Opinion: 26 things that should happen in Vancouver in the next four years

Nov 10 2022, 12:29 am

Change is afoot in the City of Vancouver after voters recently elected a super majority makeup of ABC Vancouver party representatives for Vancouver City Council and the Vancouver Park Board.

Under the new ABC mayoral leadership, Ken Sim has strongly signalled his party’s governance will place a far greater emphasis on supporting businesses and attracting investment, catalyzing job creation and economic growth, and fostering a more fun and culturally vibrant city.

Vancouver has historically placed these aspects of civic vitality on a far lower pedestal than what is appropriate and needed, even though all three areas are directly under the municipal government’s control, with elected officials and City staff holding levers that can truly make a huge difference within their jurisdictional powers.

This city and region as a whole has world-class housing affordability issues, but the opportunities for business, good-paying jobs, and especially culture and fun are anything but world class.

Residents in this city are enduring world-class housing costs — but without the world-class perks that can be expected from living in a so-called world-class city. This directly affects the calibre of labour talent that can be attracted to Vancouver to further propel businesses and innovation, and effectively allow the region to maintain its economic competitiveness globally. This kind of attention deficit on the city’s fabric particularly affects the quality of life for middle-class households and young people.

For far too long, Vancouver has had an over-reliance on its natural surroundings and outdoor recreation opportunities for defining its city experience and culture. If there is a will, there is also a way to have the best of both worlds — maintaining Vancouver’s identity as a city that is naturally blessed by sheer luck, while also creating a unique “big city” urban fabric.

It is time to pull our city-building attention inward — where Vancouverites spend the vast majority of their time — rather than solely looking outward to merely focus on the natural surroundings.

So much has already been stated on the need to take steps that urgently and meaningfully help address the housing affordability and supply crisis, the homelessness, mental health, and opioid overdose crisis, and crime and public safety concerns. The urgency to tackle these issues is a baseline priority with public consensus, there is no shortage of ideas on the solutions, and there is already significant public and media discourse on these matters. Sim and ABC have already outlined their approach and plan of action over the short term. For these reasons, this manifesto excludes these particular social issues.

In no particular order of importance, here are 26 things Daily Hive Urbanized would like to see happen in Vancouver over the course of the four-year municipal term through the end of 2026. It is important to emphasize each of the following items is 100% directly under the City of Vancouver and Vancouver Park Board’s jurisdiction, control, and powers, within the long-ignored areas of supporting businesses and economic growth, fostering a more fun and culturally vibrant city, and placemaking:

1. Legalize drinking in public spaces, and allow more patios

ABC has already indicated they are committed to permanently allowing the consumption of liquor in public parks, effectively expanding an existing pilot project of the Park Board. But such a mantra should be further expanded to more public spaces, just like many other cities around the world — Vancouver does not need to reinvent the wheel.

A society that shows it can responsibly enjoy alcohol, without treating it as some pariah or taboo, is a sign of a mature society; a more mature perception and open practice to responsible drinking would significantly decrease the cases of “binge drinking.”

As well, ABC has made it quite clear that they would like to expand pop-up plazas and restaurant patios on sidewalks and the curb by simplifying the process and reducing costs.

Ultimately, this mantra can be further expanded to create a more friendly business environment that encourages innovation.

Lessons can still be learned, not forgotten, from City Council’s infamous November 2008 decision to reject an application by the Opus Hotel in Yaletown to transform their existing building rooftop into a seasonal 250-seat outdoor restaurant. This was certainly a major loss to Vancouver’s dining and attraction offerings.

opus hotel yaletown rooftop restaurant patio proposal

Artistic rendering of the proposed seasonal outdoor restaurant on the existing rooftop of the Opus Hotel in Yaletown. The proposal was rejected by Vancouver City Council in November 2008. (Endall Elliot Associates/Opus Hotel)

2. Placemaking to help revive historic Chinatown and support its businesses

The municipal government should establish policies that create a framework for reviving Chinatown’s former neon signage glory. Some of Vancouver’s most impressive neon signs were previously located in Chinatown, perhaps most notably the neon frontage of the long-shuttered Bamboo Terrace restaurant.

New sizeable building developments should be required to incorporate neon signage or other special lighting installations to restore the bright streetscape.

