[WaterlooInvestor]

CHANGES COMING TO CITY'S FREE PARKING PROGRAM
November 27, 2007
Mercury staff

The city and the Downtown Guelph Business Association have wrapped up talks aimed at working out the bugs of the free downtown parking pilot program.

The initiative, which was launched in September, allows two hours of free parking at specified on-street locations.

Audrey Jamal, general manager of the business association, said better defined criteria now means shoppers will be able to park in marked locations for up to two hours a day. During that time, they're also permitted to move their vehicles to other designated free parking spots.

Municipal user-pay lots are available for those who need to park for longer periods.

There are other changes coming in the next few weeks, Jamal said, including the conversion of public loading zones to 15-minute parking zones.

Jamal said the new 15-minute parking zones will provide an option for people who need to return to the downtown and have already used up their two-hour freebie.

"So what this is creating is a short-, medium-, and long-term parking solution for people," she said. "We're trying to make it as user-friendly as possible."

Bob Chapman, manager of parking and downtown operations, said this move is in response to complaints the city has been receiving.

"We've had very few, but very vocal, complaints about not being able to park more than once in the downtown," he said.


Free parking downtown proving costly
November 27, 2007
LAURA THOMPSON - MERCURY STAFF - GUELPH

Enjoy your free downtown parking today because city council narrowly voted against revisiting the issue last night.

In a 6-5 vote, councillors voted not to reconsider a June motion that launched the free on-street parking pilot.

The program came into effect in September and is expected to continue until August 2008.

But it comes at a cost.

Namely three capital projects earmarked for 2008 have been pushed back as a result of the lost parking meter revenue. And the city will have to dip into its parking reserves in order to make up the rest.

Last night's discussion was sparked by the 2008 parking operating and capital budgets, which is user-pay and not funded directly through the municipal tax base.

City council passed the preliminary budget last night, though not without an amendment and a protracted debate on whether the pilot should be scrapped before its anticipated expiry date.

Several councillors said eliminating the project now makes sense since it's not sustainable in the long-run.

Derek McCaughan, director of operations, told council the two-hour free parking pilot will result in lost revenues of $536,500 next year if it runs until August 2008, and another $188,500 if it goes until the end of the 2008.

In order to recover that cost, three capital projects worth about $325,000 will be deferred. The remaining funds will come out of the parking reserve, which is approximately $1.9 million.

"There's nothing we have deferred that is considered critical," McCaughan said in an interview.

The deferred projects include upgrading the parking cash system, replacing the parking meter vault housing and replacing asphalt at the Baker Street parking lot.

But even with pushing back capital projects, McCaughan said the city can't afford to support the free parking pilot after 2009, as its parking reserves would be completely depleted.

"If parking continued the operation as it stands today, it can't sustain itself let alone build new parking garages," McCaughan said in an interview.

Councillor Gloria Kovach told council it didn't make sense to continue the pilot.

"I just can't keep supporting this. Honestly, I think it's ludicrous. I'm just so sad that this council would continue to say 'two-hour free parking on meters that were already full before.' "

She raised a motion of reconsideration, which was seconded by Coun. Maggie Laidlaw.

Coun. Mike Salisbury said he wouldn't support the motion, and noted that council knew what it was getting into when it voted in favour of the pilot back in June.

"I think we owe it to ourselves and to the city not to flip on it just because we got the bill in the mail," he said.

Salisbury also suggested the budget report be referred back to staff following the discovery of an error in the document. But that motion was halted when staff appeared to correct the mistake on the spot.

Coun. Bob Bell, who sits on the board for the Downtown Guelph Business Association, said his concerns centred on what he considers to be a lack of co-operation from the downtown business association in sharing sales figures with the city.

McCaughan told council the association has agreed in the new year to share whether the percentage of sales have increased, but won't provide specific sales figures.

Laidlaw criticized that move, and said there's no way to verify the numbers independently. She also noted the business association has a vested interest in keeping the pilot project alive.

In an interview before the council meeting, Audrey Jamal, general manager of the Downtown Guelph Business Association, said 12 businesses will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot. Shoppers will also be surveyed to gauge their general satisfaction with the parking initiative.

"It's working really well for the right people, which is the clients and customers of downtown Guelph," she said.

