FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Work is beginning this week on a new pilot project, stART on Douglas, located at the intersection of Douglas and Yates Streets.  A collaboration of the DVBA, the Downtown Victoria 2020 Conference Society, and the City of Victoria, stART on Douglas will enhance and bring vibrancy to one of downtown’s busiest intersections.

“We started this conversation in April of last year when we presented a vision to City Council of what Douglas Street could be,” says Fran Hobbis, Past Chair of the DVBA and project manager for this initiative. “StART on Douglas is another step towards realizing that vision and restoring Douglas Street as one of downtown’s grand avenues.”

The four components of stART on Douglas include puzzle piece crosswalks, interactive building lighting, a bike shelter with repair station, and retail kiosk with street furniture.

"This pilot project will provide a glimpse into the future of how Douglas Street will be transformed physically, economically, and socially by the public and private sectors working together," says Mayor Lisa Helps. ‘We look forward to further opportunities to work with the private sector to make Douglas a gateway to downtown and to the potential for transformation through growth and redevelopment.”

Ken Cloak of the Downtown Victoria 2020 Conference Society says, “when we held our Vision 2020 conferences a number of years ago now, it was this type of investment that everyone was talking about: different ways in which we could stimulate interest and ultimately investment in our downtown. This is great!”  

The work will be completed as follows:
• May 9-11 – Art installation on Atomique Building, 1200 Douglas
• May 10 – North-south crosswalk painting of Douglas & Yates intersection
• May 16 – Installation of street furniture and bike shelter on N-W corner of Douglas & Yates

All work will be complete for the launch on May 20th at 11 a.m., with more information to follow.

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