In addition to the return of exterior building lighting, special lanterns should line the streets of Chinatown to provide the district’s streetscapes with much-needed additional lighting for both placemaking and nighttime public safety purposes.

And a new large “Welcome to Chinatown” neon sign in both English text and Chinese characters, installed at a highly prominent and accessible location, could become a landmark attraction on its own over time.

But it should be noted that a myriad of measures must be made to help revitalize Chinatown, as placemaking alone, such as lighting and public art, is just one of many tools in the toolbox that should be considered. Cosmetic improvements need to be accompanied by many other major measures and strategies.

mings bamboo terrace restaurant vancouver chinatown neon lights 1960 f

Neon lights on the exterior facades of Ming’s and Bamboo Terrace restaurants in Vancouver’s Chinatown in 1960. (City of Vancouver Archives)

3. Rethink International Village mall

International Village shopping mall was originally envisioned as an economic catalyst for Chinatown — a way for the historic retail district to compete and attract the customers that frequent the contemporary Hong Kong-style malls built in Richmond between the late 1980s and early 2000s.

More than two decades later, International Village has not been activated and tenanted to its full potential. In fact, it is grossly under-utilized. Its poor condition and high retail unit vacancy are due in part to the growing social issues of the Downtown Eastside.

The City should work with the property owner to encourage them to reinvest in the mall, such as bringing in a new major anchor retailer (i.e., an urban IKEA store) or post-secondary institutional uses to attract new foot traffic and other businesses. The Cineplex theatre should also be retained and upgraded.

international village mall vancouver chinatown

International Village mall in Vancouver’s Chinatown. (Shutterstock)

4. Build a “VANCOUVER” sign

Tourists love destination/city name “giant text” signs. Wherever they are built around the world, they become an attraction — one of the most Instagrammable spots at a destination. It is not just a Toronto thing.

The giant “Canada 150” sign that was temporarily installed outside Canada Place in 2017 quickly became an immensely popular attraction.

To this end, a giant “VANCOUVER” text sign that is creatively designed to reflect the city’s multicultural fabric, and illuminated at night, should be installed at a highly prominent and accessible location frequented by tourists.

vancouver giant text sign

Conceptual artistic rendering of a giant “VANCOUVER” text sign for illustrative purposes only. (Daily Hive)

puerto vallarta sign mexico

The giant “Puerto Vallarta” sign on the central waterfront of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. (Shutterstock)

5. Placemaking for Punjabi Market

As a way to help revitalize the Punjabi Market in the Sunset neighbourhood, there should be beautification efforts that reflect the area’s South Asian heritage, including potentially a permanent monument or public art piece.

In the late 2000s, the provincial government announced a plan to build a cultural gate on Main Street near the intersection with 50th Avenue, but it never materialized.

punjabi market vancouver gate

Artistic rendering of the never-built cultural gate for the Punjabi Market on Main Street near 50th Avenue in Vancouver. (Government of BC)

6. Pedestrianize Water Street in Gastown

Gastown’s public spaces have been neglected for far too long — why are the cobblestone surfaces of Water Street allowed to be in such a terrible shape? As an area that draws many tourists, this embarrassment needs to end sooner than later.

In addition to finally properly fixing the cobblestones, the municipal government should work with local businesses to explore shutting down Water Street to vehicle traffic on a seasonal basis during the peak season period from May to October, effectively pedestrianizing the street and creating new seasonal opportunities for restaurant patios, activations, and special events.

Special attention should be given to properly activating the space given the ongoing impacts of the spillover of the social issues emanating from the Downtown Eastside nearby.

Sim and ABC have already noted their interest in exploring a pilot project of closing down Water Street between the May long weekend and Labour Day in September, coinciding with the peak tourist and cruise ship passenger season.

In 2021, the Gastown Business Improvement Association also outlined its vision for how the streets in its district could be optimized for pedestrians and events.

gastown tomorrow road changes

Concept for widening sidewalk space on Water Street for pedestrians. (Gastown Business Improvement Association)

7. Revitalize Robson Street, including making it car-free

A four-city-block stretch of Robson Street between Hornby Street and Jervis Street should be permanently pedestrianized year-round. This would effectively be a westward expansion of the 800 Robson Plaza above Robson Square that reached completion in 2021.

