouver's profile to attract investment


(image courtsey Daily Hive)


26. Support existing major events, and catalyze new events

- City Hall needs to get behind events with their clout
- use CACs to fund, and offer density in return


(image courtsey Daily Hive)

[Migrant_Coconut]

A "Vancouver" sign? Ken, if you're going to make a four-year wishlist of expensive stuff, at least stick to useful things and scrap the cheap gimmicks.

[FarmerHaight]

The 26 things range from no-brainers (approving the Granville and Hudson's Bay developments) to half-baked (will adding a bunch of neon signs to Granville and Chinatown really rejuvenate those areas) to absurd (why should the Olympic Line return before Senakw is completed, what control does the city have over International Village, and can the NEFC be scrapped and new development proposals be put forth within four years?).

But there were some simple suggestions I liked. I'm not sure if all of these can be implemented in one council term, but they should be explored:
- pedestrianizing more of Robson Street and all of Water Street
- relaxing view cones
- a large mixed-use development on top of Broadway-City Hall station
- widening the Commercial Drive sidewalks
- encouraging laneway-based shops and restaurants

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

A "Vancouver" sign? Ken, if you're going to make a four-year wishlist of expensive stuff, at least stick to useful things and scrap the cheap gimmicks.

Are you blind to the other 25 points? Geesh, what a nit-picker. The other points are great: they totally have my support!

[djh]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

A "Vancouver" sign? Ken, if you're going to make a four-year wishlist of expensive stuff, at least stick to useful things and scrap the cheap gimmicks.

This isn't Ken Sim or the ABC's list. It's 26 ideas from the DailyHive. This is literally what I wanted to avoid:

We all have our pet gripes about the city, so please let's not let this thread degrade into either a moaning thread, or a political posturing thread, or a blame-them thread. Let's actually discuss the ideas presented, and evaluate what it would take for them to happen.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

But there were some simple suggestions I liked. I'm not sure if all of these can be implemented in one council term, but they should be explored:
- pedestrianizing more of Robson Street and all of Water Street
- relaxing view cones
- a large mixed-use development on top of Broadway-City Hall station
- widening the Commercial Drive sidewalks
- encouraging laneway-based shops and restaurants

I believe the Broadway redevelopment has been in the works since Larry Campbell, so if that happens, ABC's got nothing to do with it.

As for pedestrian-only streets or lane closures, this is the same Council that just got elected on "fighting" a road tax.

Originally Posted by Vin

Are you blind to the other 25 points? Geesh, what a nit-picker. The other points are great: they totally have my support!

Like you said in the other thread, connect the dots and see the big picture: many of the other 25 points are either impractical or unachievable within a four-year term, if not outright gimmicks.

Originally Posted by djh

This isn't Ken Sim or the ABC's list. It's 26 ideas from the DailyHive. This is literally what I wanted to avoid:

Exactly: authored by Kenneth Chan. It's common to shorten his name on the site's comments and on Reddit.

[GenWhy?]

For #1 to pass I'd have to dig back into past votes, but I think the incumbents mostly voted for the new patio programs.

Most of the rest of these just require a tonne of money.

[idunno]

This list was very downtown-focused. Like I get it, downtown is where a lot of great things can happen, but no ideas for south of 16th Ave other than the Punjabi Gate?

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

A "Vancouver" sign? Ken, if you're going to make a four-year wishlist of expensive stuff, at least stick to useful things and scrap the cheap gimmicks.

The list was from DailyHive - what do you expect?

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Exactly: authored by Kenneth Chan. It's common to shorten his name on the site's comments and on Reddit.

Ha!
I thought you meant the Mayor too.
We'll have to say "the Mayor" or Mayor Ken" whenever there might be confusion.

[whatnext]

Wait, there isn't a giant ferris wheel on the list?

Why do people dump on the Museum of Vancouver? Many cities don't even have a civic museum (cough, Toronto, cough). It isn't supposed to be the V&A. It does a pretty good job telling the story of Vancouver. And only the most cloistered downtown dweller thinks it is "too far away".

[Metro-One]

Pretty much yes to all those, but the lane way improvements can't happen without removing dumpsters.

Here in Japan there are no dumpsters, its great!

All waste and garbage is stored inside businesses until garbage pick up (which is nightly in entertainment / commercial areas)

[djh]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Wait, there isn't a giant ferris wheel on the list?

Why do people dump on the Museum of Vancouver? Many cities don't even have a civic museum (cough, Toronto, cough). It isn't supposed to be the V&A. It does a pretty good job telling the story of Vancouver. And only the most cloistered downtown dweller thinks it is "too far away".

