Reducing cars on city streets

VIVA Vancouver is about creatively transforming streets into vibrant public spaces.

During the summer, the City closes roads to vehicle traffic in collaboration with local businesses, regional partners, and community groups, and converts them into public spaces for walking, lounging, and lunching.

VIVA Vancouver enhances the city's sense of community, encourages active forms of transportation, and benefits local businesses.

What is happening with VIVA Vancouver for 2013?

VIVA Vancouver's Pop Rocks seating installation on Robson Street

800 Robson Street Summertime Plaza

Closures will be in effect each weekend, 24 hours per day, beginning the weekend of June 21 and 22, and continuing until the weekend of August 31 and September 1.

A Request for Expression of Interest was posted January 2013 for new ideas to turn 800 Robson Street into a summertime plaza. Activation details will be posted late May to early June, 2013.

Previous activations, such as Pop Rocks, have provided a rare opportunity to lounge, rest, or socialize in the middle of a normally high-traffic road in the heart of downtown.

Viva Vancouver Urban Pasture seating area

Parklets

VIVA Vancouver is piloting a Parklet Program for 2013. Look out in spring 2013 for guidelines, and to find out how you can apply to sponsor your own Parklet.

Parklets are innovative seating areas designed and built by local designers. Examples include Urban Pasture, built by FSOARK in partnership with Cafe Crêpe, located on the 1000 block of Robson Street; and the cedar hot tub-inspired seating by Matthew Thomson and Erika Mashig on East 44th Avenue, just west of Fraser Street.

Granville Street

Lively pedestrian weekends will happen again during summer 2013 on Granville Street! Closures will be in effect each weekend, 24 hours per day, beginning the weekend of June 29 and 30, and continuing until the weekend of August 31 and September 1.

Like previous summers, expect to see homegrown art, live music, performances, and street markets.

Street murals

Building on the success of community on-street murals painted on roadways in the West End and Mount Pleasant in 2012, another will be painted in Marpole in spring 2013. The proposed design for the Marpole Street Mural was created by Emily Carr students, and meant to reflect the culture and heritage of the Marpole area.