This is Georgia Street on Monday evening – the entire of right-of-way from Library to Post Office – as fans gather to watch the hockey game on a giant TV in front of the CBC:
I can say pretty confidently that the City, when I was on Council, would never have considered the possibility. Closing Georgia, that is – not the prospect of the Canucks winning the Stanley Cup. Our experience in 1994 (I personally found out what tear gas feels like) would not have been encouraging.
But more than that, no one would have thought we could get away with closing off the major arterial through downtown at the height of rush hour. All the concern would have been the impact on car traffic, not the desire to serve the fans. Nor would the fans have thought to come downtown, mainly on transit, to experience the event in a public place – the middle of a street – whether Georgia or Scott and 72nd in Surrey. (Can anyone explain to me why that intersection became – without anyone saying so – the understood gathering place?)
Most credit the Olympics for this conversion – and certainly that had a huge impact on the Engineering Department, the Police, TransLink – everyone involved in logistics who learned how to respond to continually changing circumstances and to do it quickly and with confidence. And to the people of the City, who likewise have learned how to celebrate in the public spaces of Vancouver with – so far – civility.
What’s next?
There is a large concetration of east indian businesses, restaurants and schools in that area, as well as the main Sikh temple. It has always been a place for people to go and honk their horns during the playoffs but this year it grew a lot bigger because of an increased awareness of the sport in our community. I love it, because it allows people of all ethnic backgrounds to come together and have a good time. Whether it’s at Scott Road, Surrey City Center, or Downtown, the Canucks are bringing communities together!
Saw you taking pics during the game out there. Great event and crowd even if the game didn’t end the way we wanted. The other really cool thing I saw was the bike racks outside of the fan zone were from the ones I saw packed full with bikes which was also nice to see.
Vancouver is horrid with traffic all the time so a few closed streets helps
a shame that such a beautiful looking place can be so marred by the noise and pollution and stress from the overuse of private automobiles
i wonder why the health departments permit this decade after decade
nice
“Share the roads” – who would have thought this is what it could mean.
http://www.southfraser.net/2011/06/why-scott-road-and-72nd-avenue.html