This span of Robson Street would be completely redesigned with a purpose-built public realm for pedestrians, with high-quality finishings and street furniture, public art, extensive special nighttime lighting, and opportunities for restaurant patios and in-street outdoor businesses such as cafes and kiosks. The redesign would also make Robson Street an event-friendly space, including its ability to be flexibly used for major events such as the unique needs of the Vancouver Pride Parade.

TransLink buses and general vehicle traffic would be redirected to Alberni Street and other streets.

lincoln avenue miami design 1

Conceptual artistic rendering of beautifying the Lincoln Road retail strip in Miami, Florida. (James Corner Field Operations)

In addition to major placemaking improvements to Robson Street, the City of Vancouver should amend the West End Plan’s building height prescriptions for a three-city-block segment between Burrard Street and Jervis Street by allowing taller commercial-only buildings of up to seven storeys — a measure to encourage property owners to renew their dated buildings. The first two to three floors would be required for retail, restaurant and/or entertainment uses, while the remaining levels can be retail, restaurant, hotel, entertainment and/or office. Select sites should also be considered for 100% high-rise hotel towers, with vehicle access provided via the rear laneway.

Currently, the West End Plan only allows for up to three storeys on this three-block stretch of Robson Street, which does not sufficiently encourage new buildings to attract more and higher quality long-term retail tenants.

Increasing the commercial-only density of Robson Street will attract more businesses, which will in turn attract significantly more pedestrians/visitors to the car-free street. Cosmetic upgrades alone through placemaking are insufficient.

The new developments would also help cover the cost of redesigning this portion of Robson Street.

lincoln avenue miami design 1

Conceptual artistic rendering of beautifying the Lincoln Road retail strip in Miami, Florida. (James Corner Field Operations)

8. Placemaking on Alberni Street

While Alberni Street would receive some of the transplanted vehicle traffic previously found on Robson Street, including TransLink buses, some opportunities for placemaking should still be explored, particularly for the city block between Burrard Street and Thurlow Street — Vancouver’s luxury retail district. An example could entail overhead lighting and public art, as envisioned in the West End Plan.

Alberni Street Vancouver

2013 conceptual illustration of Alberni and Thurlow Streets, looking west, showing potential public realm enhancements, including overhead decorative lighting, parklets, and temporary street closure with the winter holiday market. (City of Vancouver)

9. Bring out the true potential of Granville Entertainment District

Extensive public space improvements should be performed on the Granville Entertainment District — the three-city-block stretch of Granville Street between Robson Street and Helmcken Street.

This segment of Granville Street would receive a beautification renewal with more public spaces for pedestrians, restaurant patios, and special events, as well as ample additional lighting — both new street lighting, and encouraging businesses and property owners to install major special lighting, including neon signage, programmable LED lights, and giant video screens. Such features are fully reflective of what an entertainment district should be.

For the downtown segment of Granville Street south of Helmcken Street, the existing practice of allowing vehicles to park on the sidewalk should end to open up more space for pedestrians and expand restaurant patio opportunities.

granville street revitalization

Future: Granville Street looking north from Nelson Street in downtown Vancouver. (PWL Partnership/DVBIA/Resonance)

TransLink buses would also remain on Granville Street, given that the buses provide significant pedestrian traffic to the street to support businesses and a sense of public safety. There are about 25,000 bus transit trips per day on Granville Street downtown, with half a dozen routes running a combined total of nearly 80 buses per hour during peak periods.

Public space improvements to Granville Street must also be paired with policy changes that encourage larger commercial-only building developments, containing restaurants, bars, lounges, nightclubs, entertainment venues, and hotels to further solidify the entertainment district. Any further residential uses in the area should be highly restricted given their incompatibility to the entertainment district’s excess noise and light.

The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association’s (DVBIA) bold vision for the Granville Entertainment District, created in 2021, provides a solid foundation for what should be considered.

Sim and ABC have already hinted they will consider making some interventions to help revitalize the Granville Entertainment District.

granville street revitalization

Future: Intersection of Granville Street and Davie Street in downtown Vancouver. (PWL Partnership/DVBIA/Resonance)

10. Approve the 800 Granville redevelopment

The proposal for the 800 Granville redevelopment on the northernmost section of the Granville Entertainment District is absolutely a no-brainer given its very obvious public and economic benefits.

It is precisely the type of big jump start Granville Entertainment District needs for its revitalization.

