Diners in Gastown might have a chance to eat at a table in the middle of the street this summer.
It's part of the city's VIVA Vancouver program that temporarily transforms streets into public gathering spots.
The Vancouver Public Spaces Network proposes erecting a long table on Abbott or Cambie street between Water and Cambie for two work days every week in July so those who work and live in the area can bring their lunches and meet at the table. City staff are conducting traffic counts to prepare for the possible street closure. Pedestrians will rule Granville Street between Smithe and Hastings on weekends from June 23 to Labour Day, with community events that include LatinCouver's Carnaval Del Sol, June 30.
The block of Robson Street between the Provincial Law Courts and the Vancouver Art Gallery will become a temporary pedestrian plaza from June 23 to Labour Day with a seating installation where visitors can linger on large "boulders."
And like the deck that has replaced two parking spots on East 14th Avenue outside the JJ Bean on Main Street, a temporary deck called Hot Tubs will replace two parking spots in South Hill on East 44th Avenue at Fraser outside the Angel Cafe. It'll include three semi-circular sitting spaces and plants. "We don't have any public spaces. We just have a couple of benches that the city has installed and so we want to create a place where people can gather," said Aila Karpio, executive director of the South Hill Business Association that represents Fraser Street from 41st to 50th avenues.
"This is a quicker way during those precious sunshine hours and months to build some community property," noted Vision Vancouver Coun. Andrea Reimer.
The city approved $300,000 for VIVA Vancouver in this year's operating budget, down from $650,000 last year.
"It's a nominally low amount of money," Reimer said. "You couldn't even pave an extra plaza for $300,000."
South Hill has budgeted $15,000 for Hot Tubs. The BIA will kick in $5,000. The city's contribution is still being negotiated, according to Karpio.
The city tried relatively informal street closures in 2009 but the initiative was unpopular with business owners on Commercial Drive. The city started devoting a section of Granville Street to pedestrians in 2010. "[The Downtown Vancouver] BIA, the first year we did this, they actually came to council to speak against it," Reimer said. "Granville wasn't even one of the streets and they're like please don't, it's just bad for business generally to close down any road at any time," Reimer said. "Within two years they're investing a very substantial amount of money into it."
Charles Gauthier, executive director of the DVBIA, conceded Reimer's point.
"I'll be the first to admit sometimes the business community is not necessarily going to be at the front of the pack on every single issue," he said. "We've got to try things out and I think sometimes it does need to be rebranded in a different way."
Businesses now favour sponsoring free activities that draw Vancouverites downtown during summer months when they might otherwise frequent the mountains, parks and beaches, according to Reimer.
For information about VIVA Vancouver events in other neighbourhoods, see Vancouver.ca.
crossi@vancourier.com Twitter: @Cheryl_Rossi
