Vancouver’s pilot program to pedestrianize its Gastown neighbourhood is hurting businesses.

Peter Buckley, CEO of the Old Spaghetti Factory, says that this time of year is typically the busiest, but that turnout has been low due to the pedestrianization project.

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“We’re experiencing volume – outside of COVID – that we haven’t experienced in our 54 years of operating in Gastown,” he said to Global News.

Ian Tostenson of the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association called the move a “disaster,” adding that sales have dropped by around 30 percent.

The pilot program kicked off at the start of July and is supposed to run until the end of August, but Tostenson and others want to see the pilot come to an end as soon as possible.

“I think the intention was good, but we’re not ready for it,” he said. “I think Vancouver is still a car town.”

Buckley agreed, noting that other car-free cities such as those in Europe that the project was modelled after have larger populations with more public transportation options.

Wally Wargolet with the Gastown Business Improvement Society says that over 30 businesses have complained, saying that they are feeling “a negative crunch here from an economic perspective.”

“For the first time ever, some restaurants are laying people off at the height of the summer season.”

Construction earlier in the year has also hurt businesses’ bottom line.

Repairs to Maple Tree square and Water Street cost the city $10 million, part of a plan to revitalize the Gastown area.

Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung said that the project was still in its “early days.”

“We’re going to keep listening to the businesses. We’re going to take the feedback from the residents, and we’re going to learn from other cities.”

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She added that she’s gotten positive feedback from residents about the pilot program, and has not ruled out the possibility of pedestrianizing on the weekends only.

“Nothing is set in stone,” she said. “This is a pilot. We’re not making any permanent changes. We’re going to take all the feedback and then we’ll assess what we should do moving forward.”