Beautification is all about keeping the physical environment of Yaletown in great shape to ensure that the area is the best place in Vancouver to work, trade and visit. To see all the NEWS about Yaletown’s beautification projects, click here »

Street Furniture
Heritage Street Furniture Project
In 2011, the Yaletown BIA will launch the Heritage Street Furniture Project to commemorate the City of Vancouver’s 125th Anniversary. Utilizing large heritage beams that were recovered from demolition in the Yaletown heritage district, new public art and street furniture is being commissioned for the area to reflect Yaletown’s historic beginnings.

Artists will fabricate the street furniture from this reclaimed lumber to showcase the massive size of timber used in this heritage warehouse district. Furthermore, Yaletown’s railway heritage (as the western-most terminus of the CPR and the National Dream) will be highlighted in the design of the elements. The incorporation of materials including railway tracks as part of the bench legs, as well as railway spikes, will give a visual cue to the neighbourhood’s origins. Each piece will be a unique expression of the artist’s vision while incorporating materials of heritage value and involving placement in one of Vancouver’s most treasured heritage areas.

The Yaletown Caboose
The Yaletown BIA has located an authentic, decommissioned railway caboose near Mainland and Nelson, alongside Yaletown Park. This caboose is an icon and a landmark, recalling the railway history of Yaletown and the connection that Vancouver has long had with rail transportation. The caboose will initially serve as an event centre for community events such as Christmas Toy Drive, Halloween and some celebrations of Vancouver’s 125th Anniversary in 2011.

Yaletown Clean Team
The Yaletown Clean Team are on the streets of Yaletown weekly throughout the year to tidy up around the planters and pick up litter in the area.

Banners
Since the Yaletown BIA began in 1999, the street banners program has expanded to cover the entire BIA area. The street banner program includes neighbourhood identification banners (the pink Yaletown banners seen throughout the area), holiday banners in winter and Taste of Yaletown event banners.

Flower Baskets and Seasonal Lighting
The Yaletown BIA continues to hang flowering baskets on the lamp standards in summer and to light up the area with seasonal lighting in winter.

Yaletown Crew
During the summer, the BIA hires an enthusiastic team of young students to maintain the planter boxes, paint out grafitti, plant flowers and paint the railings along the docks.

Dumpster-Free Yaletown
The Yaletown BIA continues to work with all of its 900 members to get rid of their dumpsters by reducing waste and working with reclycling firms. No new or additional dumpsters are permitted within the heritage district. The Yaletown BIA coordinate with City of Vancouver to reduce and remove even more dumpsters from Yaletown.