PAVEMENT-TO-PLAZA
Pavement-to-plaza activations involve the conversion of side streets into plazas for sitting, walking, and programming. By reclaiming a street right-of-way and designating it as a public space for people to gather and connect, a pavement-to-plaza transformation has the potential to: improve connectivity through foot traffic and other modes of non-vehicular mobility; leverage opportunities for local businesses; create a convivial space for socialization and leisure; enhance place identity; and foster community engagement.
FIELD VISIT
A field visit to two existing pavement-to-plaza transformations — Bute-Robson Plaza and Jim Deva Plaza — was led by Paul Krueger (Senior Public Space Planner, City of Vancouver). This informative session not only afforded students the opportunity to observe first-hand the inner workings of pavement-to-plaza transformations that have been successfully implemented, but also to hear first-hand from an interdisciplinary team at the City of Vancouver (which included William Dunn, Kathleen Corey, Chris Lee, Alex Liaw) with direct involvement at various stages of the research, engagement, design, and implementation process.