Oh, the ol' Ferris Wheel joke. Will JLousa ever forget?

Re. the MoV, I think it has not grown with the city. When we were a small 100,000 population local hub, something of that size was fine. As we moved up, our civic facilities have to grow too - not just because there's new history and stories to tell, but literally...the old facilities will no longer be big enough for a bigger population.

The MoV and the nearby Maritime Museum* could both do with a whole injection of cash to meet the current and future need. But really they'd need a provincial budget to do it well, rather than just a few million to spruce them up, and then they'd still have the same old exhibits, and no new visitors.


(*side-note, remember when that was supposed to be moved to the North Shore and rebuilt as a national maritime museum?)

[Migrant_Coconut]

I dunno about that; given how little has happened in Vancouver within the last 136 years, it's a small miracle the MoV is so big to begin with. Richmond has literally one hall in a community centre.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Wait, there isn't a giant ferris wheel on the list?

From the article: 19. Take advantage of Queen Elizabeth Park’s views

The measures should include not only pruning view-obscuring trees on the north side of the hilltop park but also adding attractions, such as building a permanent large ferris wheel or even reviving the proposal to add an observation tower.

[Migrant_Coconut]

The NIMBYs have been practically locked out of Council (it's just Carr, and she's a minority), so an observation tower might actually gain a little traction... provided they ditch the admission fare this time.

[Sheba]

My picks (as a non-CoV dweller)

1. Legalize drinking in public spaces, and allow more patios
21. Widen the sidewalks of Commercial Drive
22. Encourage small retail and restaurant units in laneways

Waaay overdue


2. Placemaking to help revive historic Chinatown and support its businesses
5. Placemaking for Punjabi Market
8. Placemaking on Alberni Street

These are all pretty similar - and also "Cosmetic improvements need to be accompanied by many other major measures and strategies."


6. Pedestrianize Water Street in Gastown
7. Revitalize Robson Street, including making it car-free

Yes we need some car-free areas


10. Approve the 800 Granville redevelopment
11. Approve the Hudson’s Bay redevelopment
12. Catalyze a truly world-class redevelopment of the Bay parkade

While I think the first two still need some work to really look good, I agree that there needs to be more redevelopment in downtown Van (and we'll have to see a proposal on the last one)


13. Rethink building height restrictions due to view cones and shadowing

Doesn't need an explanation...


17. A major mixed-use development for Broadway-City Hall Station

...and more development around Skytrain stations


9. Bring out the true potential of Granville Entertainment District
23. PNE renewal and Playland expansion
26. Support existing major events, and catalyze new events

Then maybe the no-fun city tag wouldn't be quite so appropriate

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by djh

Oh, the ol' Ferris Wheel joke. Will JLousa ever forget?

Re. the MoV, I think it has not grown with the city. When we were a small 100,000 population local hub, something of that size was fine. As we moved up, our civic facilities have to grow too - not just because there's new history and stories to tell, but literally...the old facilities will no longer be big enough for a bigger population.

The MoV and the nearby Maritime Museum* could both do with a whole injection of cash to meet the current and future need. But really they'd need a provincial budget to do it well, rather than just a few million to spruce them up, and then they'd still have the same old exhibits, and no new visitors.


(*side-note, remember when that was supposed to be moved to the North Shore and rebuilt as a national maritime museum?)

As I said, Toronto doesn’t even have a civic museum. From what I recall the Museum of Sydney NSW was comparable in size to ours. MOV has a very good new Indigenous history permanent exhibit and their temporary exhibits like Seat at the Table do a good job at covering most aspects of the city. If they want to expand then take over the Space Museum which really has little local connection to Vancouver.

The Maritime Museum is a different story but would require a lot of money for expansion. And if we’re on museums, why isn’t a final push to get the new art gallery built on that list?

[Klazu]

Dailyhive is obviously just recycling old articles for more clicks, but I do agree on almost everything on the list. The Vancouver sign could also be located in Queen Elizabeth Park, although Jack Poole Plaza would be more iconic. Those signs have become super common around the world but they are a must-have photo for anyone visiting.

I like the idea of an observation tower in QEP. For a city famous for its skyline / mountain vistas, there are very few places to truly enjoy them, especially from above. Our city should be full if rooftop bars and patios.

I hope the new council will start moving quickly to help the city shake its No Fun City moniker.

[Migrant_Coconut]

While we're in fantasyland, why not make that tower big enough for a restaurant at the top and really draw in the tourists?

[Conrad Yablonski]

The city I know has no shortage of places to drink.

Quite agree the other suggestions are mostly about downtown - very shortsighted indeed.