The 16-storey building spanning most of the city block south of Robson Street will have over 400,000 sq ft of office space within the upper levels — enough for about 4,000 office workers.

The lower levels will contain over 100,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant uses, and 90,000 sq ft of cultural and entertainment spaces, including the full preservation and upgrade of the Commodore Ballroom and Commodore Lanes, and a new City-owned theatre as an expansion of the adjacent Orpheum Theatre, but only if the provided increased density allows for the public benefits.

800 granville street vancouver bonnis properties

August 2021 artistic rendering of the revised design for 800 Granville Street, Vancouver. (Perkins&Will/Bonnis Properties)

The City needs to focus its attention on the highly limited ability to build new major retail spaces in downtown Vancouver that are both centrally located and attractive. Without projects like 800 Granville, downtown Vancouver has lost potential businesses to suburban retail centres — countering the typing retail practice of establishing a presence in the region’s primary city centre before opening in suburban locations.

Uniqlo and Simons previously expressed interest in opening flagship locations within downtown Vancouver, but they have been forced to open in suburban locations instead. Uniqlo first opened in the region at Metropolis at Metrotown mall in 2017, and it has since opened three other suburban stores, but it still has not opened in downtown Vancouver due to a lack of suitable quality space.

The critical mass of office workers, the new retail spaces to attract major businesses that generate foot traffic, the new restaurant opportunities, and the new and enhanced entertainment venues offered by 800 Granville will undoubtedly be an economic engine for the area.

City Council should work to expedite the rezoning application approval of this project.

800 granville street vancouver bonnis properties

August 2021 artistic rendering of the revised design for 800 Granville Street, Vancouver. (Perkins&Will/Bonnis Properties)

11. Approve the Hudson’s Bay redevelopment

For the same aforementioned reasons as 800 Granville Street, City Council should also work to expedite the approval of the redevelopment of the under-utilized Hudson’s Bay flagship store in downtown Vancouver.

The Hudson’s Bay department store will be downsized and reconfigured into the lower levels of the building, which will be completely redesigned to include a major public atrium and a new public corridor between Granville and Seymour streets to access SkyTrain Granville Station. Altogether, the lower levels of the building will have a total of 400,000 sq ft of retail, restaurant, and public spaces.

The upper levels of the heritage building and a 12-storey vertical expansion would contain about one million sq ft of office space — enough for about 5,000 office workers.

674 Granville Street Vancouver hudsons bay redevelopment

Artistic rendering of the redevelopment of Hudson’s Bay’s Vancouver flagship store at 674 Granville Street. (Perkins & Will/Streetworks Development/Hudson’s Bay Company)

Both the 800 Granville and Hudson’s Bay redevelopments would serve to provide immense additional foot traffic to the Granville Entertainment District and the Central Business District.

Due to the site’s mountain view cone height restrictions, the proposed Hudson’s Bay redevelopment takes on the form of a big box vertical expansion instead of a taller, slender point tower.

674 Granville Street Vancouver hudsons bay redevelopment

Artistic rendering of the redevelopment of Hudson’s Bay’s Vancouver flagship store at 674 Granville Street. (Perkins & Will/Streetworks Development/Hudson’s Bay Company)

674 Granville Street Vancouver hudsons bay redevelopment

Artistic rendering of the public atrium within the redevelopment of Hudson’s Bay’s Vancouver flagship store at 674 Granville Street. (Perkins & Will/Streetworks Development/Hudson’s Bay Company)

12. Catalyze a truly world-class redevelopment of the Bay parkade

The rare size and highly central location of the Bay parkade (immediately across from the Hudson’s Bay flagship store on Seymour Street) provides a rare opportunity to provide downtown Vancouver with a truly world-class development, and a statement piece that further reinforces the Central Business District.

Nearly the entirety of this giant city block — the parkade and a number of other properties — is under the ownership of a single developer that has been exploring the potential for a significant mixed-use redevelopment for years.

