Nightlife Discussion

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Tysonbrown

The strip is like a ghetto. Full of garbage and smells like piss. Drunks every night. I say break it all up and re-locate clubs. It's an eyesore and an embarrassment.

Yeah, it's time for the City of Vancouver to call Time on that failed experiment. Granville Street is way less wecloming than it was before it became the "entertainment zone". I guess it's entertaining if you like getting pissed, picking fights and public vomiting. For the majority of the population it's just become somewhere to avoid.

Far better the entertainment establishments get relocated to where the majority of their bridge and tunnel clients come from. No reason Vancouver taxpayers have to pick up the cost to police this mess.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SeymourDrake

The Granville strip was a complete gong show on Halloween night, especially after the bars closed. Between the fireworks going off, the bear bangs being launched into the air it sounded was somewhat war zonish.

8 Months of social distancing and the entire process was spit on saturday night.

I just hope that the province doesn't shut the city down for the possibility of spreading the virus even more.

It looked like 90% didn't have a costume on, and most importantly very few had masks or respecting a safe distance to those around them.

Anyone exposed to the virus on saturday night took it home to their families and anyone with a weakened immune system will be the ones that will suffer.

CTV NEWS piece on the Granville strip.
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2068050

Party-goers knew there would not be very little or even no law enforcement or repercussions that would be meted out to them, and hence emboldened to do whatever they wanted. It has always been like this in this city, including the two Stanley Cup riots of the past.

Difference is that in this case, they were actually assisting in the killing of others, if not themselves.

[svlt]

Totally agreed. Daytime and night it's a horror show. Really can't see the appeal of anyone over 30 being anywhere near there. We will see the results in two weeks.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by Tysonbrown

The strip is like a ghetto. Full of garbage and smells like piss. Drunks every night. I say break it all up and re-locate clubs. It's an eyesore and an embarrassment.

Always remember, it was the city who wanted it this way.
Who knew that putting all clubs in a small area would produce disastrous results? Only everyone but most laughably from other cities who tried that approach and had it blow up in their faces.

[logan5]

I never liked Granville Street, even in my hardcore party days, but it’s not that bad. Every city has their bar/club zone, and they are universally derided. Comes with the territory, especially in a city with a dense downtown area.

[MIPS]

I found that the number of vacant storefronts and venues over the last ten years really subtracted from the feeling that it was an entertainment district. It felt like is was a subsidized zone where rent was far too expensive for the mood it tries to generate. As others also said it was not made any more appealing by the amount of panhandling, bums and trash.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by logan5

I never liked Granville Street, even in my hardcore party days, but it’s not that bad. Every city has their bar/club zone, and they are universally derided. Comes with the territory, especially in a city with a dense downtown area.

We just got used to this ghetto, like how we got used to DTES, that's all. When foreigners visit (perhaps other than Americans from the bigger cities), they are genuinely shocked by how dilapidated and unkempt our entertainment district can be. I do not agree with you that every city has a rundown entertainment district like ours. Most are a lot better, and we should aim for that kind of standard, full stop.

[jlousa]

The idea of the Granville strip is sound it's the programming of it that suffers.
Having all those clubs closed outside a few hours a week is terrible for street life and surrounding businesses. If the city pushed to have them open as cafes/bars/lounges/pop up shops/anything during the day it would help somewhat.
Actually fining establishments not just for overserving but having visibly intoxicated patrons inside would reduce the the drunks that spill out onto the streets at the end of the night.

[EastVanMark]

That is the exact output of poor planning. Other cities have entertainment districts, but they don't look like ours. Even right in Vancouver historically, we had entertainment districts before that worked much better.

Other businesses will not pop up as only a certain type of business can survive there as landlords take advantage of the situation, and jack up the rates. If you followed other city's example, you can still have a vibrant entertainment district, without turning it into the sewer it is now

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

That is the exact output of poor planning. Other cities have entertainment districts, but they don't look like ours. Even right in Vancouver historically, we had entertainment districts before that worked much better.

