Taking to the Street: Redefining Public Space in Vancouver, British Columbia

The following post comes courtesy of Global Site Plans' The Grid. CNU and Global Site Plans recently teamed up to syndicate Grid content, as its contingent of writers presents a view on the opportunities and issues of urbanization all across the world. CNU will carry select posts from the Grid direct on the CNU Salons.

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How can city streets be better used to create a sense of community and engage locals in conversations about public space? That’s the question that The Vancouver Public Space Network (VPSN), a grassroots organization focused on public space issues, sought to explore during their four week “Lunch Meet Series“ last summer.

Each Thursday during July 2012 the VPSN, in conjunction with Viva Vancouver and locallandscape architecture firm Space2Place, transformed a block of downtown Vancouver into a bustling long-tabled cafeteria space over the lunch hour. The series offered participants, mostly workers from surrounding businesses, the opportunity to taste dishes provided by local eateries or to simply enjoy their own packed lunch in the sunshine while surrounded by new friends.

The series was well attended and successfully completed its goals of bringing locals together and taking to the street to create an awareness of public space andurban design issues in the city. Despite the short duration of the project, the series left many with broader questions about how public space is used in Vancouver and, additionally, how it can be temporarily created. Far too frequently our “public” spaces are actually privately owned and regulated, urging us to consume a $5 latte or pay an astronomical amount for parking in order to enjoy a little outdoor time in the middle of a busy workday. The VPSN Lunch Meet model combats these deterrents to public space enjoyment by taking back the streets and returning them to the people for communal use.

As the winter months draw to a close and warmer weather returns to British Columbia’s coast, Vancouverites await an announcement from the VPSN as to whether the Lunch Meet Series will return to the streets this summer. In the meantime, we are at least left with some quality inspiration as to how similar projects could open public spaces in unexpected locations.

How is public space created in your community? How can we begin to see value in spaces traditionally designated for one purpose alone?

To read the original post, written by Courtney McLaughlin, visit Global Site Plans.