Throngs of Steam Clock onlookers aside, Gastown is one of Vancouver’s great walking neighbourhoods.

The charming cobblestone streets; the cafes (I’m looking at you, Revolver and Milano); the shops (no, not the tourist ones selling sweatshirts with polar bears on them—why polar bears in Vancouver? Why?); the many, many bars and restaurants (L’abattoir, Tacofino, Skewers, et al); the thrill of discovery in Blood Alley.

Still, the car traffic in the area can get kind of gnarly, especially on a sunny Saturday when you’re just trying to score a patio spot at Local and have one too many wines (let me live!). 

Anyway, the City of Vancouver wants to make the area better for pedestrians, and is seeking public input to do so.

The Gastown Public Spaces Plan aims to bring more patios, gathering places, events, and transportation options to the neighbourhood—along with repairs to existing infrastructure, and making Water Street into a pedestrian-only zone either seasonally or all year long (which will begin with a pilot project next summer).

Those looking to have their say can fill out an online survey or attend a number of in-person pop-ups, where staff will be onsite to hear feedback and answer questions:

131 Water Street 

• October 19, 11am to 6pm
• October 20, 11:30am to 7pm
• October 21, 2pm to 6pm
• November 16, 11am to 6pm
• November 17, 11:30am to 7pm
• November 18, 2pm to 6pm

​333 Abbott Street 

• November 9, 2pm to 6:30pm 
• November 10, 8:30am to 1pm

The plan also includes an emphasis on working with the local Indigenous community—specifically the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and the səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) Nations whose unceded traditional territories Gastown sits on. The result, the City promises, will increase Indigenous visibility throughout the neighbourhood.

“This initiative by the City of Vancouver is an important step forward in sharing our deep history and connection with the area now known as Vancouver,” says Sxwixwtn, Wilson Williams, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw spokesperson and council member, in a statement. “We look forward to seeing our history and our culture reflected in these shared public spaces, for all to enjoy.”