Some say newly approved Vancouver Main Street park concept isn't green enough

A concept plan for a new park in Vancouver on Main Street and 7th Avenue has been approved, but some question the language behind the project.

The Vancouver Park Board approved the plan at a meeting on Monday night, but a tweet revealing the approval has led to a few concerns from the public.

Daily Hive Urbanized covered the initial design plan for the event-friendly Mount Pleasant park, which would be situated next to the almost brand-new Steamworks Brewing Co.

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The planned park is intended to “support the neighbourhood’s growing population and demand for access to green space.”

Responses to the park board tweet feature reactions ranging from wondering why it’s even called a park to others suggesting it’s not a green space.

Cement is not green space.

— Jody Vance (@jodyvance) May 30, 2023

Currently, the area is paved with cement and has some benches for patrons of Steamworks. The approved plan would make the space much greener than it is presently.

Its a Plaza not a Park!

— Mary Tataryn 🌈🌼🐘🌻🌺 (@TatarynMary) May 30, 2023

One response on Twitter said, “Huzzah! Another concrete park. So good for the environment and for cooling neighbourhoods.”

Others pushed back, adding that the concrete and grey elements are crucial to the project design.

For those who comment without having read the report. pic.twitter.com/PGW8bVpVRK

— thierryg (@thierrytheg) May 30, 2023

There was also a public engagement period where 188 people submitted surveys about the plan.

“The design responds to the steep grades on site, the surrounding noise levels, and the lack of green space. The creation of three terraced spaces, an upper, middle, and lower area, surrounded by swathes of planted mounds help to create a vegetated buffer from the busy adjacent arterial and collector roads.”

Construction is currently targeted to begin in Q1 2024 and to be completed by Q1 2025. The Park Board shared renderings of the plan last year.

Vancouver Park Board

Vancouver Park Board

Vancouver Park Board

Based on the renderings and the proposal, do you agree with the concerns that the space isn’t green enough to be considered a park?

You might also like:
• Event-friendly public park design for Main Street and 7th Avenue corner in Mount Pleasant (RENDERINGS)
• Downtown Vancouver office building to be converted into hotel and restaurant uses
• Proposal to turn former Stanley Park polar bear enclosure into a spa destination (RENDERINGS)