In 1915 the Vancouver Harbor Commission approved a project for in-close industrial land by creating an island with fill under the Granville Bridge, seen below.
The area was soon filled with timber-framed, corrugated metal-clad shed structures filled with businesses supporting forestry, mining and shipping. They managed to stay healthy through the depression and WW II; but after the war demand for their output waned and the area declined. Finally, in the 1960’s and early 1970’s the city decided that the area and its pollution had to be remediated and hired a planning and architecture team led by architect Norman Hotson to turn the area into a “people place”.
Early skepticism gave way to enthusiasm when it was decided to keep the industrial character and use it as an asset instead of seeing it as a liability.
In fact, it was decided during the design process that keeping some of the industrial uses more or less intact would also enhance the liveliness and economic viability of the overall project, as does this still active cement plant.
The current plan forms a highly evolved version of the original intentions, including shops, theaters, a farmers’ market, the noted cement plant, a hotel, a marina, and several facilities focused on children, including a day care center.
The bridge still maintains its framework above the activities and anchors the island to downtown. The simpler viaduct section spans over a small waterway park between the island and the surrounding neighborhood of multi-family housing.
The longer truss spans carry the bridge over much of the island as well as over False Creek, the small body of water that separates Granville from downtown.
On one trip there we parked nearby and walked onto the island. On another visit we arrived by water. These small people ferries serve various tourist, cultural, and housing sites along False Creek and out into English Bay.
They run frequently, are fun to ride (in calm weather), and inexpensive. Inside, you feel as if you’re sitting on the rim of a bathtub, while the pilot sits on a barstool above you.
You can’t beat the convenience of being dropped at the dock on Granville Island from your condo across the way, though in all fairness, just walking across the bridge would also be pretty easy.
We checked out the farmers’ market – always a colorful place
The foods for sale cover the full range, from fresh meat to spices, and from fruits and vegetables to baked goods and sweets. We weren’t shopping this time so the pleasures were mostly visual – well, there may have been a treat or two.
We did stop at a restaurant, called Edible Canada, that featured all Canadian foods.
I thought that was somewhat sustainable until I thought of what size Canada really is (the motto is ‘from sea to shining sea’) and how NOT sustainable it is to ship things 3,500 miles just because they’re grown or raised in your country. But the food was good; and I’m counting on most of it having come from British Columbia.
The space design employs industrial chic; and we like that, being frequent visitors to our Seattle Pike Market which also takes the same approach.
As a periodic visitor I give Granville Island good marks. Its history and basic renovation intentions still come across well; and the mix of cars and people in the various spaces continues to be reasonably civilized. It remains to be see whether all this can survive the great tidal wave of tourism currently starting to wash ashore. It was obvious that there were some more expensive versions of the various shops and galleries than we had seen previously –
and some pretty expensive sailboats moored on one side.
But some of the fun and funky tourist attractions have survived as well
It’s definitely worth your time to pay a visit.
Travel Design Impressions 