Part of Yew Street in Kitsilano now closed to cars — and open to pedestrians

A portion of a street in Vancouver's Kitsilano neighbourhood is now pedestrian-friendly as part of a city pilot project.

A two-block stretch on Yew Street between Cornwall Avenue and West First Avenue is closed to cars, with a few exceptions. 

"Our goal is to improve public life, pedestrian comfort, and respond to business desires to create a more vibrant commercial area," said a statement from the City of Vancouver.

The idea is being welcomed by some, opposed by others, and even causing confusion. 

"I think it's great for the summertime," said Michelle Tepper who works at a glasses store in Kitsilano. "I think it brings in quite a few more customers."

But flower shop owner Hang Zhang is worried about causing an inconvenience to his customers who drive. He says it's harder for customers to access the store and find convenient parking.

"Lots of my customers complain, 'How can I carry my stuff to my car?'" he said.

Linda Beaulieu, who owns the building that Zhang's flower shop is in, says there should have been more planning and consultation.

"There's ways that this could've been done that'd be great for the community but wouldn't have impacted him," she said.

Delivery and loading zones still permitted

The city said delivery and loading zones will be permitted weekdays until 4 p.m. and weekends from midnight to 10 a.m. Emergency vehicles will also still be allowed, according to the city.

But Zhang says his delivery workers make deliveries past 4 p.m. and is concerned about business disruptions.

The city says it will monitor issues throughout the pilot and assess how it works for businesses and residents. 

Confusion about signage 

Resident Rod Simpson said there needs to be better signage to indicate the directions of traffic and said some cars are turning into streets where they're not allowed. 

"There's no real clear indication of trying to engage people to walk on it and enjoy it," Simpson said.

The city says if the pilot project is successful, Yew Street could be car-free during the summers or even year-round, with additional improvements added over time.