City of Vancouver seeking feedback on how to revitalize Granville street
The City of Vancouver wants to know what people think will breathe new life into the beleaguered Granville strip.
At a news conference Thursday, officials and community leaders said the hope is to be able to revive the area's popularity.
"The Granville Street Planning Program is a vital chance to revive and restore the heart of Vancouver's entertainment district," said Jane Talbot, president and CEO of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association.
Safety was cited as a key concern in the area.
Stacey Forrester, co-founder of the non-profit Good Night Out, spoke about the findings of a recent survey involving people working in the neighbourhood.
"Eighty-nine per cent indicated that they had felt unsafe in the area in the last year," she said.
Mayor Ken Sim said he would would support a larger police presence in the area.
“Sometimes the people don’t feel safe on the street and if we nail that, more people can come down here and feel safe to be here and enjoy," Sim said CTV News.
Some of the planning underway involves expanding and enhancing public space to support a range of activities, protecting and strengthening job space, expanding tourism and improving transportation.
Specifics of the revitalization plan weren't talked about as the city hopes to receive feedback and ideas from the public before moving forward.
Outside Granville Street between Smithe and Robson streets, however, several information signs show a 17-story mixed use commercial building in the rezoning application process.
Coun. Sarah Kirby-Young is a major supporter of the project.
“It epitomizes all the things that we want to see on the street," said Kirby-young. "Revitalization of a historic venue like the Commodore - where everyone remembers seeing music shows – retail, bringing people to the street during daytime and then building office on top.”
While interviewing several people along Granville Street today, sirens could be heard blaring in the background, often resulting in the interview coming to a halt.
Sim said issues involving drugs, mental health and housing stretch well beyond Granville Street and cannot be fixed by local government alone.
“We do have incredibly large systemic issues that we have to deal with and we are dealing with it and we’re working with senior levels of government," said Sim.
The city is now looking for community input and ideas and information on how to provide feedback can be found here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Body of Quebec man who died in Cuba found in Russia, family confirms
A Montreal-area family confirmed to CTV News that the body of their loved one who died while on vacation in Cuba is being repatriated to Canada after it was mistakenly sent to Russia.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Saskatchewan isn't remitting the carbon tax on home heating. Why isn't my province following suit?
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
RCMP officers had no legal authority to enter man's home, make arrest: B.C. court
A B.C. man has been found not guilty of assaulting two RCMP officers – with the court finding he was resisting an "unlawful entry and arrest" in his home before he was tasered, taken down and hauled away in handcuffs.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.