Major effort to finally repair Gastown's cobblestone sidewalks this year

Examples of asphalt-covered utility cuts on Water Street in Gastown. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

After many years of neglect, the City of Vancouver is now looking to undertake a major effort to repair Gastown’s most problematic brick-and-mortar sidewalks in the high foot traffic areas.

This extensive sidewalk repair work in the historic district along Water Street and short portions of Alexander Street, Carrall Street, Abbott Street, and Powell Street will be conducted throughout much of this summer and into early fall.

ABC councillor Peter Meiszner says these repairs represent the very first step of Vancouver City Council’s recently approved member motion to revitalize Gastown.

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“We are moving forward with urgently needed patching repairs and improvements to Water Street, and getting to work on a longer-term streets and public realm planning process to create a more vibrant, people-focused neighbourhood, including more patios, live music, events, and a car-free pilot,” Meiszner told Daily Hive Urbanized.

Earlier this month, just days after the ABC party announced their strategy for Gastown, City staff posted two procurement files seeking two contractors to conduct the sidewalk repair work.

Asphalt-covered utility cuts in the brick-and-mortar pavers of Gastown’s sidewalks. (City of Vancouver)

The comprehensive upgrade project is highly targeted, focusing on uneven/broken tile surfaces, and the many cuts to the brick-and-mortar pavers for underground utility projects that have been merely covered with low-cost asphalt for their surface repairs, instead of using replacement matching pavers. City staff state the use of asphalt has “degraded the public realm’s appearance and may result in further degradation of sidewalk condition overall.”

The selected contractors will be responsible for acquiring high-quality clay tiles/pavers and installing the materials in a manner that matches the existing fit and finish as much as possible, using a small variety of products and methods to help establish a cohesive and consistent appearance.

Gastown sidewalk repair contract phase 1a 2023

Gastown sidewalk repair locations for contract Phase 1A, 2023. (City of Vancouver)

Gastown sidewalk repair contract phase 1b 2023

Gastown sidewalk repair locations for contract Phase 1B, 2023. (City of Vancouver)

The project is divided into two separate contracts targeting different areas of Gastown’s problematic brick-and-mortar sidewalks, with City staff noting prospective contractors may bid for both contracts if they have the crew capacity to tackle all sites at once in a timely manner.

“The contractor must endeavour to match brick and grout colour of each site in question. Variability in colour from brick production has been experienced, so on-site matching of materials must be considered,” reads the procurement file.

“The intent to make a significant impact on the amount of outstanding cuts and defects in the Gastown sidewalk network.”

The specific locations for repairs have been selected based on a review of complaints, proximity to tourist attractions, and input from the Gastown Business Improvement Society (BIA).

Asphalt-covered utility cuts in the brick-and-mortar pavers of Gastown’s sidewalks. (City of Vancouver)

The contracts will be awarded over the coming weeks, with parallel construction work scheduled to begin in June and end in late October 2023. There will be a moratorium on construction over the month of July 2023, particularly for the busy areas of Gastown. The construction schedule will be coordinated with the BIA.

It should also be noted that the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix road bike race will return on July 12, 2023, marking the circuit race’s first return since the pandemic. The event typically attracts thousands of spectators onto the sidewalks of Gastown.

As well, this construction comes at a time when Gastown typically sees a surge in foot traffic from tourists, particularly from cruise ship activity. However, pavement works in the City are typically conducted during fair weather conditions.

This project will not address the numerous issues with the brick-and-mortar pavers of the roadways of Gastown, including fixing its many utility cuts, but this is expected to be addressed in the future as part of the broader Gastown revitalization strategy.

Example of asphalt-covered utility cuts on the brick-and-mortar pavers on Water Street in Gastown. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

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