Improvements

Over the past 25+ years, the Gateway BIA has invested in so many decorative features that one may wonder if they’ve exhausted their options for neighbourhood beautification? To them, it only means that they need to get more creative.

Click the pins on the map below to see some of the improvements, or scroll further down this page to read more.

To Learn More About The Gateway

Click Here

Victoria Street Fence Art

Installed in the summer of 2024, the latest addition to the Gateway brings a vibrant burst of color and motion to an existing fence along Victoria Street, bordering Ron Brent Park. This new installation features dynamic fence artwork that transforms the previously plain structure into a lively and engaging visual experience. The banners, with their inclusive human designs and bold hues, catch the eye of passersby, adding a fresh aesthetic to the area and enhancing the overall ambiance of the street. This project not only beautifies the space, but also reflects the Gateway business community's commitment to creativity and public art.

Trees

The first beautification project undertaken by the Gateway BIA, in 1996, was the planting of trees along the sides of the streets. These trees, Schubert Choke Cherry and Patmore Seedless Green Ash, have since filled out tremendously.

Sidewalks

Refurbishing the ageing concrete sidewalks in The Gateway with attractive brick pavers was accomplished early on, over the course of two years, completed in 1998.

Gardens, Parks & Sitting Areas

The traffic island garden at 20th Avenue & Vine Street was one of the first initiatives of the Gateway BIA, planted in 1996.

In 1998, the Gateway BIA developed parkettes; inviting little sitting areas comprised of benches, flowers, trees and waste receptacles. Two are located at the intersection of 20th Avenue & Spruce Street, and a third is at 20th Avenue & Tamarack Street.

In 2004, acting on an idea they had put forth in the community six years previously, the Gateway BIA turned the formerly dull area next to the Connaught Youth Centre at 17th Avenue and Victoria Street into a lovely park for local residents to use. It has gardens, mature trees, benches, and a curving brick path where there used to be only a rutted dirt trail.

Street Lamps

Bold, elegant red street lamps were installed along the entire Gateway route in 2000. Shortly thereafter began a campaign to remove posters that showed up on the decorative lampposts, until finally, they remained bare. The lamp posts were adorned seasonally with hanging flower baskets, and year-round with colourful street banners.

Not every beautification effort can be something completely new; in the course of 20+ years, some of the budget must inevitably be spent on repairs and upgrading of earlier improvements. The red lamp posts installed in 2000 soon faded to a rosy pink shade. They were repainted red, only to fade again. In 2018 the Gateway BIA followed through on a decision to replace the decidedly pink lamp posts with taller, equally stately, black lamp posts. Although the Gateway BIA generally aims to add as much colour to the neighbourhood as possible, the understated black colour complements the elegant styling of the lamp posts, and it looks great with the bright new banners that have been designed to go with them.

Banners & Flower Baskets

In the years that followed the installation of The Gateway’s elegant lamp posts, the posts were further enhanced with colourful banners and flower baskets. The banners have been updated with a new theme every so often.

In 2018, new decorative lamp posts required larger banners, so the Gateway BIA turned again to their creative partners at Concept Design to develop a new series of images reflecting some of the best things about living in Prince George, from outdoor adventures to definitive wildlife.

Street Name Signs

In 2008, the idea of decorative street name signs was brought up, and board members began researching to find a Canadian supplier. Within a year, the standard green street name signs were replaced with charming new ones that incorporate the Gateway logo.