Vancouver's Robson Square is scheduled to open to vehicles for the first time in two years, but a movement is growing to keep the central city block pedestrian-only.

Cars will be allowed back on the 800-block of Robson Street after Labour Day, but the city is hoping that will just be temporary.

"TransLink has asked us to reopen it while we continue our transportation planning," Coun. Heather Deal told CTV News. "They've had a lot of complaints about the number 5 bus not connecting into the West End, but our long-term goal is to close it down, and make into a permanent pedestrian place. I just love it."

The city is asking for public input on the issue as it develops its wide-ranging new transportation plan, and the Vancouver Public Space Network is circulating two petitions asking people to vote "Yes" or "No" on closing Robson Square to vehicle traffic permanently.

"We'd love for there to be a discussion about what's the right way to be using that stretch of pavement," the network's Josh Paterson said.

"People have had a long period of adjustment now for two years where that block has been taken out of the motorists' grid, and this would be the ideal time to think about making a change permanently."

Gordon Price, director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University, says that closing the square to all vehicle traffic isn't the only option open to the city.

"It might even be possible to allow the trolley buses to come through here, not cars, and still have it as a predominantly pedestrian use," he said.

The majority of commenters on CTV British Columbia's Facebook page seem to support keeping the square closed to traffic.

"Keep it closed.. and while they're at it, why not close more of Robson off to traffic... keep it as a bus route, but do like the European cities do and make it more pedestrian friendly," Mike Delcourt said.

Alyssa Park suggested that the square isn't necessarily a great place to drive, anyway: "The street is too narrow for cars to drive around there."

But not everyone is in agreement. Liisa King wrote, "Makes getting around DT more complicated than ever. And when you're driving you then use more gas, idle at more intersections."

And Jim Perry said he worried about the impact on business: "No car traffic, no sales, plain and simple as transit is a joke!"

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Penny Daflos

Have your say: Should Robson Square stay closed to vehicle traffic?