Public Space Links Page
The following links represent the very beginnings of our public space web directory. We are aiming to provide a collection of useful links to organizations and resources concerned with aspects of public space and the public realm. If you know of a website that should be included here, please let us know by sending the URL our way at info@vancouverpublicspace.ca.
Public Space Groups - General
- Toronto Public Space Committee (TPSC) - www.publicspace.ca
- Project for Public Spaces (PPS) - www.pps.org
- City Repair Project (Portland) - www.cityrepair.org - Formed in 1996, the City Repair Project is group of citizen activists creating public gathering places and helping others to creatively transform the places where they live. Born out of a successful grassroots neighborhood initiative that converted a residential street intersection into a neighborhood public square.
- SpaceHijackers (UK) - www.spacehijackers.org - A British group that's been around since 1999 and "dedicated to battling the constant oppressive encroachment onto public spaces of institutions, corporations and urban planners."
- Reclaim the Streets (RTS) (UK, International) - http://rts.gn.apc.org - A direct action network for global and local social-ecological revolution(s) to transcend hierarchical and authoritarian society, (capitalism included), and still be home in time for tea..."
- The Anti-Advertising Agency http://antiadvertisingagency.com - "The Anti-Advertising Agency co-opts the tools and structures used by the advertising and public relations industries. Our work calls into question the purpose and effects of advertising in public space."
Vancouver Organizations - General
- BC Civil Liberties Association - www.bccla.org - Founded in 1962 and with a current mandate "to preserve, defend, maintain and extend civil liberties and human rights in British Columbia and across Canada." The BCCLA has been involved in challenging the push for surveillance camera and CCTV projects in Vancouver.
- Commercial Drive Festival - www.commercialdrivefestival.org - "Free of charge. Free of boring corporate stuff. Free of cars"... one of the best festivals in Vancouver and a darling use of public space.
- Critical Mass Vancouver - www.bikesexual.org - Conducts the monthly critical mass ride and pushes for bike-friendly streets.
- Friends of the Vancouver Public Library - www.friendsofthevpl.ca - A volunteer organization that helps support the VPL.
- Pivot Legal Services Society - www.pivotlegal.org - A non-profit legal advocacy organization working in the Downtown Eastside. Their main campaigns are addictions, housing, police and the sex-trade.
- Necessary Voices Society - www.necessaryvoices.org - Promoting the exchange of ideas within public space, this society "aims to promote civil dialogue on essential issues of the day, encouraging responsible citizenry and democratic participation."
- ThinkCity - www.thinkcity.ca - Municipal affairs watchdog organization
- Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition (VACC) - www.vacc.bc.ca - A volunteer-run non-profit society, whose members work to improve conditions for cycling in the Lower Mainland.
- Vancouver Skateboarding Coalition - www.vspc.ca - Advocates for skateboarding issues in and around Vancouver.
Vancouver & Beyond - Animating Urban Space
- Cross Pedestrians - www.dotank.org/crosspedestrians - Responsible for the wild and impromptu street-hockey games that take place on Commercial Drive.
- Public Dreams Society - www.publicdreams.org - A Vancouver arts organization that "creates opportunities for people to experience the joy of artistic expression, to see themselves as creative beings, to turn passive consumption into active participation, and to experience belonging as an individual within a community." Several parks and public-space related projects each year.
- The Public Dominion - www.publicdominion.com - Connected with Vancouver Flashmob member Napalm Dragon. This site is built around a mantra "co-opting public space for our personal pleasure."
- Vancouver Flashmob - Various sites on Myspace and yahoo and Facebook - Organizes various random activities.
- Flashmob - www.flashmob.com - The metalist for flashmob events around the world.
- Vancouver Manhunt - www.manhunt-vancouver.com - "Regressive hide and seek that's totally rad" - takes place in a different location every week.
- NewMindSpace - www.newmindspace.com - newmindspace is interactive public art, creative cultural interventions and urban bliss dissemination based in Toronto and New York... and for a little while last year, Vancouver. Skytrain Party anyone?
