Robson Square's public plaza is set to close for several months starting Monday as the space undergoes major construction.

The pedestrian space at 800 Robson St. – on the south side of the Vancouver Art Gallery – was turned into a car-free zone in 2017. At the time, a temporary plaza was installed with painted asphalt infill. 

Now, the city is getting ready to turn that into a permanent public fixture, with space for year-round events, moveable seating, tables, additional benches and lighting. The city will also make improvements to the intersection at Robson and Hornby streets, to improve the separation between cyclists and drivers. 

Construction on the $5.8 million upgrade is expected to take until spring 2020 and until then, the current plaza will be closed to pedestrians. 

During construction, there will be an accessible pedestrian detour directing people to Georgia Street along the north side of the art gallery.