Dear Editor,
Re: Pedestrian mall for Steveston.
I would like to thank Terry Crowe and his colleagues of the City of Richmond Policy and Planning Division for their thoughtful and informative presentations at the recent public open house held at Steveston Community Centre on Saturday, July 22 concerning the Steveston Village Area Plan Upgrade.
With regard to streetscape concepts for Bayview, Moncton and Chatham Streets, I particularly support the emphasis on wider pedestrian walking areas and dedicated cycling lanes, though I wonder about their effect on increased vehicle congestion.
Because parking is such a challenge in Steveston, particularly during business hours, my wife and I prefer to get there by foot or bike; if it is necessary to take our car, we usually park outside the village centre.
Perhaps the time has come to restrict, or even eliminate, vehicular traffic in the downtown core of Steveston and consider an open-air pedestrian mall. A portion of Moncton Street could be dedicated to such a mall, possibly extending north on First Avenue and south on Second Avenue (leading toward Fisherman’s Wharf). Emergency vehicles would, of course, have access at all times, but delivery vehicles could be restricted to rear entrances of businesses.
Jurisdictions that have implemented pedestrian malls identify numerous benefits, among them:
• Merchants report increased visitors and sales.
• Shoppers enjoy easier and safer access to stores, unimpeded by car traffic.
• Traffic flows actually improve and, as counter-intuitive as it may seem, have reduced in many instances.
• Noise and air pollution are reduced, resulting in a cleaner, quieter, greener environment.
• A larger walking area provides more opportunities for cultural events and artistic displays.
• The overall appearance of the street is improved and image enhanced.
The implementation of an open-air mall for Steveston Village could be a gradual process, for example, piloting a one-block mall, testing its impact, and determining whether expansion is feasible.
I encourage the city’s planning committee to seriously explore this additional streetscape option. I believe it would both honour and preserve the historical legacy that is our Steveston.
Mark Nielsen
Richmond