Vancouver & Beyond - Billboards and Corporatization
- Citizens for Responsible Outdoor Advertising (CROA) - www.stopthebillboards.ca - A North Vancouver group organizing that started in response to the Squamish Nation's proposal to develop billboards along key scenic corridors and bridgeways in North Vancouver, Vancouver and West Vancouver.
- Illegal Signs - www.illegalsigns.ca - A grassroots community-based team of volunteers who fight illegal billboards. Based in Toronto.
Vancouver - Bluespaces
- False Creek Alert Network - www.falsecreek-alert.net - Local group working on marina and mooring issues in False Creek.
Vancouver - Greenspaces
- Betterparks - www.betterparks.ca - BetterParks.ca was established in 2001 to help the citizens of Vancouver understand issues about their public spaces, and especially about issues affecting parks, community centres and beaches
- Friends of Clark Park - www.friendsofclarkpark.ca - Started in June 2006, FOCP is a group of East Vancouver residents who share an interest in improving the quality of public spaces in their neighbourhood.
- Rachel Grows (blog) - A month long foray into Vancouver Urban Agriculture
- Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) - www.spec.bc.ca - Founded in 1969, The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) is a non-profit charitable organization that addresses environmental issues in British Columbia, with a particular focus on urban communities in Lower Mainland and the Georgia Basin.
- Vancouver Guerrilla Gardening Meetup - A local GG collective.
- Vancouver Urban Agriculture Network (blog) - The Vancouver Urban Agriculture Network represents a unified body of community gardeners speaking on city policy
Vancouver - Public Art
- Creative Communities - www.creativecommunities.ca - Vancouver's community-based public art resource.
- City of Vancouver - Office of Cultural Affairs - www.vancouver.ca/oca - information on public art projects; also grants for arts-related initiatives.
- City of Vancouver - Parks Board - www.vancouver.ca/parks - public art on Parks Board managed land and facilities.
- Vancouver Sculpture Biennale - www.vancouverbiennale.com - The biennale is a bi-annual citywide arts celebration that benefits the city, its citizens and visitors.
Vancouver - City of Vancouver Municipal Sites
- City of Vancouver - www.vancouver.ca
- City of Vancouver - Mayor and Council - www.vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/councilmembers.htm
- Vancouver Public Library (VPL) - www.vpl.ca
- Vancouver Police Department (VPD) - www.vpd.ca
Vancouver - City of Vancouver - By-laws & Policies
- City of Vancouver - Index of Bylaws
- City of Vancouver - Index of Land Use and Development Policies & Guidelines
- City of Vancouver Sign By-law
Public Space Media
- Beyond Robson - www.beyondrobson.ca - An excellent local blog that often covers public space issues
- Co-op Radio - www.coopradio.org - "a non-commercial, co-operatively-owned, listener-supported, community radio station. Located in the heart of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, Co-op Radio is a voice for the voiceless that strives to provide a space for under-represented and marginalized communities."
- Momentum - www.momentumplanet.ca - Vancouver cycling magazine - A newly revised on-line presence. Also available in print form around the city.
- Regarding Place - www.regardingplace.com - An on-line forum for discussion on relevant issues pertaining to Greater Vancouver’s public spaces and urban landscape.
- Spacing Magazine - www.spacing.ca - Focussed on Toronto, but an essential reference for its focus on broader Canadian and international public space items.
- Streets Blog - www.streetsblog.org - Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance.
- The Tyee - http://thetyee.ca - An excellent online source for local and provincial (BC) news and a range of other content.
- Vancouver Courier - www.vancourier.com - The twice-weekly free paper. Strong coverage of local politics and local public space issues than any other print publication in the city. And a very good archive of past articles.
- WestEnder - www.westender.com - A local weekly entertainment paper that also provides some coverage of public space issues
Public Space Research Organizations
- Public Space Research Group (State University of New York) - http://web.gc.cuny.edu/che/psrgfr.htm
- Centre for Public Space Research (Copenhagen, Denmark) - http://www.karch.dk/english/research/centre/cpsr/frame.html
Public Space - International Resources
- Public Space of Amsterdam - an interesting photo-essay on public space issues in the capital of the Netherlands.