In addition to free weekly vehicle parking at the West Cordova parkade this summer, there is also now free public transit for people who directly support Gastown’s businesses.
Gastown Business Improvement Society’s newest initiative provides customers with a free one-zone, single-trip ride fare pass on TransLink’s public transit system.
Customers who shop, dine, or drink at a participating business within Gastown can ask for a free fare pass.
There are a total of 44 participating businesses in this program:
- Arcane Body Arts
- Artemesia
- Chic Winds
- Clough Club
- Coffee Bar
- Colourbox
- Dutil Denim
- East Van Roasters
- Evorden Jewelry
- Flowstate Hair Design
- Fluevog
- Gravity Pope
- Guilt & Co.
- Inform Interiors
- Is That French
- JWS
- Kozak
- Lamplighter
- Make Gastown
- Milano Coffe
- Monaco Cafe
- Nelson the Seagull
- Nurture with Nature
- OK Boot
- Olde Tyme Candy Shoppe
- One of a Few
- Out & About
- Pacific Rose Tattoo
- Patchwork Art Studio
- Petrichor Social
- Primp & Proper
- Roden Gray
- Rowan Sky
- Sadacci Café
- Saunter Coffee
- Silver Gallery
- Six Acres
- Steamworks
- Stega Eatery
- Timbertrain
- The Block
- The Cambie
- Water St. Cafe
- Vinyl Records
Of course, there are ample public transit services in the area, including various bus routes, SkyTrain’s Expo and Canada lines, and SeaBus ferry services at Waterfront Station. Gastown’s free fare offer is not valid for West Coast Express.
The business improvement association’s free parking and transit programs come just ahead of the start of the municipal government’s car-free zone pedestrian pilot project for Water Street, which will begin in early July and run through the end of August 2024.
The municipal government is encouraging Water Street businesses to set up restaurant patios and merchandise displays, with permitting fees waived and applications expedited.
As of this week, construction has also reached completion on the months-long repair work on Water Street’s brick pavers at Maple Tree Square.