Have you ever wandered around downtown streets in American cities on a weekend when everything was closed and no one was around for blocks?
Vancouver has escaped that problem for the most part due to residential zoning in the downtown area.
There are a few small areas that do feel that way, however. One of them is the Coal Harbour business district.
I don't mean the area near the waterfront, where there are a lot of people walking along the seawall, and there are cafes and restaurants. I mean the various blocks around Pender between Burrard and Georgia.
Walking around that area feels like some other foreign city to me because I never go down there, and also because it is so unlike the neighbouring West End with so many pedestrians all over the place.
Although there is road traffic, pedestrian traffic in the Coal Harbour business district is practically non-existent on the weekend.
Almost all the restaurants and cafes in that area are closed on the weekends. They must cater to the business crowd. One of the few places open was Caffe Artigiano.
The only other places that seemed to be open that I saw as I strolled around this past weekend were some high-end hotels (Marriott, Renaissance). There aren't any destination shops or restaurants really (aside from Le Gavroche).
That may all change rather soon.
Although there has been a lot of condo development along the waterfront area, there are now condos being developed within the district as well.
These new buildings have a lot of empty storefronts (some have been filled already or have cafes that are open).
Around Bute and Melville, there was an interesting salad bar place (that served flax wraps). One main weekend draw would be the Urban Fare (305 Bute).
I did see a swanky new Japanese restaurant called Irashai (that's what they shout out when you enter a Japanese restaurant) that doesn't look quite open yet.
But it will be interesting to see if any other unique cafes or restaurants open up there.
Something to keep an eye on.
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My theory is that kind of cement-based waterfront look, which will be heavily repeated in the new convention centre expansion's public space, kills urban pleasure.
Yaletown's waterfront was the pioneer for that failed space-scape look. It's grass contained in concrete. It sucks. (and, it extends all the way to Science World)
Conversly, Vancouver's most popular public spaces are also the most organic: Kits to Locarno beaches; Sunset beach; the fountain and stairs at the Vancouver Art Gallery; Trout Lake Park; the trail along the Fraser at Southlands; Denman Street; Commercial Drive; the fountain in front of the Aquarium, etc.
I mean, when was the last time you took a walk around the old Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre? That was supposed to be serious public space.
People are not that complicated. Don't build concrete conceptual crap, and they will come.
I wonder if there's just too much open grass and concrete space, and not enough trees (or other objects)?
I feel like I'm walking on an architectural plan when I'm in those kinds of places.
When I have guests come in from out of town, Coal Harbour is one of the first areas of Vancouver I take them to.