Granville street goes car-free for FIFA World Cup
From June 11 to July 20, Granville Street will be a pedestrian-only area
By AVERY ST. GERMAIN
Granville Street will become a pedestrian-only zone this summer to celebrate the FIFA World Cup and some local businesses and commuters aren’t happy about it.
Based on past experience, some business owners on the main downtown artery worry that the transformation will lead to chaos.
As someone who spends a lot of time on Granville Street, Nathan Buchinger, manager of Leo’s Clothing Supply, fears the large number of people coming for the international soccer tournament, whoaren’t from Vancouver, will disrupt and disrespect the city.
He remembers when more than 200 masked anti-Olympic protesters smashed windows, vandalized cars, trashed newspaper boxes and intimidated pedestrians in downtown Vancouver, one day into the international sporting event.
The following year, a riot broke out almost immediately after the conclusion of the Boston Bruins’ victory over the Vancouver Canucks in game seven of the Stanley Cup finals.
“There is the underlying kind of thing when you do have such a large crowd of people, all these different types of people from all over the world coming,” Buchinger said. “And then you mix it with alcohol and drinking and partying. It’s kind of like a volatile mix at most times.”
The City of Vancouver is in partnership with the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association that is working to transform Granville Street into a pedestrian zone during June 11 and July 20 for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Buchinger feels the city is approaching initiatives incorrectly.
“In my mind, it’s like prepare for the worst, hope for the best,” Buchinger said, adding he hopes the “boom of tourism” will benefit local businesses on Granville Street.
Denis Agar with Movement YVR, a Vancouver transit advocacy group, said the move was also eliminating a major bus route.
“They’re only willing to sacrifice transit riders’ experience,” Agar said. “They’re not willing to sacrifice a car street.”
Agar worries that the city hasn’t taken into consideration the narrow sidewalks. He added that they are poorly lit and without benches.
In an email to the Voice, TransLink said buses that normally operate on Granville Street will be re-routed to Seymour and Howe streets.
“Bus lanes will be available on Howe and Seymour streets to handle the additional bus capacity.” TransLink said in its email.
They will also add signage to Granville Street bus stops to direct customers to the closest stop on Howe or Seymour streets.
The five-block pedestrian zone will be accented with additional public seating, patios, food vendors, live music and more.
Not everyone is mad about the transformation.
President and CEO of Golden Age Collectables, Patrick Shaughnessy said he’s looking forward to seeing people from out of town who collect comics.
The comic book shop, Golden Age Collectables, has been open since 1979 and has experienced a wide array of sporting events.
Shaughnessy said he has noticed that police officials and people working with the city are working to clear up the streets.
He said they have a difficult task in front of them, but they’ve done a good job trying to make things better.
“So, it’s just trying to live with the situation we’ve got, you know,” he said.
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