Quote:
Originally Posted by acottawa
Businesses in the 15 minute neighbourhoods in Ottawa are heavily dependent on customers from outside the 15 minute area driving in. I don't think there are any self-supporting 15 minute neighbourhoods in Ottawa.
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I think you are mixing up the existence of 15-minute neighbourhoods with people’s stubborn driving habits. I can say that I get all my basic needs within 1.5 km from my house, and I’ve made a conscious effort to access these by walking or cycling, to the point that I got rid of my car four years ago. I can’t say the same for some of my neighbours who I see driving to the Superstore 900 metres away. The Superstore has always been oversized for the neighbourhood, but Westboro Village could definitely easily support a couple of medium-sized supermarkets like the existing Farm Boy and Metro. And while there are lots of specialty stores in the area that attract people from outside the neighbourhood, the main street receipts are likely commensurate with the spending power of the local residents. You can’t expect them to eat at the same restaurants and buy clothes from the same shops all the time.