The launch of Spacing’s National Edition featuring the 100 best public spaces in Canadian cities at the beginning of the summer provoked a lot of discussion in and around Vancouver, not the least of which is the why certain public spaces didn’t make the cut. As the organizer and editor of the “Vancouver” contributions to magazine, I’ve been bombarded with questions around what led to the local final top 10 choices and what the jurors had to say. Given the limited space for the magazine, the write-ups for each of the winners had to remain extremely succinct and I think it’s worth sharing a little bit about what happened behind-the-scenes and some of the comments that were made about Vancouver’s public spaces by our esteemed jury.
For those who haven’t yet read the magazine, it’s worth going over how the rankings were decided. The editor of each city was asked to generate a variety of public spaces around their respective cities and gather a panel of diverse jurors – architects, citizens, journalists, municipal officers, etc. – that would ultimately rank their choice. Well-known “country-wide jurors” who had first-hand knowledge of all the cities, judged all locations. What was classified as a “public space” was open to interpretation except for two tenets: they had to be freely accessible (with the exception of transit hubs) and not governed by private property laws. So, one could choose anything from intersections and parks, to squares and streets.
Locally, the list given to each jury consisted of approximately 50 spaces from across the region. The spaces chosen were shortlisted from a larger set of about 7o public spaces, and to be honest, we could have had many more. Jurors were also allowed to suggest ones that were not on the list, but which they believed should be included.
Although the initial list given to jurors included a variety from around Vancouver, it was collectively decided that simplifying the list to include only those within the City of Vancouver was the best route – really the only route – to go if we wanted to come to any conclusion. This, of course, was a contentious decision since it in unfairly biased the result. After all, would anybody argue that there are well-used and loved public space outside Vancouver? Of course not. But this was an issue of logistics and it was decided that taking task assigned at literally – ranking Vancouver‘s public spaces – was a fair one.
However, one of the insights gleaned from this experience was that, perhaps more than other Canadian cities, we Metro Vancouverites use the full extent of our region extremely well, due to the variety of places that are readily accessible nearby. It isn’t uncommon, for example, for Burnaby residents to frequent the amazing parks on the North Shore or for Richmond dwellers to routinely visit the beaches of Vancouver. Mountains, water, good planning, and a unique urban pattern have truly left their mark on the culture of how we use our local landscape.
Once the decision to deal specifically with Vancouver public spaces was made, the jurors were asked to rank their top 10, noting any they thought were worthy of inclusion for the “Best in Canada”. Although the choices were subjective, judges were encouraged to consider the following issues – roughly based on the well-known research of urbanist Jan Gehl: How conducive is the public space for people to gather? How well does it represent the city? Is it an important place for the city? How beautiful/attractive is the space, either naturally or from an urban design POV? Is it a comfortable space to be in? How well does the space adapt to either programmed events or spontaneous/social encounters? Does it function well in all-types of Canadian weather?
Public spaces then received a score that was weighted in accordance with the rank: that is, a first place vote received ten points, second place got nine points, third place received eight points, etc. It was thought that this method best reflected the wide variety of opinions held. The result of this entire process is what is published in the magazine.
Although the write-ups included in the publication did their best to incorporate the comments given by the judges, many had to be left out. For this reason, I’ve included some of the most poignant quotes gathered below in italics. Some of my own insights start off the explanations and are non-italicized.
1. The Seawall (also recognized as one of the Best in Canada)
The was easily recognized as the most significant public space in Vancouver. Although judges were given the option of highlighting a particular segment of the 22km route, most decided not to do so. This highlights the somewhat ironic fact that its importance is mainly that of a pedestrian connector and link between different parts of the city. In fact, only with the most recent addition of the Olympic Village segment can we truly say that we know how to do the seawall “the right way” – that is, creating a place that people can both move through and rest/play within the same space. All things considered equal, we saved the best piece for last.
“A cut granite necklace for an island jewel of a park. Set in the navel of Vancouver’s powerful water setting, the “sea wall” is a civilized passaggiata through Nature at its most sublime.”
” The Seawall, specifically the Olympic Village frontage/urban wetland (which we also offer for national consideration), and the David Lam park frontage which is wonderfully animated by community recreation.”
2. Granville Island (also recognized as one of the Best in Canada)
Well-known locally and abroad, this one comes as no surprise. The diversity of activities and uses, along with the very progressive design that integrates pedestrian with vehicular traffic make this a powerful public space. In fact, its success spurred other cities to attempt similar redevelopment projects.
“Granville Island….the whole thing. A wonderful planned space that just works. Important for locals and visitors.”
“…is one of the great public spaces of the late 1970s, and, again, recognized internationally for its design, mix and management.”
“…for its vitality, peculiarity and concrete plant. We offer it for national consideration.”
