Business owners concerned that the closure of Robson Street between Howe and Hornby streets is hurting business might have to put up with the situation permanently as plans for a public city square take shape.
The block is closed until the end of the year, despite last week's removal of the bean-bag installation. But Councillor Heather Deal told Business in Vancouver that a permanent public square has
been the city's goal since councillors unanimously voted to examine the idea in late 2010.
City staff are set to report back to council this fall after speaking with the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) and TransLink. Deal believes concerns from business and transit users can be resolved but said she still needs to see the staff report.
"You'll get more people in that square as pedestrians and people eating lunches than you ever would if they were in cars passing through that block," she said. "Businesses are actually getting a more captive audience."
But entrepreneurs who own businesses on Robson Street say the closure has hurt business.
"Closing the street really isn't necessary, particularly in the winter months," said David Goldman, who owns Boys' Co. a block and a half west of the closed block on Robson Street.
"It creates the impression, rightly so, that it's tough to navigate downtown."
Simon Coutts, who owns Simon's Bike Shop a block and a half east of the closed block, has similar concerns. "There's a ton of room at the art gallery for people to sit. You don't need to close the road. Our business should have better numbers than it does, and that is a result of the closure."
DVBIA executive director Charles Gauthier believes the city will conduct little consultation and that a permanent closure is a "fait accompli." He wants the city to focus on establishing a public square on the Vancouver Art Gallery's larger north side, which faces onto West Georgia Street.
Much of Robson Square's future depends on the art gallery's success in convincing city council to let it develop a $300 million building on the city-owned Larwill Park site at 688 Cambie Street.
If the art gallery moves, Bing Thom Architects principal Bing Thom, said an underground amphitheatre should be built in the area between the gallery and West Georgia Street. Closing Robson Street makes sense, he said, because it would allow for an unimpeded flow of pedestrian traffic between the courthouse and the future amphitheatre. He said the idea of removing the currently closed block of Robson Street to create a bowl is impractical because it would impede pedestrian traffic between Howe and Hornby streets. Key telecommunications infrastructure also runs underneath the street, said Thom, who, along with Arthur Erickson, was involved in the design of the courthouse in the 1970s.
He said merchants who fear losing business because of reduced car traffic misunderstand Robson Street and its pedestrian focus.
Thom added that the closure to vehicles could also boost retail on Hornby and Howe streets, particularly after Nordstrom's renovation of the Sears site. •
