Vancouver is #MoreAwesomeNow with the launch of Alley-Oop, the first of Vancouver's re-imagined laneways.
Visit the alley south of West Hastings (between Granville and Seymour) to play and socialize in this new, vibrant public space. The laneway has been painted in bright pink and yellow and boasts basketball hoops and furniture. As the evenings get darker decorative lights and a geolocation orb will also be installed.
At last night's launch, Alley-Oop was brought alive by people shooting hoops, eating popsicles and using the colourful walls for photo ops. The alley even featured in Placemaking Week's #POPCrawl, a free event that explored Vancouver's public spaces.
Local businesses have been instrumental in activating the space. Trees Organic Coffee Shop and the Odyssey Nightclub welcomed visitors to the launch by providing food and music and hope to continue using the laneway. All property owners, tenants, partners and visitors will share the responsibility for enjoying, cleaning and monitoring this new public space.
This project was made possible by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) and the City of Vancouver. With over 200 downtown blocks connected by laneways, the opportunities to activate these spaces are endless. By reimaginging these existing corridors, we have an opportunity to increase Vancouver’s downtown pedestrian areas by as much as 30%.
The response to this design has been incredible and we are looking forward to the activating other laneways across the city. Future sites include the laneway south of Alberni (between Burrard and Thurlow) and the laneway behind the Orpheum Theatre (between Granville and Seymour). Each space will offer a different experience for visitors and new opportunities for local businesses.
Read the official press release and other articles about Alley-Oop:
