As a trend, this one is particularly welcome: Space in the city being repurposed for people and active use.
This time, it’s in Yaletown at Smithe and Richards, where city residents can soon enjoy a fresh spankin’ new 0.8 acre park. Today, this site is a parking lot. The design goes to the Urban Design Panel in July, and the park should open by mid-2019.
Many thanks to Pete Melszner at Urban YVR for the information.
It’s important to highlight another trend in the opposing direction, as brought to light on Eyes on Norquay and reblogged at CityHallWatch – the practice of allowing public spaces to effectively become part of the private domain.
Compromised Public Spaces
https://eyeonnorquay.wordpress.com/2017/07/06/compromised-public-spaces/
https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2017/07/07/compromised-public-spaces-eye-on-norquay/
A nearby example is the converted road to pathway between Mainland and Homer at Smithe to Nelson. It’s a nice pathscape, but the unfamiliar get looks like they are trespassing.
This is similar to the total loss of what was public space at Pacific Centre, as documented here: Space and Place at Pacific Centre:
https://pricetags.wordpress.com/2016/08/05/space-and-place-at-pacific-centre/
And the loss of the rotunda at Grant Thornton Plaza at Seymour and Hastings as documented by Michael Geller on his blog and the Vancouver Courier:
http://gellersworldtravel.blogspot.ca/2016/08/opinion-news-of-proposed-plaza.html
I encourage all to contact City Hall and Council and demand public spaces remain in the public realm.
Looks like it’ll be an interesting (rather than barren) place.
The only unfortunate aspect is the particular site.
It is across the alley from one of the only condo buildings in downtown south downtown that has a distinct “backside” to the tower and podium (Bing Thom’s 889 Homer) (intended to face another tower) – so the view from the park will be of largely blank concrete walls and back-of-house alley loading spaces.
Hopefully the trees will grow nice and tall to at least block the podium from view.