Location
Kitsilano and Arbutus St. lot
Kits Beach
Open Monday to Friday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday to Sunday 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Conversations at Kitsilano is a ten-day pop-up installation and program series that invites visitors to attune to and engage with Kitsilano’s changing shoreline.
A Vancouver icon and a destination for locals and tourists, Kits Beach is famous for its wide, sandy shoreline, saltwater pool, and views of downtown and the North Shore mountains—but the singular beauty of this image co-exists with layered meanings, contested histories, and complex ecological conditions. Looking toward a future made uncertain by the climate emergency, Conversations at Kits encourages people who care for this landscape to share their stories about its significance. Its purpose is to work toward an open vocabulary for imagining possibilities that are kinder, more just, and more resilient than the status quo.
Presented by the UBC School of Architecture + Landscape Architecture in partnership with Margolese Design for Living laureate Jane Wolff, the installation includes a collection of tools for understanding the landscape’s past and present, including student work from courses taught by Professors Sara Jacobs and Chris Macdonald and recent master’s graduate projects by Kerry Gibson and Lauren Wolfe. The program series features walks and workshops led by people with special knowledge of this place, including Michael Barrick, Christopher Harley, Lys Divine Ndemeye, Mary Tasi, Johnna Sparrow, and Urbanarium.
Share your stories
We are collecting memories and images about Kitsilano Beach and Pool. We invite you to share your stories with us, and with the community! Upload a video or audio recording, write your story, or share images that help explain the significance of the area to you.
Schedule of walks and workshops
Saturday, May 20 – 12 p.m.
A Decolonial Walk with Mary Tasi
Sunday, May 21 – 2 p.m.
Tracing Histories with Michael Barrick Note this walk starts at on the southeast corner of Pacific and Burrard, and ends at Kits Pool.
Wednesday, May 24 – 5 p.m.
Walking the Tidelands with Christopher Harley
Thursday, May 25 – 5:30 p.m.
Kits en plein air: A Drawing Workshop with Urbanarium
Saturday, May 27 – 2 p.m.
Walking and Weaving: A Workshop with Lys Divine Ndemeye
Sunday, May 28 – 2 p.m.
A Walk with Johnna Sparrow