After council narrowly voted down revisiting the pilot parking motion, it voted to remove a $32,000 line from the budget. The line, which related to internal recovery of staff parking costs for police, was removed after at least one councillor criticized it as representing a false revenue stream.

The budget then passed, with Coun. Christine Billings, Laidlaw, Bell and Kovach voting against it.

[WaterlooInvestor]

Getting inked getting easier in the city's core
November 27, 2007
VIK KIRSCH - MERCURY STAFF - GUELPH

http://news.guelphmercury.com/images/assets/356369_3.JPG
Co-owner Greg Haugh poses in Guelph tattoo parlour Frequent Habits. Can downtown Guelph support four tattoo shops? See our story on page A3 to find out.


Like an expanding pattern on a blank stretch of skin, the number of tattoo parlours in Guelph is growing.

The newest addition is Frequent Habits on Macdonell Street in the downtown core. It joins veteran parlours Nighthawk Tattoo and Gallery, Dermagraphics By Paul and Stigmata.

Four parlours, all in the core, for a city of 120,000 residents?

"I don't see it being any way different from the number of salons," said Nighthawk body-piercer Mark McAlpine, who works as part of a collective with Nighthawk founder and tattoo artist Laurie Stewart and fellow tattoo artist Mac Young.

Tattoo parlours, McAlpine said, rise and fall on consumer demand and the quality of their work.

"Time will tell if it does fine," he said of Frequent Habits, which partners Steve Goldrick and Greg Haugh, both 26, opened two weeks ago on Macdonell Street, in the shadow of the Church of Our Lady's double spires.

"I don't know of any other town the size of Guelph that has four," said Goldrick, who works at a local manufacturing firm when he isn't in his shop.

But he and Haugh, a local disc jockey, saw an opportunity, judging by how the other Guelph parlours are so busy, they generally have waiting lists of up to a few months.

"There's got to be plenty of business out there," he said.

Goldrick, whose parlour has two tattoo artists using the latest in equipment, got his first tattoo at 16, adding his parlour averages two clients a day and has already booked 30 upcoming appointments, though it's still so new it serves walk-in customers.

"We're doing better than we could have imagined," Goldrick said.

"As soon as one person gets covered from head to toe, another wants to be covered," Goldrick said.

Business partner Haugh is half-covered, boasting what he calls "an upper suit." Since age 14, when a friend used a mail-order gun to give him a blue moon (which has since been covered over), Haugh has had his body augmented at least 25 times. He's literally covered from the waist up, as well as down both arms to the wrists, though his body art can be concealed under clothing.

"I can still show up at a wedding and look presentable," Haugh said. The right side is "Japanese whatever" and the left he described as "prison art" with a Mexican flavour.

Haugh said he was attracted to tattooing by the workmanship.

"I like the art," he said.

Despite there now being four Guelph tattoo parlours, McAlpine said they show promise because tattoos are increasingly popular.

"It's a lot more accepted these days than it ever was," he said

In fact, to McAlpine, the desire to make an impression in indelible ink isn't stereotypically restricted to a certain set; it attracts people of all ages and from all walks of life.

"It crosses a lot of demographics. It's not just university students."

McAlpine said today's parlours typically set high standards for cleanliness, the friendliness of staff and the quality of work they do, generally speaking, though he advised the public to shop around.

"Artists will vary in their talents and abilities," he said.

In fact, he said it's not unheard of for Nighthawk, on Norfolk Street and founded by Stewart in 1992, to have a waiting list of several months for tattoos. He's seen a growth in particular in piercings and jewelry to augment tattoos, particularly with the wide range of body art enhancements and techniques available today.

He attributes this in part to television shows about tattooing, including the likes of "Miami Ink," "L.A. Ink," "London Ink," "Inked," and "Tattoo Wars" that have arrived in recent years. The success of these shows, McAlpine concluded, are a testament to greater public interest in the tattoo arts.

"These TV shows do help," Dermagraphics By Paul owner Paul Vicary agreed. He's been in business more than 20 years in Guelph and seven in Milton. Viewers become intrigued by body modifications "and that's what they want to follow."

He's convinced tattooing is on the rise.

"It's grown dramatically in the last 10 to 15 years," Vicary said.

Guelph can easily handle four parlours, in his estimation, noting each parlour is known for a particular approach to body art, an embellishment that dates back to the Neolithic (Old Stone) age in Eurasia. Vicary focuses on fine-line and realistic art, like clearly defined portraits, animals and fantasy scenes.

