The goal is to give downtown Vancouver a more attractiveassembly point for community activities. The enhancement will be tothe park's southeast corner, and will be similar to Portland'sPioneer Square. It will include 36,000 sf of bricks, concrete stepsand seat walls, flower pots, lighting, a kiosk and a waterfall withfiber-optic lighting. A bell tower also may eventually be included,if the money is there. The project is now scheduled for completionin June 2001, a few months behind its original schedule. A formaldedication initially was planned for March 2001.

The park in the past has been home to the city's transientpopulation. Now it is part of the city's $200 million-plus drive toreinvent its downtown. The project is being funded with a $2million donation from Vancouver philanthropists George and CarolynPropstra, and $500,000 the city previously set aside for renovatingEsther Short Park. The extra money will go toward design fees. ThePopstras also are creating an ewndowment for the square's ongoingmaintenance.