Vancouver's Gastown pedestrian project officially opens

Water Street in Vancouver's Gastown is fully open once again just not to cars.

Vancouver city councilannounced the reopening of thepedestrian zone at a news conference In Maple Tree Square on Thursday.

"This really does represent the next step in making Gastown more vibrant and lively and inclusive," said City of Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim. "Water Street will be the place to be in the city."

The initiative is aCity of Vancouver pilot project to test how well the pedestrian-only area will work.

Maple Tree Squareand Water Street from Cambie to Richards Street will be car-free this summer while Water Street from Maple Tree Square to Cambie Street will be open to local traffic only.

Since March, much of thestreet and surrounding area has been under construction as crews repaired brickwork and patched asphalt. Now, planters and patio infrastructure have been installed, cutting off car access.

Owners of nearbybusinesses said the construction and temporary lack of foot traffic caused them to loserevenue.

"There werebusinesses that, during this transitional phase,really got punched in the gut," Sim said. "Thank you for your patience."

This weekend, the block opened up.

In an interview with CBC'sOn the Coast, Matthew Senecal-Junkeer, the ownerof the caf Birds and the Beets,said it's been nice to see people walking around in the square. He saidhe's seen an uptick in business since the area reopened.

"I'm liking it,"Senecal-Junkeersaid. "I was hopeful and optimistic, andseeing it in practice, I think there's real potential."

WATCH | Gastown caf owner on new pedestrian zone:

Part of Vancouver's Gastown goes car-free for summer

2 months ago

Duration 6:17

The city has completed a project that will see Water Street go car-free as part of a pilot project. Matthew Senecal-Junkeer, the owner of the nearby Birds and Beets cafe, discusses his observations with the CBC after a weekend of the pilot project being active.

At the news conference on Thursday, SquamishNation Knowledge Keeper Syexwaliya Ann Whonnocksaid the project is in an area with historical significance to the Squamish Nation. In the Great Fire of 1886 in Vancouver, she saidwomen from the Nation paddled residents away from the flames.

"Welcome to our area," she said. "It's good to be here today."

She said students from the Capilano Little Ones Schoolhelped paint some of the planters along Water Street, and people with theTa na wa Ns7eyxnitm ta Snewiyelh, a language school, helped create some of the information signs peppering the street.

Lisa Parker, theCity of Vancouver's director of public space and street use, saidthe pilot project, which runs through the summer, is a way to study how to keep Water Street for pedestrians permanently.

"I'd like to encourageeveryone to come down, experience, shop, dine in Gastown," she said."Enjoy walking on Water."