“The one festive market in all of North America that controls kitsch. It does it by legitimately protecting and transforming the working elements of the site. Granville Island is also North America’s most successful example of mixing cars with pedestrians: Its the details stupid!”
3. Stanley Park
There was a certain ambivalence about including such a large space in its entirety. After all, there are so many interesting and wonderful parts in the park – not to mention the Seawall that winds along it’s perimeter and is a big part of its popularity. At the end of the day, however, it was concluded that Vancouverites understand Stanley Park as a entity that is more than the sum of its parts and consequently of regional, national and international significance. It is embedded in the perception of Vancouver and the global imagination of what Vancouver offers to the world. More importantly, it is a symbol of what how we contemporary Vancouverities perceive ourselves and representation of our collective aspirations: a vibrant urban cities seamlessly integrated with our majestic natural surroundings.
“….is inseparable from the identity of the City, and would likely make any international list.”
4. Vancouver Art Gallery Stairs
Any stroll along Robson St. is incomplete without a visit to see the goings-on between Howe St. and Hornby St. To many, the Vancouver Art Gallery Stairs are a wonderful anomaly in the city given that nobody would have ever envisioned their ultimate importance as a public space. It is often thought to be a prime example of “spontaneous public space” that rose unpredictably from random circumstances….and there is certainly truth to that argument. Yet despite being “unplanned”, their simple existence points to certain fundamental lessons of excellent public space making: adjacency to a heavily trafficked pedestrian street, solar exposure, and a generosity of places to sit on an incline. Voila…magic!
“Vancouver’s default public square and gathering place, accidentally created by the decision to close the front entrance of the gallery. Vancouver Art Gallery/Robson Street stairs; the informal market place and protest spot and best people watching in the city.”
“The Vancouver Art Gallery Stairs on the Robson Street frontage for their soapbox contribution absent of a larger urban space for gathering and protest.”
5. Pioneer Place/Pigeon Park
Born from the rail right-of-way that sliced across the regular grid of Vancouver’s early urban fabric and located in the “notorious” Downtown Eastside, Pigeon Park is one of the few public spaces in the city that is active virtually 24 hours a day. Sure, the activities occurring there – particularly in the wee hours of the morning – may not be considered “appropriate” but that doesn’t take away from its success as one of the most used spaces in Vancouver. After all, public space is for everybody – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Many consider it a place of extremes – a hectic urban room that showcases the best and worst of the Downtown Eastside. For my part, I believe it to be the most vibrant truly urban public spaces in the city – an irregularly shaped, well-used, introverted, hard-surfaced plaza enclosed completely by buildings and edged by one of the oldest (and busiest) streets in the city. If that isn’t the archetypal definition of an urban public space, I’m not sure what is.
“after its careful redesign it continues to be an important gathering place in the eastern downtown and is a lively place with its weekend market.”
“…for its important contribution to the DTES as a living room.”
6. Commercial Drive
The Drive has a very interesting history – from its roots as a commercial street born from the interurban railway and it’s transformation to Vancouver’s Little Italy to its more recent hub of popular cultural events like the Parade of Lost Souls, and the Vancouver Dyke March. But what makes it so popular and well-known? I’m always surprised to find how many non-local people (even one-time visitors!) know Commercial Drive. It’s just one of those places in the city that attract all types of people all year round for different reasons. Although there are many explanation for the magic of the area, I think Charles Demers – author of Vancouver Special – was at his sharpest when he observed that it is one of the few places in the region where, despite drastic changes over the generations, no group has ever fully left. They all still remain to some degree, adding their own particular take on urban life.
“Many of the ‘Village High Streets” – Commercial, Denman, Granville, etc. – are worthy as the legacy of the streetcar network, but I think Robson is the best of them.”
7. English Bay (First) Beach
That this location is one of the most picturesque in Vancouver is unquestionable. Located at the end (or beginning, perhaps) of the two vibrant streets – Denman and Davie – and cradled by the surrounding high-density buildings of the West End with a Morton Park acting as a humble welcome mat, it is clear that the experiential power of English Bay (First) Beach owes as much to its urban condition as it does to it picture-perfect view.
“Vancouver’s living room with fireworks, parades and sunset watching”
8. Victory Square
As the former grounds of the city’s provincial courthouse and located at the intersection of the old Granville Townsite (Gastown) and the CPR Townsite, Victory Square is loaded with historical significance. It is one of the earliest public spaces, showing up as “Court House Square” in maps as early as the 1890. As such, it is arguably the most representative “public square” the in original sense of the word: an open space formed by dense and important cluster of civic buildings used for gathering. The Cenotaph memorial was erected in 1924 and the name of the square was changed to reflect the victory the the Allies in World War I. After World War II, the site naturally became the location of choice to hold the annual Remembrance Day services – something that continues to this day. The emotional power of this one yearly event – as a dense crowd of silent and solemn people gather under the watchful eyes of some of the most dignified buildings in the city – is worth its inclusion on the list. If you haven’t experienced it yet, you must.
