Here’s a proposal to turn part of Columbia Street and several unconnected existing public spaces into something much bigger and more elaborate.
The Youth Collaboration For Chinatown (YCC-YVR) is behind the proposal. Reaction from the City of Vancouver is not clear at this point. But it is clear that this proposal will affect the contentious 105 Keefer development by changing road space into people space on its west side. Not necessarily a bad thing for site proponents Beedie Development Group and Merrick Architecture.
The proposed plaza starts at the intersection of Keefer and Columbia, and runs a half-block north, and incorporates two existing plazas into a new “Gateway to Chinatown”.
The existing plazas are the Chinatown Memorial Plaza and the plaza south of the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver (see diagram below).
Part of the YCC-YVR’s idea is to build on and extend the North East False Creek draft area plan, and create a natural pathway into Chinatown for the post-viaduct world, incorporating historical themes. The city’s plan does this via the Carrell St. Promenade, which stops at Keefer.
[Click for a larger version slide show].
The subject site is nestled in Chinatown’s natural gathering place, bordered by two significant arterial connectors – Keefer Street along its south edge, and Columbia Street along the west. Located adjacent to the Chinatown Memorial Plaza facing the Memorial to Chinese-Canadian Veterans, and across from the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden and Park, the site stands among many of Chinatown’s most notable cultural landmarks and at a natural apex of pedestrian traffic.
The opportunity to house neighbourhood seniors, provide an activity centre on site, near cultural facilities and in their existing community, has been identified as vital to the success of the project.
With its location at a central node of the Chinatown community, the site presents an excellent opportunity to revitalize the urban fabric and pedestrian experience in the area through public realm improvements and community contributions. It brings a chance to collectively contribute towards a vision that will reinvigorate Vancouver’s Chinatown.
If I get this right, a half block of Columbia would be closed to vehicular traffic – no goods movement, no emergency vehicles (ambulances, etc.), no tour buses and, yes, no cars. With the prospective closure of one block of Carrall Street a block west of here, due to the viaducts plan, my great fear is the complete collapse of logical circulation in Chinatown and International Village.
How ever did they make it work in European cities where entire street networks are closed to MVs?
I suspect, a few blocks at a time.