CASE STUDY

Community Spaces:
Celebrating Little Italy on Commercial Drive

Revitalizing Community Identity with Decorative Surface Branding

When the City of Vancouver officially recognized eight blocks of Commercial Drive as historic Little Italy, HUB Surface Systems was brought in to help bring that identity to life through vibrant, durable, and culturally expressive pavement markings.

Community spaces

The Challenge: Reinforcing Heritage in a Changing Urban Landscape

Many communities with deep roots can lose their unique character over time due to shifting businesses and urban development. Vancouver’s Little Italy needed a way to visually celebrate its Italian heritage, support local businesses, and make a memorable impression on both visitors and longtime residents.

Stakeholders:

  • City of Vancouver

  • Commercial Drive Business Improvement Association (BIA)

Requirements:

After discussing this with all various stakeholders. HUBSS representatives understood that the following were very important performance indicators for the success of the project.

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Design Accuracy

The designs should be well detailed

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Color Retention

The colours should be vibrant and remain vibrant for a long period of time
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High Durability:

The material should be able to endure high amounts of foot traffic and vehicle traffic, including cars and busses
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Fast Installation:

The installation should be quick so as not to cause long-term disruption to a high value area
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Low Maintenance:

The installations should be permanent and require little maintenance

The Solution: DecoMark® & TrafficPatterns®

To bring this project to life, HUB Surface Systems applied:

  • DecoMark® to create engaging surface graphics that brand the pedestrian areas with Little Italy identity markers

  • TrafficPatterns® for three vibrant, tricolour crosswalks, representing the Italian flag and reinforcing the cultural theme at key intersections

The durable preformed thermoplastic pavement markets provided the perfect solution for the product requirements and will remain a notable feature of Little Italy, helping clearly demarcate it in an engaging way for both visitors and residents.

These preformed thermoplastic pavement markings offered:

  • Long-lasting color and design integrity

  • Slip-resistant and weather-tough performance

  • Fast and efficient installation without resurfacing

The Result: A Revitalized and Recognizable Destination

The finished installations immediately enhanced the area’s visual identity and have been widely praised by local businesses, residents, and tourists alike. The Little Italy branding has become a celebrated feature of Commercial Drive and was even featured in local newspapers.

What's next?

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As more communities seek to express their identity through placemaking and urban branding, DecoMark® and TrafficPatterns® continue to provide proven, impactful surface solutions.

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HUB Surface Systems (East)

[ON, QC, NB, NS, PEI, NFLD, NWT]

430 Black Dr., Milton, ON L9T 6S1

doug.bain@hubss.com

(416) 540-9287

HUB Surface Systems (West)

[BC, AB, SK, MB, YK]

4052 Platt Rd., Ladysmith BC V9G 1X7

cleve.stordy@hubss.com

(604) 309-8212

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