One of their previously considered redevelopment concepts entails a major shopping mall within the base podium of the complex, including space for a department store suitable for a retailer such as Simons. There would also be large covered and animated outdoor public spaces, at least one major hotel, office spaces, and residential uses.

hudsons bay parkade holborn group vancouver mad architects

Artistic rendering of a concept for the Hudson’s Bay parkade redevelopment in downtown Vancouver. (MAD Architects/Arc Shadow)

hudsons bay parkade holborn group vancouver mad architects

Artistic rendering of a concept for the Hudson’s Bay parkade redevelopment in downtown Vancouver. (MAD Architects/Arc Shadow)

Rising from the base podium would be Vancouver’s new tallest building — a tower that would also be amongst the tallest in Metro Vancouver. Without such projects, the tallest buildings will soon be entirely located within the suburban municipalities.

This tall tower would also be capped off by a one-of-a-kind observation deck and restaurant — a major new world-class attraction for both residents and tourists.

Given the enormous size of the site and its adjacency to SkyTrain’s Granville Station and Vancouver City Centre Station, such a redevelopment should be allowed to reach at least about two million sq ft through a site-wide base podium of at least 12 storeys and a main tower height in excess of 700 ft. The scale and uses of such a project should theoretically generate at least $150 million in community amenity contributions (CACs) for the City.

hudsons bay parkade holborn group vancouver mad architects

Artistic rendering of a concept for the Hudson’s Bay parkade redevelopment in downtown Vancouver. (MAD Architects/Arc Shadow)

hudsons bay parkade holborn group vancouver mad architects

Artistic rendering of a concept for the Hudson’s Bay parkade redevelopment in downtown Vancouver. (MAD Architects/Arc Shadow)

Such a project would expand the Central Business District’s gravity of activity eastward, building on the momentum generated by the significant office development projects of TELUS Garden, The Post (Amazon), and Deloitte Summit.

But the scale and real potential of this redevelopment can only be achieved if mountain view cone height restrictions are not an obstacle.

View cones also artificially curbed the building height and economic potential of both the TELUS Garden office tower and The Post, despite the interest of the property owners and developers to pursue greater job density through added height for both projects.

hudsons bay parkade holborn group vancouver mad architects

Artistic rendering of a concept for the Hudson’s Bay parkade redevelopment in downtown Vancouver. (MAD Architects/Arc Shadow)

13. Rethink building height restrictions due to view cones and shadowing

Height restrictions due to mountain view cones and increasingly arbitrary building shadowing considerations for retail streets, intersections, and public parks and plazas are making Vancouver an onerous and expensive process to achieve projects with a real major impact.

It has severely limited the potential for housing supply and office space for job creation and economic growth. As well, height restrictions also contribute to the challenges of building new major retail in downtown Vancouver, as suitable locations for such uses compete with more lucrative residential and office uses.

This is not to say mountain view cones do not provide a public benefit, but there should be a full acknowledgement of the very clear material tradeoffs in terms of housing, job space, and economic opportunity.

City Council should consider providing height restriction relaxations for project proposals near SkyTrain stations. Greater density should be achieved at transit-oriented development sites and other centrally located sites.

Some minor and/or contradictory view cone locations should also be considered for removal. For example, the sailboat masts at a False Creek marina obscure more of the protected view than the towers for View Cone D emanating from Leg-in-Boot Square on the South False Creek seawall.

830-850 Thurlow Street 1045 Haro Street Vancouver Intracorp

The proposed tower at 830-850 Thurlow Street and 1045 Haro Street, as seen from View Cone D emanating from Leg-in-Boot Square on the South False Creek seawall. The view cone is blocked by both sailboat masts next to the marina and the tower. (Patkau Architects/Intracorp)

vancouver view cone sign false creek seawall

Views of the mountains through this view cone from South False Creek are absent on this rainy day in Vancouver. The City of Vancouver’s view cone propaganda signs will soon be removed following Vancouver City Council’s decision! (Daily Hive)

View Cone 3, the largest and most impactful mountain view cone covering much of Central Broadway and downtown Vancouver, is intended to protect the view of the mountains from the designated viewpoint attraction atop Queen Elizabeth Park. But over the years, the tall growth of the trees at the park has blocked much more of the protected view than the buildings in the distance.

Not only should view cone and shadowing height restrictions be relaxed for sites near transit hubs but flexibility should also be considered for large project sites like the federal government’s vertical office expansion of Sinclair Centre and the future St. Paul’s Hospital redevelopment in the West End after the hospital relocates to its new facility in the False Creek Flats. The level of density permitted will dictate the value of the West End hospital site redevelopment’s public benefits, range of uses beyond market housing, and the amount of revenue Providence Healthcare will receive through the sale of the property, which will go towards covering the cost of building the new hospital.

