Let's be green and creative. The top of the viaduct is now a greenway, playground, community gardens; the underneath is a bustling, lively village, filled with artist studios, rehearsal spaces, cafés and shops as well as low-income housing. Recycling an outdated structure in a sustainable, liveable and fun community is thinking out of the box. It has been successfully done in Paris and NYC... why not in Vancouver?
A simple idea for a complex situation
With the objective of being the greenest city in the world, we cannot even think about destroying the viaduct, which would have a costly environmental and financial impact. However, we can change its use: make it green and offer more space to those who need it most in this city. It can be done, as it has successfully been done in other cities of the world. Vancouver wants to be the best in the world, so let's follow the best examples in the world.
Imagine
...that on top of the viaduct, instead of polluting vehicles, there is a refreshing greenway, where you can stroll, run, bicycle or roller blade like on the sea wall, but also with a kids playground, a water park, a dog's playing area, a botanical garden, and even plots for community vegetable gardens.
Residents of adjacent towers would certainly be delighted to have a greenway instead of a freeway under their windows!
The top of the viaduct would not only serve a lot of Vancouverites by offering a space for outdoors activities, growing their own food, and enjoying nature, but also will serve as "green lungs" for this part of the city.
Imagine
...that underneath the viaduct, instead of a drab no-man's land and useless parking spaces, we build artists studios and rehearsal spaces, cafés and craft stores, like on Granville Island, and even low-income housing.
It would change the mood of this neighbourhood and give it a vibrant day and night life. The viaduct would give the city an opportunity to solve some of the main concerns of its citizens (lack of affordable housing, shops, artists studios and spaces).
Adjacent land owners would certainly be delighted to see their land value rise. The city could even negotiate with them some affordable housing and artist studio spaces in their future development.
In Paris, Le Viaduct des Arts along the street, with la Coulée verte on top, is the most famous example. When you are on top, you are in a green heaven tucked away from bustling city life, with a marvellous view.
When you are at street level, it is not only pleasing to the eyes to see these elegantly designed spaces, it is also interesting to stroll and discover quaint shops, little cafés, and original stores.
New York City acquired an industrial infrastructure, the High Line, and transformed it into a parkway. The freight line was used to transport goods to factories along the west side of New York. The factories were privately converted to a mixed-use neighbourhood, including a food market, office building, housing and museum. The area is very successful; the park is always busy and the neighbourhood vibrant.
Many other cities are now exploring the opportunities that offer their own viaduct (like Philadelphia and Chicago), so why not Vancouver?
Wise investment
Both successful precedent examples were built with public funds and in the case of NYC, with strong grass-roots support. There is no reason why it cannot be done similarly in Vancouver. Transforming the top of the viaduct in a park is certainly less expensive than destroying it - even without compounding the enormous green benefit.
Building shops, studios, and low-income housing underneath would be not more expensive than building them without the structure already in place. And it leaves the space in between both legs of the viaduct for developers to build nearby residential buildings (which would have value because of the greenway and the lively neighbourhood created beneath).
Furthermore, such a creative re-use of old, heavy infrastructure can be replicated with other similar structures throughout Vancouver.
(Competitor's text)
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