Others, he said, may focus on more traditional "crown and anchor" type tattoos, but with modern embellishments, like intriguing colours and other artistic flourishes.

What he is definitely not fond of are "outrageous" tattoos like bullets inked into the side of a person's head, or heavily pigmented faces, which some people have done simply to repulse others. Such tattooing, he said, is ruining the industry.

[WaterlooInvestor]

Singles, young families eyeing low-priced housing development in city's east end
November 26, 2007
SCOTT TRACEY - MERCURY STAFF - GUELPH

On a chilly Saturday morning, Trevor Lillie and Stephanie MacKenzie found their next home in a church basement.

The young couple were among several dozen curious residents who attended an information session this weekend put on by Options for Homes, a non-profit corporation which has proposed a 129-unit condominium development on Mountford Drive.

So impressed were they with what they heard the couple left a $100 deposit for one of the units.

Lillie explained the couple own a home on nearby Stevenson Street, but have been thinking of downsizing "to sort of simplify things and save some money."

The couple received an information flyer in the mail recently and decided to do some research about other Options projects in the Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo areas.

"They seem like really nice places and everything seems pretty well run," MacKenzie said. "These are only going to go up in value so I don't think it's a bad investment."

The company has been holding such sessions to promote the Mountford project and explain how they have been able to make home ownership a reality for low- to medium-income earners.

Options president Jan Ciuciura said holding such group information sessions, rather than one-on-one consultations with prospective buyers, is one of the ways Options keeps costs down. The company also shies away from expensive amenities such as swimming pools and underground parking and does not build model suites, instead relying on concept drawings and floor plans to show would-be buyers what the development will look like.

The result, Ciuciura said, is the ability to bring townhomes and condominium apartments to market at tens of thousands of dollars less than other similar developments.

He pointed out there is a significant difference between "affordable housing" and "affordable home ownership."

"Everybody has to be able to get a mortgage, so you have to have a job, obviously," Ciuciura said. "This is not a subsidized development."

The difference with an Options project, he explained, is the more affordable homes make it possible for someone with a lower annual income to jump from renting to ownership, plus the company offers "payment-free loans" of up to 10 per cent of the home's value which do not have to be paid back until the homeowners resells the unit.

Ciuciura said single women make up the largest percentage of Options for Homes' clients, followed by young families and single men.

The Mountford Drive site was owned by the Upper Grand District School Board, but was bought by the company early this year after being declared surplus.

Ciuciura said the city has granted preliminary approval of the site plan, and a vote is expected within the next month on a required zoning change.

"I don't want to say it's a fait accompli on the zone change, but we're confident enough that we're taking deposits today," he said.

[WaterlooInvestor]

Baker Street ideal site for library
At least one city councillor plans to abstain from next week's vote
November 03, 2007
SCOTT TRACEY - MERCURY STAFF - GUELPH

A city councillor says due to a perceived conflict of interest he will abstain from voting on whether a new main library branch should be built on the site of the Baker Street parking lot.

Ian Findlay, who sits on the city's governance and economic development committee, said yesterday he will sit out the vote at Thursday's committee meeting "so I'm not seen as trying to influence the outcome."

Findlay owns Thomas Entertainment on Baker Street, opposite the proposed new library site. He noted as well as being across from the site it could be argued he would be in competition with the library as it will loan DVDs and he is in the business of renting out DVDs.

Findlay said he will be involved in discussions about all the particulars of the new main library branch except where it will be located.

"Once council approves it, for wherever it goes, then I can comment on whether it should be three storeys or five storeys or face north or south or be purple or whatever," Findlay said.

David Corks, the city's downtown economic development manager and author of the report, conceded there are "no real surprises" contained in the document, noting previous studies have reached the same conclusion.

"This is not the first time the Baker Street site has been the preferred site," Corks said. "That's been pretty consistent."

In July, council directed staff to develop conceptual development scenarios, business cases and full economic analyses for the top two preferred sites: Baker Street and the site of a Co-operators daycare centre at the corner of Macdonell and Woolwich streets.

Each site was graded on a number of factors, including urban design strategies, future expansion, ability to attract private investment, land acquisition needs and parking.

In 13 of the 14 criteria, city staff favoured Baker Street.