View Cone 3.0 from Queen Elizabeth Park

View Cone 3.0 from the view point for visitors atop Queen Elizabeth Park, with the growth of trees within the park entering the protected view. (City of Vancouver)

View Cone 3.0 from Queen Elizabeth Park

View Cone 3.0 from Queen Elizabeth Park blankets much of Central Broadway and the downtown peninsula. This map does not show dozens of other view cones that overlap with View Cone 3.0. (City of Vancouver)

14. Make real progress on the Waterfront Station precinct

In the late 2000s, the City of Vancouver created a preliminary master plan for expanding Waterfront Station’s transit hub capacity and spaces, and a framework for how significant office tower developments and public spaces can be achieved north of the historic train station building — right up to the edge of the water.

This Waterfront Station precinct plan was triggered by Whitecaps FC owner Greg Kerfoot’s proposal to build a 15,000-seat outdoor soccer stadium over the railyard to the northeast of the transit hub.

But for various reasons, any further progress on realizing this precinct stalled and was put on a far back burner for reasons including cost and the municipal government’s new focus on demolishing the Dunsmuir and Georgia viaducts.

Vancouver Central Waterfront Hub Framework

Artistic rendering of the transit concourse at Waterfront Station. (City of Vancouver)

Vancouver Central Waterfront Hub Framework

Site plan of the expanded Waterfront Station. (City of Vancouver)

Vancouver Central Waterfront Hub Framework

Site plan of the expanded Waterfront Station. (City of Vancouver)

The expansion of Waterfront Station would include a new transit concourse, space for additional platforms such as another SkyTrain line or West Coast Express expansion, a bus terminal, and an improved SeaBus terminal with additional berths for more passenger ferry services.

Canada Place Way would be extended eastward through the site, and Granville Street would see a northward extension beyond West Cordova Street. The public promenade for pedestrians running along the edge of the water would also be extended.

Tower developments north of the transit hub would contain 1.4 million sq ft of office, hotel, retail, and restaurant uses.

But moving forward, more density should be targeted — up to 2.5 million sq ft to include not only more office, hotel, retail, and restaurant spaces, but also what would likely be the final opportunity for a seamless expansion of the Vancouver Convention Centre, with a new additional eastern wing of ballrooms and meeting rooms.

In April 2022, City Council directed City staff to restart its planning work for the Waterfront Station precinct.

Central Waterfront Hub Framework Vancouver

Artistic rendering of the Central Waterfront Hub Framework area in downtown Vancouver. (City of Vancouver)

15. Retain the Northeast False Creek viaducts, and build around the structures

Instead of proceeding with the plan to demolish the Dunsmuir and Georgia viaducts and build a new surface road network, the viaducts should be seismically upgraded at a comparatively significantly lower cost.

While the viaducts currently do not create an attractive or inviting public realm, building tower developments between the structures would drastically improve the area, along with retail, restaurant, bar, and lounge uses within the lower levels of the buildings to expand the Northeast False Creek entertainment district and uses that complement the nearby stadiums.

Additionally, retaining the viaducts means 45,000 vehicles per day will not be transplanted to the surrounding streets on ground level. And when combined with the existing configuration of Pacific Boulevard and Expo Boulevard, it allows for the road network redundancy that is needed to serve the new St. Paul’s Hospital in the False Creek Flats and to maintain road access for special outdoor events and stadium events that require major road closures.

Altogether, this is more achievable than the current vision for the future of Northeast False Creek.

Artistic rendering of Concord Pacific’s redevelopment design on its portion of the Northeast False Creek. (Concord Pacific/Dialog)

16. Encourage more post-secondary institutions to open in downtown Vancouver

Students and other young adults bring life to urban environments — the presence of their youthful energy, along with their support for restaurants, retail, and entertainment-based businesses. As a way to make downtown Vancouver more vibrant, the City should establish policies that attract more post-secondary institutions to the city centre — a combination of international language schools, private colleges, and more major satellite campuses for UBC, SFU, and BCIT.

