Reclaiming Public Space in Vancouver

Over the past couple of years, the City of Vancouver has been climbing the most livable cities indexes. Vancouver has shifted priorities to improving urban mobility, community engagement and social vitality. VIVA Vancouver is one such policy that  provides funding for applicants who want to transform public parking spaces into mini-parks. This funding opportunity paved the way for the French Quarter Parklet to be born. 

The parklet will occupy two parking spaces outside Chocolaterie de la Nouvelle France. With support from the Chocolaterie as well as PWL Partnership Landscape Architects and the property manager, the parking spaces will be transformed into a place where passerby's can unwind. The Parklet will be equipped with a bike bar (one of the first in North America), art wall, planters, benches an tables with umbrellas. 

The French Quarter Parklet is a product of research conducted by one of PWL’s own interns. While performing research for her Master’s thesis, Kathleen Corey, identified locations that would be ideal to host a parklet and support local business simultaneously.

What’s amazing about this project is that it demonstrates what can happen when communities re-claim public spaces.  By converting just two parking spaces into a community meeting place, it produced unforeseen economic and social benefits. You can watch the positive reaction of The French Quarter Parklet here. 

International PARK(ing) Day

 In late September the 9th annual International PARK(ing) Day was celebrated across 6 continents, 35 countries and over 160 cities. But let me back up, this project had very modest beginnings in 2005. The scale of success was never imaged when the project first began.

The original project was born out of a desire to draw attention to the fact that over 70% of San Francisco’s public space was dedicated to the private automobile. Rebar wanted to challenge the status quo and make an innovative, creative point. The idea was simple, yet effective.

By paying the parking meter fee, urban space can be leased on a short-term basis for an alternative use then its original purpose. From this idea a single parking spot was transformed into a temporary public park. The original PARK was erected for two hours. When the meter expired, the temporary park was deconstructed. When a single photograph of the project began circulating around the Internet, Rebar began receiving requests to create a PARK(ing) project in other cities. Instead of duplicating the same installation, a how-to manual was developed to empower international communities to create their own parks. With this, “PARK(ing) Day” was born.

Original 2005 PARK 
Image Courtesy of Rebar

Since 2005, PARK(ing) Day has been adapted, modified and reinvented. Each year, the project seems to highlight another urban challenge. The original PARK(ing) project asked citizens to reconsider how they valued public spaces. It challenged the notion that planning decisions are permanent and sought to deconstruct traditional perceptions of public spaces. 

In recent years, projects have expanded beyond calling attention to the lack of green space in urban areas. Free health clinics, temporary urban farms, political seminars, art installations, bike repair shops and a wedding ceremony have all taken place in a parking space. 

These examples illustrate the power of the PARK(ing) Project. It encourages local communities to draw attention to missing neighborhood attributes. This project fosters an entrepreneurial, creative spirit that can only make people smile as they walk past these pop-up installations. PARK(ing) Day also provides the opportunity for local communities to highlight areas for improvement and ask local authorities to address these issues.

Image Courtesy of PARK(ing) Day

Encouraging Innovation through Inclusivity

Image Courtesy of the Museum of Vancouver

 Upcycled Urbanism is a participatory project stemming from the desire to challenge the status quo of urban design in Vancouver. Using Facebook to communicate information about workshops, teams of artists, designers, students and creative individuals came together to discusses ideas, potential changes and design prototypes.

 This month, teams will come together to actually build their ideas using material salvaged from the construction of Port Mann Bridge. Creations will be on display in an outdoor exhibition throughout July. The community will be asked to provide feedback and critique the design-build displays. 

By encouraging people to think about public space, Upcycled Urbanism hopes to provoke conversations about urban design, the public realm, foster collaboration between unlikely groups and create a sense of community.

Image Courtesy of Museum of Vancouver

Large-Scale Impact Through Small-Scale Ideas

The space between the sidewalk and the road is usually perceived as an insignificant piece of public space. Most probably do not even know the name of this space (it’s called a verge for the record). Thanks to one resident's initiative, verges in Halifax, Nova Scotia are looking a lot more attractive these days. Sam Austin found a way to strengthen community bonds, reduce petty crime and even generate a new tourism industry, all with the simple act of planting tulips in Tulip Street’s verges.

Founder, Sam Austin with his Daughter on Tulip Street. Image Courtesy of The Chronicle Herald

Austin began planting tulips outside of his home two years ago.  Neighbors quickly took notice. Generous donations from the public and private sector provided residents the opportunity to organize a ‘planting party’ to plant over 10,000 tulip bulbs. No one could have anticipated the outcome of this community initiative. 

Image Courtesy of Wiebe in Halifax

While the tulips are in bloom for only a small time period, public space that looks cared for deters acts of petty crime. A case can be argued that the flowers have marginally increased public safety and mitigated acts of petty crimes.

Furthermore, the tulip project has generated significant positive press for Halifax. The positive media attention has brought a wave of tulip tourists that inevitably contribute to the local economy. In a city that has experienced waves of urban decay and renewal, the unexpected tourism industry is a welcome source of revenue.

Most importantly, the tulip project makes people happy. Being proud of your residential street or taking a new route to work so you can benefit from Tulip Street’s positive externalities are some of life’s most simple pleasures. In a time when large-scale development is threatening some of our most cherished public places, it’s important to get back to the basics. Planting tulips on Tulip Street is an inexpensive, cohesive community initiative that demonstrates how small-scale ideas can have large-scale impacts.   

Pop-Up Food Markets: Reinventing Dining Experiences

Many North American cities have embraced pop-up food markets with wide-open arms. Toronto’s Underground Market holds monthly pop-ups at Evergreen Brick Works, a pop-up market emerged underneath New York’s famous High Line and San Diego has just implemented its first food market at the beginning of 2013 on National Avenue.

It bears the question- what is so attractive about pop-up food markets? Is the allure the interesting spaces and locations that these events are held? Is there widespread desire to sample unique food from various restaurants and vendors? Or is it the knowledge that the market may not exist next year, next month or even next week that draws crowds to pop-up markets? Maybe it’s all of the above.

Pop-up markets create a platform for existing and emerging food vendors to showcase their skills to their peers, critics and admirers. In many cases, these events serve as job-interviews for many aspiring chefs. It also provides restaurants with an opportunity to test and obtain feedback on new recipes.

Furthermore, pop-up markets are increasingly attracting foodies from diverging backgrounds. These events provide opportunities for differing social groups to bond over their love for fish tacos. And who knows, maybe bond over other things?

While the economic and social justifications for pop-up markets can be disputed, what is indisputable is the fact that these events are delicious, affordable, fun and here to stay.  

Photo courtesy Yumtum​