Gastown improvements approved by Vancouver city council

Vancouver’s historic Gastown neighbourhood is poised to get a car-free update later this year.

Vancouver city council has unanimously approved a $10 million plan to make the neighbourhood more pedestrian-friendly by piloting a car-free program on Water Street.

Read more:

• Vancouver’s Gastown could become more pedestrian-friendly

• Busy cruise ship season expected to help struggling Vancouver businesses

The project, dubbed A People-Focused Gastown: A Bold, Forward-Looking Vision for a Vibrant and Prosperous Neighbourhood, is aimed at revitalizing a historically tourist-friendly and scenic area in the city.

Alongside the Gastown Business Improvement Society, city crews will now look at changing nearby Cordova Street from a one-way street to a two-way. This will allow Water Street to potentially be removed as a main driving route.

Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung initially proposed the improvement plan, she took to Twitter to announce the motion being passed.

“This is an exciting opportunity to invest in revitalization of this historic and amazing neighbourhood,” she said.

Although Gastown is one of Vancouver’s top tourist neighbourhoods, it has suffered in recent years from the shutdown of cruise ship traffic during the pandemic and the spread of homelessness and social crisis in the city’s Downtown Eastside.

Mayor Ken Sim says Gastown is an important part of the city and has been neglected for some time. Sim has previously said the area is the birthplace of Vancouver and it’s been central to many of Vancouver’s defining moments.