Other businesses will not pop up as only a certain type of business can survive there as landlords take advantage of the situation, and jack up the rates. If you followed other city's example, you can still have a vibrant entertainment district, without turning it into the sewer it is now

Where were older Vancouver entertainment areas?

[vanman]

Originally Posted by jlousa

The idea of the Granville strip is sound it's the programming of it that suffers.
Having all those clubs closed outside a few hours a week is terrible for street life and surrounding businesses. If the city pushed to have them open as cafes/bars/lounges/pop up shops/anything during the day it would help somewhat.
Actually fining establishments not just for overserving but having visibly intoxicated patrons inside would reduce the the drunks that spill out onto the streets at the end of the night.

Is that not already what's happening with places like Colony replacing more conventional clubs?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5230802

[WarrenC12]

Yes it does need a 50/50 mix of daytime and nighttime venues.

If I had to guess, it's probably the province's archaic alcohol laws that are partially to blame.

Once we get out of COVID, revamped laws and more patio seating that Vancouver has recently approved would help this area IMO.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by vanman

Is that not already what's happening with places like Colony replacing more conventional clubs?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5230802

That article was funny. It should've been titled "people into their 30's used to go to clubs but now like to go to pubs because some of their friends have kids now".

Gen Z goes to clubs still.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Where were older Vancouver entertainment areas?

Through the 1990s nightclubs were scattered around what was then the light industrial areas of Downtown South (Seymour, Richards & Homer St) and Yaletown. Then the residents moved in and the clubs were forced by the City to congregate on Granville Street.

There were also venues around Gastown whihc still has nightclubs as far as I know, though the old ones are gone.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Through the 1990s nightclubs were scattered around what was then the light industrial areas of Downtown South (Seymour, Richards & Homer St) and Yaletown. Then the residents moved in and the clubs were forced by the City to congregate on Granville Street.

There were also venues around Gastown whihc still has nightclubs as far as I know, though the old ones are gone.

Forced? Due to new zoning I assume to allow condos? (AKA more money in towers for the building owner than getting rent for a club I assume)

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jlousa

The idea of the Granville strip is sound it's the programming of it that suffers.
Having all those clubs closed outside a few hours a week is terrible for street life and surrounding businesses. If the city pushed to have them open as cafes/bars/lounges/pop up shops/anything during the day it would help somewhat.
Actually fining establishments not just for overserving but having visibly intoxicated patrons inside would reduce the the drunks that spill out onto the streets at the end of the night.

The area was more successful when it was movie theaters with a few clubs.

Judging from all the Halloween footage (party busses etc) it was the bridge and tunnel crowd that uses the Granville Strip as a party zone. Why don't they just encourage some more of them to open up in Surrey.

[s211]

Originally Posted by whatnext

The area was more successful when it was movie theaters with a few clubs.

Judging from all the Halloween footage (party busses etc) it was the bridge and tunnel crowd that uses the Granville Strip as a party zone. Why don't they just encourage some more of them to open up in Surrey.

If one is referring to a certain demographic captured on camera dancing about Granville last weekend, one doesn't have to look for a bridge or tunnel to look for dancers. South Vancouver has a ready supply.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Forced? Due to new zoning I assume to allow condos? (AKA more money in towers for the building owner than getting rent for a club I assume)

Through liquor licensing - if I recall correctly, existing liquor licences were only allowed to be moved to Granville St., and then with limits imposed.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Through liquor licensing - if I recall correctly, existing liquor licences were only allowed to be moved to Granville St., and then with limits imposed.

Oh crazy! Thanks. SI this why neighbourhood pubs don't really exist here? As an Albertan, I'm used to stripmall pubs on every corner but here they seem to more restaurant related.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Oh crazy! Thanks. SI this why neighbourhood pubs don't really exist here? As an Albertan, I'm used to stripmall pubs on every corner but here they seem to more restaurant related.

We have pubs. Definitely breweries would classify?

I agree our laws need more modernizing.