Do you ever lie awake at night thinking about how to use space better? Whether it be rearranging your closet to be more functional or something much bigger. I do.
One location in Crescent Heights I have given a lot of thought to is the unused space on 2 Avenue between 2 and 3 Street NE. This was once a road connection, but due to safety concerns because of the extreme slope it has been closed for years, leaving a large empty void in the middle of the street.
This challenging topography offers an opportunity to think outside the box and find an innovative way to activate space. One idea is that the slope lends itself easily to theater style seating. There could be a stage at the bottom with storage underneath and up top, a patio where a food truck could bring life to this currently abandoned asphalt. Imagine a hybrid of downtown west side’s River Hall and Sunnyside’s ContaineR. A place to gather that is versatile, where you can put up a tarp and share a movie night with friends and neighbours. The Second Ave Stage could be a magnet into the neighbourhood.
Land formation informs settlement. Parcels that are flat are easy to develop. The steep slope here makes it difficult to not only navigate but to capitalize on. The multitude of stairs has influenced mostly multi-family buildings and a demographic with less personal space to be concentrated here. When square feet are hard to come by, great use of public space is more appreciated. Third spaces where people can be at no cost hold a lot of social value. People that aren’t likely to use more physically geared activation spaces have an opportunity with this type of intervention to interact and engage in the community at large.
This is one way this unused piece of tarmac could help people come together and share their stories, music, and voices, building stronger connections. I am sure there are a lot of holes in this vision I have not considered. This is of course just my lonely thoughts scribbled on paper, nothing more. What are your ideas that could lead to building an even more vibrant, inclusive, social Crescent Heights?
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