Pedestrianization of City Centres

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Didn't Baird move it out there because suburbanites were tired of having to trek downtown with no parking etc. I think it's probably more convenient for more people there though agree it sucks for carless folks.

Probably, but I'm sure he didn't consider the 100k-150k for whom a downtown location is closer to their homes and the other 150k who work Downtown.

And a suburban car-centric location isn't necessarily more convenient for suburbanites if it means a longer drive. This goes back to the central employment nodes vs. giving every suburb their own Federal campus.

If anything, we probably need more passport offices, not moving around the ones we have.

Even the City had limited Covid vaccine clinics. The suburbs were well served, not so much the city centre where people walk or take transit.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Probably, but I'm sure he didn't consider the 100k-150k for whom a downtown location is closer to their homes and the other 150k who work Downtown.

And a suburban car-centric location isn't necessarily more convenient for suburbanites if it means a longer drive. This goes back to the central employment nodes vs. giving every suburb their own Federal campus.

If anything, we probably need more passport offices, not moving around the ones we have.

Even the City had limited Covid vaccine clinics. The suburbs were well served, not so much the city centre where people walk or take transit.

For sure but most of those suburbanites would rather drive all the way across town to free easy parking than deal with downtown.

You're totally right the capacity was so bad downtown I got my shots in Nepean and Orleans. Same for swimming lessons and other activities.

[qprcanada]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

For sure but most of those suburbanites would rather drive all the way across town to free easy parking than deal with downtown.

You're totally right the capacity was so bad downtown I got my shots in Nepean and Orleans. Same for swimming lessons and other activities.

It's almost like the people that run the City of Ottawa and it's services live in the suburbs (or further) and have no vested interest in improving the downtown areas.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by phil235

True, but driving increases the wear and tear on infrastructure, so there is an offset.

We have IKEA and Costco because the cost of driving is subsidized by massive infrastructure investments. Those stores are essentially outsourcing most of their costs to the consumer/municipality.

I am not a road engineer, but air suspect the damage done by 25 tonne busses exceeds the damage done by one tonne cars and light trucks.

IKEA and Costco (or Metro) exist in all sorts of places that have different balances of infrastructure investments. Megastores were mostly invented in Europe and came to North American suburbs later. I know some people have idealized a 19th century lifestyle where people make clothes and furniture at home or contract a neighborhood tradesperson, but it ain’t coming back.

[OTSkyline]

If there was ever a spot prime for pedestrianization, it's the Byward Market.

At the very minimum, York St. as well as the 2 perpendicular streets (William St & Byward Market Square) should be prioritized and, in my opinion, could be shut down tomorrow without much consequences. George & Clarence could then be explored as a potential phase 2.

To close-off and pedestrianize Wellington would not be a great idea. It would negatively affect active transportation while adding very little benefit to cyclists or pedestrians (given the lack of destinations or active store fronts on Wellington and the current cycle lanes & fairly wide sidewalks existing today).

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by acottawa

In a grid you are spending more on roads, sidewalks, snow removal, infrastructure, etc. to maintain a higher ratio of pavement to not pavement.

But you've also effectively frozen the suburban land use in time, which is the big economic problem, and inefficiency, built into loopyswirls.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I don't get the security issues. We can literally touch the PMO's office. We can go inside most Government Buildings (if only the retail part). We allow hundreds of cars and trucks pass by Wellington everyday without any sort of inspection. Why are people on foot frequenting restaurants, or living in an adjacent building, or subways and tramways if you believe some, so much more dangerous?

There is no planning issue in this town where "security" can't be pasted on as a figleaf for someone's real opposition agenda.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by phil235

I think that it was pure cost-cutting that led to the office being moved out to that location.

It was political spoils.

[J.OT13]

Examples of how to do it right from Montreal. Notice what they do with streets closed to cars. They don't just repave with interlock and call it a day. They plant trees, have seating and other additions to make them attractive and usable.

The new parks are well designed with storm water management, amazing art and furniture.

• Video Link

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

But you've also effectively frozen the suburban land use in time, which is the big economic problem, and inefficiency, built into loopyswirls.

There is no technical reason why businesses can’t function on a curved street (see London for example) it is more the zoning rules and nimbyism that freezes suburban land use.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by acottawa

There is no technical reason why businesses can’t function on a curved street (see London for example) it is more the zoning rules and nimbyism that freezes suburban land use.

It's not the curvature of the streets that makes residential levittown-style suburbs difficult or impossible to evolve over time; it's the closed topology of the "street" "grid".