Pedestrians urged to ‘take back’ Agricola Street on September 12

Taking place between noon and 6 p.m., Agricola Open Street Sunday is a collaborative community event that allows residents, artisans and local businesses to come together

HALIFAXtoday\ Steve Gow

Agricola Street will soon be turned into a pedestrian zone…at least for a limited time.

Originally launched in 2008 and organized by the Cities and Environment Unit with various partners, Open Street Sundays have returned to Halifax Regional Municipality with a fun, public event being held on Agricola Street on September 12.

“We like to see it as people taking back the streets,” says community planner Kieran Stepan about Agricola Open Street Sunday, being held from noon until 6 p.m. “It’s about opening it up and making it feel more comfortable and safe for people to use all kinds of modes of transportation —walking, biking, rolling — all the things on the street.”

Inspired by Ciclovia — a Spanish term which translates to “bike way” or “bike path” —the Halifax event aims to replicate the worldwide practice of transforming urban streets into public spaces on a more regular basis. According to Open Street Sundays’ website, the long-term effects of such a simple idea can lead to “safer cities where people can travel with ease”.

“In addition to that, it also becomes this opportunity for local businesses and small shops and local artists to use the street for a more economic market opportunity,” adds Stepan. “Especially now during COVID recovery.”

While Open Streets Sundays did not take place in 2020 due to the pandemic, organizers aim for a positive response from the public this year and hope that it helps gives small businesses along Agricola Street a bit of a boost.

“Lots of businesses have closed so especially in this time, (it’s important) to use this opportunity to say ‘hey, we’re still here, please support us by spilling out in the street’ (and) have businesses utilize that opportunity to wave hello to the neighbourhood again,” adds Stepan.

Aware that the event is also taking place ahead of Nova Scotia’s lifting of COVID-19 restrictions on September 15, organizers of Agricola Open Street Sunday are taking necessary precautions.

“We’re following all of the kind of classic outdoor protocols,” says Stepan, noting that organizers are treating the event as they would any outdoor market. “Any vendors would have hand sanitizer and wear masks and we’re asking the public to keep their distance from each other, and when you approach an activation or a vendor, that’s when we’d like you to put your mask on.”

For the event, Agricola Street will be closed to vehicles from Cunard Street to Almon Street with the exception of a through lane at North Street to enable traffic to access Macdonald Bridge.

Along the route, participants can expect live music and entertainment as well as a DJ, a local artisan pop-up market near Almon Street and most of the businesses will be selling wares out on the street in front of storefronts.

“There’s a kid zone right at the beginning at Cunard and west where there are giant games, community art projects and there’s community bench building as well,” adds Stepan, noting people will be invited to help construct ten benches that will remain positioned along Agricola Street. “It all kind of centres around community.”

Open Streets Sunday will also be crossing the Halifax Harbour on September 19 when Dartmouth residents will be invited to take over Portland Street. Stepan says the Opens Streets Sunday event has become a signature annual event in Dartmouth featuring music at Ferry Terminal Park and Sullivan’s Pond as well as plenty of entertainment for families.

“We’re still hoping it will evolve,” says Stepan, noting that every additional year seems like a growing step towards the organization’s goal of ensuring people use different modes of transportation in order to engage with the community more regularly.

“If people are out on the street and it’s getting the neighbourhood together and businesses feel like it’s helping them thrive, that’s success in our eyes.”

For more information on Agricola Open Street Sunday, visit the website.