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Neighbourhood Retail Change: The Evolution of Local Shopping Areas in Vancouver, BC Kay, Vanessa
Abstract
Neighbourhood-serving urban shopping areas have traditionally offered local residents access to the most frequently needed goods and services, as well as places to connect and socialize. Since the mid-‐20th century, however, the urban retail landscape has undergone major changes, including the rise of regional shopping malls and large format retailers. The impact of these shifts on lower-‐order urban retail areas is poorly understood and seldom researched, except in cases of decline characterized by high vacancy rates and deteriorating buildings. Nevertheless, access to basic goods and services within urban neighbourhoods remains an important equity issue and a catalyst for strong communities. Recent research indicates that it is also a critical factor in supporting local resilience and public health. The purpose of this study is to investigate the evolving functions of Vancouver’s neighbourhood-‐ serving shopping areas from the end of the 1950s to the present. This critical period spans the replacement of the city’s streetcar system by trolley buses, the rise of regionally-‐serving large-‐ format retail, and the emergence of sustainability as a pillar of planning policy. Analysis of historical occupancy data from case study areas over this period informs generalizations about past and present trends in the overall number and mix of businesses supported within Vancouver’s neighbourhood-‐serving shopping areas. Findings of this report are intended to inform future policy directions and planning strategies relating to Vancouver’s local retail. While findings, conclusions and recommendations are specific to this city, trends found in Vancouver are also relevant to circumstances described within the planning literature as affecting other cities in North America and Europe.
Item Metadata
| Title |
Neighbourhood Retail Change: The Evolution of Local Shopping Areas in Vancouver, BC
|
| Creator | |
| Date Issued |
2010-09
|
| Description |
Neighbourhood-serving
urban
shopping
areas
have
traditionally
offered
local
residents
access
to
the
most
frequently
needed
goods
and
services,
as
well
as
places
to
connect
and
socialize.
Since
the
mid-‐20th
century,
however,
the
urban
retail
landscape
has
undergone
major
changes,
including
the
rise
of
regional
shopping
malls
and
large
format
retailers.
The
impact
of
these
shifts
on
lower-‐order
urban
retail
areas
is
poorly
understood
and
seldom
researched,
except
in
cases
of
decline
characterized
by
high
vacancy
rates
and
deteriorating
buildings.
Nevertheless,
access
to
basic
goods
and
services
within
urban
neighbourhoods
remains
an
important
equity
issue
and
a
catalyst
for
strong
communities.
Recent
research
indicates
that
it
is
also
a
critical
factor
in
supporting
local
resilience
and
public
health. The
purpose
of
this
study
is
to
investigate
the
evolving
functions
of
Vancouver’s
neighbourhood-‐
serving
shopping
areas
from
the
end
of
the
1950s
to
the
present.
This
critical
period
spans
the
replacement
of
the
city’s
streetcar
system
by
trolley
buses,
the
rise
of
regionally-‐serving
large-‐
format
retail,
and
the
emergence
of
sustainability
as
a
pillar
of
planning
policy.
Analysis
of
historical
occupancy
data
from
case
study
areas
over
this
period
informs
generalizations
about
past
and
present
trends
in
the
overall
number
and
mix
of
businesses
supported
within
Vancouver’s
neighbourhood-‐serving
shopping
areas.
Findings
of
this
report
are
intended
to
inform
future
policy
directions
and
planning
strategies
relating
to
Vancouver’s
local
retail.
While
findings,
conclusions
and
recommendations
are
specific
to
this
city,
trends
found
in
Vancouver
are
also
relevant
to
circumstances
described
within
the
planning
literature
as
affecting
other
cities
in
North
America
and
Europe.
|
| Subject | |
| Genre | |
| Type | |
| Language |
eng
|
| Series | |
| Date Available |
2016-01-29
|
| Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
|
| Rights |
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
|
| DOI |
10.14288/1.0102523
|
| URI | |
| Affiliation | |
| Peer Review Status |
Unreviewed
|
| Scholarly Level |
Graduate
|
| Rights URI | |
| Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
|
Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International