UBC Robson Square

The University of British Columbia’s satellite campus underground at Robson Square in downtown Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

17. A major mixed-use development for Broadway-City Hall Station

The entire City-owned block on West Broadway that is located just south of Vancouver City Hall — the same block where the Broadway-City Hall Station entrance building is located — was demolished and cleared as a construction staging area for the Broadway Subway. In 2025, Broadway-City Hall will become one of the region’s most important and busiest public transit hubs with the convergence of both the Canada Line and the extended Millennium Line.

Over the years, the municipal government has made it known that it intends to develop this city block into a new modern City Hall with a new replacement City Council chamber, public counters, dedicated offices for City departments, public spaces, and a significantly improved public realm.

Taking inspiration from Asian transit hubs, any development of this block should include a significant retail/restaurant component within the base of the complex — an underground shopping mall fully integrated with the underground concourse level of the Millennium Line section of the station complex, and effectively providing the station with a much-needed secondary entrance from the street.

broadway city hall station millennium line skytrain

The City-owned block just north of Vancouver City Hall is the site of the SkyTrain Broadway-City Hall Station entrance and the future City Hall expansion. (Government of BC)

broadway-city hall station hub

Diagram showing the interchange hub between the Millennium Line and Canada Line at Broadway-City Hall Station. (Government of BC)

18. Granville Bridge elevator to Granville Island, and the return of the “Olympic Line” streetcar

Granville Island faces major transportation accessibility issues, but there are some clear solutions to at least significantly mitigate the current challenges.

The City should spearhead an effort to bring back the “Olympic Line” streetcar, which was a temporary streetcar service put in place during the 2010 Olympics between Granville Island and SkyTrain Olympic Village Station. It travelled along an upgraded South False Creek railway right-of-way.

As a second phase expansion, the streetcar line would be further extended west to reach Senakw and Vanier Park, and further east along 1st Avenue and Quebec Street — an eastern terminus station located next to SkyTrain Main Street-Science World Station.

Additionally, the City should work with CMHC — the federal crown corporation that owns and operates Granville Island — to explore how to achieve building a structural tower with elevators and a staircase linking the Granville Bridge Connector’s pedestrian pathway and on-bridge bus stop with Granville Island below. Such a tower could also double as an observation deck attraction.

granville island

Artistic rendering of the elevator and staircase tower between Granville Island and the Granville Street Bridge deck. (CMHC)

Olympic Streetcar Line Vancouver

Olympic Line streetcar station at False Creek South, next to the Canada Line’s Olympic Village Station. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

19. Take advantage of Queen Elizabeth Park’s views

If the views of the North Shore mountains from Queen Elizabeth Park’s dedicated viewing point are to be strictly protected by the wide-sweeping View Cone 3.0, then the Park Board should fully take advantage of the views to further improve the attraction.

The measures should include not only pruning view-obscuring trees on the north side of the hilltop park but also adding attractions, such as building a permanent large ferris wheel or even reviving the proposal to add an observation tower.

queen elizabeth park observation tower vancouver

Artistic rendering of the 2008-rejected proposal to build an observation tower at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver. (Henriquez Partners Architects)

20. Move the “East Van” sign

The City should explore the potential of relocating the giant “Monument to Vancouver” public art piece, also known as the “East Van” sign,” currently located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Clark Drive and Great Northern Way. It is not a photogenic site for such a significant public art installation, although some improvements will be made to the public space below the sign as part of the new Nature’s Path office tower, currently under construction.

2105 Keith Drive Vancouver Dialog BentallGreenOak Nature's Path

Artistic rendering of 2105 Keith Drive, Vancouver. (Dialog/BentallGreenOak)

2105 Keith Drive Vancouver Dialog BentallGreenOak Nature's Path

Artistic rendering of 2105 Keith Drive, Vancouver. (Dialog/BentallGreenOak)

21. Widen the sidewalks of Commercial Drive

Little Italy on The Drive deserves beautification improvements. The City should consider widening the sidewalks of Commercial Drive — between Adanac Street and East Broadway — into the curbside parking spaces for more space for pedestrians and new restaurant patio opportunities. As well, pocket plazas can be accomplished by closing off select side streets along The Drive.

