Dec 7, 2009

Customer traffic up modestly since Canada Line opened, Cambie Street merchants sayBy Brian MortonVancouverSun.com

Vancouver – Customer traffic is up, but not by that much. That’s the word from merchants along the new Canada Line, many of whom anticipated a big hike in business when it opened in August but have yet to see it materialize.

“In the beginning, there was definitely an increase in traffic,” says Caroline Boquist, co-owner of the contemporary gift shop Walrus at 3408 Cambie St. “But since then, the novelty [of the Canada Line] has worn off a bit. Now, it’s pretty much returned to normal.”

Boquist, like many others in her commercial area near the 3400-block Cambie, believe the customer base would be much bigger if they weren’t located between the Canada Line’s Broadway-City Hall station and King Edward station — several blocks in either direction.

“To get off at King Edward, it’s a 10-minute walk. It would have been nice to have a station [closer].”

Brian Haneman, manager at Stella’s on Cambie in the 3300-block, agreed.

“We’re sandwiched between both [stations], so we haven’t felt it so much so far. Closer to the station, they’re doing better.”

Vincent Ng, an employee at Spices restaurant also in the 3300-block Cambie, said business is picking up, “but not a lot. The stations are too far apart. There’s not a lot of people from the stations coming here.

“I think the summer might be better.”

Although there wasn’t a lot of foot traffic in the 3300-3500 blocks of Cambie on Monday, that changed closer to Broadway and the Canada Line station located there.

Merchants in the area say they’ve noticed a marked increase in pedestrian traffic going to their shops.

Suban Dnana is an employee of Fresh Slice, a pizza shop about a block from the Canada Line station.

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