“….for providing a place of reverence and ceremony combined with wonderful public art (Helmut Lighting by Bill Pechet/Stephanie Robb) and rolling terrain for naps in the sun as well as public washrooms in a challenged precinct.”
9. Kitsilano Beach Park
As one of the most popular beaches in the city, Kitsilano Beach Park was bound to make the list. Affectionately known by many as the “meat market beach” it is where one goes to see or be seen. After all, why else would one willingly choose to brave finding a spot in the thick blanket of people that cover the sand and grass on a hot summer day? Add Vancouver’s largest outdoor swimming pool and the choice is clear. As a popular location for photos and postcards of the downtown peninsula set against the North Shore Mountains, Kitsilano Beach is equally – if not more – well known as a viewpoint than a destination.
“Edged by a great green lawn to bring out the exhibitionist in all of us, and a sublime view of city, sailboats, and snow capped mountains, this must be North Americas greatest beach. As if this were not enough it contains what to me is the city’s best piece of architecture: The Kitsilano pool, with its placid water plane that visually melts into the more turbulent waters of English bay.”
10. Robson Square.
Over the course of the process, one couldn’t help but sense is that this was chosen due to its significance as an architectural icon more than its contribution as a public space in the typical sense. Many would argue that it is truly an “anti-square”: a place were people go to escape and isolate themselves from the city life rather than engage with it and the fellow populace. It is also for that very reason that people also tout its importance and contribution to the public spaces of Vancouver.
Official list aside, many people have also expressed an avid interest in the public spaces almost made the cut. So, to satiate the curiosity here are a number of them, with some notable quotes. To me this really demonstrated how personal public spaces really are and how initmately we use the fabric of the city. Pretty amazing!
Mountain View Cemetery
“…106 acres in the centre of the city, dormant for years and now home to a variety of public cultural events, award winning architecture and meaningful public outreach”
Skateboard park at Union and Quebec
“…activity under the viaducts at all times.”
The VGH Energy Centre Public Plaza
“…which shows us how to deliver creative public amenity while accommodating substantive infrastructure needs.”
Discovery Park/SkyTrain station:
“….transit and cherry trees, an active and suprisingly restful spot in the centre of the financial district”
Corner park/plaza, Sun Life Building, south west corner of Melville and Thurlow
“…..an unexpected delight of roaring water, trees and seating.”
72nd Avenue and Scott Road on the Surrey/Delta border
“….just two arterials, strip malls and parking lots, nothing you would even call a ‘public space.’ And yet that’s where people assemble to celebrate something like a Stanley Cup win. It may be partly because they get to stop traffic – a sure sign of celebration in the suburbs.”
Blood Alley Square
“…given its contribution to tight urban spaces in a heritage context and adjacent to an urban greenway.”
Renfrew Ravine and park at 29th Ave
“…the last open stream in the city full of bird life, and community designed park and trail.”
Fraser River Park at the foot of Angus
“Board walks, tidal marshes and sandy beaches across from the airport. Tug boats, log booms and river craft.”
Wreck Beach
“….is a unique social space with an international identity, as well as a physically beautiful manifestation of a special kind of beach culture.”
West End Mini-Parks
“….for their contribution to social exchange.”
The area bounded by Arbutus, Burrard, 16th and 12th Avenues on Halloween Night
“…..for its “candy yield” as it provides great side animation at 4 doors with illuminated pumpkins per 50′ of site frontage.”
Waterfront Station
“Great architecture. critical infrastructure, the ultimate ‘on-the-way’ public space, since it brings together people in motion from close to a dozen different forms of transportation. Is there a intermodal exchange with more?”
Dr. Sun Yat Sen public park
“…..next to the Classical Garden, this Chinese-like garden is a respite in the centre of the downtown.”
Sun-Yat Sen Gardens
“Both private and public – but above all one of this continent’s best examples of space creation from another culture that blends in with Vancouver’s – indeed, serves as a symbol of our demographic and multicultural reality. And it’s a work of art.”
Granville Mall/Robson and Granville
“….for its promise as demonstrated by the Olympic experience.”
” Chosen because the people have decided: Where you would go to celebrate a major event, knowing everyone else will show up there without being instructed.”
Mole Hill Community Laneway
“….for proactively taking back a commercial lane for food, celebration and social exchange.”
“….partly because it’s in my neighbourhood district, partly because it’s a success in community creation, and partly because it serves as such a good model for the transformation of our lanes – one of the city’s greatest remaining resources for urban reclamation.”
Trinity Street
“….the best Christmas time tradition in the region, hands down.”
***