Italian flag Little Italy Vancouver crosswalk

Italian flag-coloured crosswalks on Commercial Drive to celebrate Vancouver’s Little Italy district. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

22. Encourage small retail and restaurant units in laneways

City Council should consider creating policies that open the potential for making laneway-facing commercial units for retail and restaurants feasible for property owners, as a way of activating these public spaces. The City can look to existing examples such as the Is That French and Gringo Gastown restaurants in Blood Alley, the Off White Vancouver store in the laneway south of Alberni Street near Thurlow Street, and the successes of this urban fabric model in other cities elsewhere in the world.

gringo gastown blood alley

Gringo Gastown restaurant in Blood Alley. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Off-White Vancouver

The Off-White Vancouver store in the laneway at 1076 Alberni Street. (Concordia Group)

23. PNE renewal and Playland expansion

It was nearly two decades ago the City of Vancouver made the error of demolishing a number of significant fairground buildings in Hastings Park to create more green space, in anticipation of the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) and Playland’s relocation — something that did not happen.

The municipal government assumed control of the PNE from the provincial government but has made relatively few reinvestments into improving the attraction and its event-hosting capabilities. To its credit, the previous City Council approved a significant new 10,000-seat covered outdoor amphitheatre for the PNE, but much more needs to be done.

Renewing Hastings Park as a major regional entertainment destination should be a priority, with the City expediting key components in its Hastings Park/PNE master plan approved more than a decade ago. This includes expediting the plan for redeveloping and expanding Playland into a theme park.

hastings park pne master plan vancouver

Hastings Park/PNE master plan for introducing more green spaces and improving the entertainment and event-hosting facilities on the fairgrounds. (City of Vancouver)

24. Revitalize the Museum of Vancouver

As a cultural institution, the City-owned Museum of Vancouver in Vanier Park in Kitsilano has been neglected. The municipal government needs to reinvest in this institution to update and expand its facilities and improve its programming to bring it up to its higher potential of engaging Vancouver residents and tourists.

International Museum Day

Museum of Vancouver (Andrew/flickr)

25. More support for the Vancouver Economic Commission

Compared to similar economic investment and attraction agencies in other Canadian cities, the City of Vancouver’s Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) agency is grossly underfunded. Despite its lack of resources, the agency punches well above its weight in working to maintain and grow Hollywood North and the tech sector in Vancouver.

In addition to more resources for VEC, the municipal government needs to place their work on a far higher pedestal, including showing clear political support in backing the VEC’s efforts with local, domestic, and international stakeholders and business interests. Alongside VEC, the mayor and City Council should champion the needs of the innovation and tech sectors.

hollywood north vancouver art gallery filming

Hollywood North; filming at the Vancouver Art Gallery. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

26. Support existing major events, and catalyze new events

Ask any major event organizer, and they will tell you it is extremely challenging to put on major events within Vancouver for reasons of a lack of funding — a corporate community with a culture that does not understand the importance of supporting local events, and a municipal government that does not provide adequate levels of financial support or initiative.

It is also expensive to put on major events within Vancouver due to a range of factors such as a lack of large open and flexible locations suitable to host major events, and overly complex and unnecessary considerations imposed by the City.

In many cases, such events are organized by non-profit organizations and are volunteer-driven. In lieu of a City event planning department, their work should be valued to a far greater degree and not be taken for granted. Events should be fully perceived as a public benefit, not a nuisance.

As the first steps towards supporting existing major events and catalyzing new events, the City’s leadership should become more vocal in their support for events, and double down their support for Vancouver’s proven anchor events (e.g., Celebration of Light, Vancouver Pride, Vancouver Mural Fest, Canada Day at Canada Place), rally much-needed support within the business community to support existing and new events, and identify new City funding sources to support such events in addition to fully covering policing and other City-related costs such as traffic management, engineering, and sanitation.

New City-supported funding for major public events could be generated by topping up the required cash community amenity contributions (CACs) paid by developers in exchange for the added density they receive for their new building developments, such as a highly nominal 0.25% increase to total CACs. Alternatively, a new public event CACs category could be created — just like the existing category of requiring a public art contribution — or the City could allow the option of a cash contribution towards the City’s event funding pool instead of the usual public art contribution.

As well, the municipal government should provide more support to its in-house Sport Hosting Vancouver department, which focuses its efforts on attracting large global sports events that attract international tourism to the city. Some examples of its successes include World Rugby Canada Sevens, the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, and the FIFA World Cup. These events attract thousands of out-of-region visitors and create enormous economic spinoffs.

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