Vancouver city council has voted to allow public drinking at three spots in the city.
Alcohol consumption will be permitted at the following locations:
• Cambie Street and 17th Avenue
• Fraser Street and 27th Avenue
• 800 Robson Street
A fourth possible site on Maple Street and West 4th Ave. requires additional review by city staff.
Public drinking will be allowed from May 31 until Oct. 11 between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Last year, the city launched a pilot project to permit drinking in four designated public plazas.
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Vancouver city council is also looking to turn part of downtown’s Granville strip into a promenade.
Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung is calling for the stretch Granville Street between Smithe and Helmcken streets to become a pedestrian-only zone starting on Friday evenings through the weekend during the summer.
Kirby-Yung says a Granville Street promenade would help revitalize the area that has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is an iconic cultural and entertainment destination, and it’s one that’s slated for renewal and revival with some planning initiatives coming forward,” she said. “So I think doing something like a pilot promenade is a great way to showcase what the street really can be.”
Kirby-Yung said the city hopes to work with TransLink to make the area both car-free and bus-free.
“I think that this is a really a movement towards a much bolder and creative use of our public space, really putting the priority on pedestrians,” she said.
“We’ve seen a lot of that public space in pop-up plazas in the city of Vancouver, but it shouldn’t just be a pandemic response. I think we have the opportunity to build a more people-friendly city moving forward.”
Council has referred Kirby-Yung’s motion to the standing committee to hear from speakers on Wednesday.
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