The only criteria in which the Co-operators site was ranked higher was heritage impact assessment.

Corks explained the Baker Street site presents various "challenges" with respect to heritage, including the need to maintain site lines to Church of Our Lady and to respect the heritage of surrounding buildings, including other churches.

But overall Corks said the study heavily favoured the Baker Street site.

"No matter how many times we look at it upside down or backwards, Baker Street comes up first every time," he said.

The report to go to the committee Thursday includes a recommendation that city staff "continue to work with Co-operators representatives to explore the development potential for their site and assist them in any redevelopment proposals."

Corks said this is not meant to suggest there are any specific plans for that site, but rather is an acknowledgment of the Co-operators site's potential.

"It wasn't as if one site was good and one was bad," he said of the two preferred locations. "They're both good sites.

"We've told them when they are ready to redevelop that site we will be willing to help them."

Co-operators spokesperson Leonard Sharman said the company just found out Tuesday night staff are recommending Baker Street and are waiting to see whether council accepts this recommendation.

"We don't really have a Plan B in place" for the property, Sharman said.

He said while the Co-operators felt the spot would be ideal for a library, company officials are interested in speaking further to the city "to identify their needs for downtown" and see whether their site could be redeveloped.


Baker Street site the logical choice
November 05, 2007
GUELPH MERCURY

After a litany of studies and a wrong turn two years ago, it's finally decision time on the location of a new main library branch. And if all goes according to plan Thursday, a council committee will put its stamp of approval on building it on the site of the Baker Street parking lot.

There was little question this would be the ultimate outcome. The secondary proposal, to locate it on the site of a Co-operators day-care centre downtown, was a non-starter.

Baker Street -- with its echoes of Sherlock Holmes' London abode -- is the logical choice. The parking lot needs redevelopment and plunking a library there will help do just that.

We say logical with a bit of an asterisk. The original logical choice was the former Canada Post office on Wyndham Street, which the city inexplicably passed on in 2005, only to see the historic building beautifully redeveloped by the County of Wellington.

There's no question a new library is needed. The existing one on Norfolk Street is bursting like a kid full of Halloween candy. The question now is how soon can the project get underway.

The library development is one of a series of big-ticket items in the capital forecast through to 2016 that also include a new civic museum, a community centre and potentially a new wet plant.

We've said it before and we'll say it again, a list is needed, in order of priority, of each of these projects, and an explanation of the priorities. We hope we can see one soon.

A Baker Street library is the right move. Tell us where its construction sits on the to-do list.

[WaterlooInvestor]

Two councillors want to put brakes on Baker Street library proposal
Billings, Kovach say final cost could be too high for taxpayers
November 21, 2007
LAURA THOMPSON - MERCURY STAFF - GUELPH

http://news.guelphmercury.com/images/assets/352098_3.JPG
It's Time To Renew! buttons have been created to promote the move to a new home for the main branch of the library.

City staff will discuss plans for the new central library today after city council voted earlier this week to name the Baker Street site as the preferred location.

But at least two councillors want to halt the project out of concern taxpayers may end up footing much of the bill.

There is no price tag attached to the development at the moment. Early estimates pegged it between $16 million for the library only and $33 million for a building that includes a library, future library expansion and commercial space, according to a consultant's report released in May.

But David Corks, downtown economic development manager, said those estimates are out of date now that the plans include the integration of a new library, municipal parkade and commercial, office and residential mixed-use space.

"The bottom line is we have no idea what this will cost," he said, explaining the purpose of Monday's meeting was for council to decide on a location. He said staff will have a better idea of costs once the terms of reference are completed and a request for tenders goes out in the new year.

"That's the whole purpose of the request for proposals. It's just that. It's a proposal. We're not committing to build," he said.

The city has earmarked $17.3 million in the 2011 capital budget for a new main library.

Councillor Christine Billings said that's not enough to build what city staff are proposing. She speculates the costs are far greater.

"How are we going to pay for it? Where are we going to get the rest?" she asked. "Ballpark -- it's going to climb to $50 million because they want to see a commercial element, parkade and the library. Even without residential, we're looking at a project of $50 million."

Billings voted against the staff recommendation along with Coun. Gloria Kovach. Coun. Ian Findlay abstained from the vote because of a perceived conflict of interest -- he owns a DVD rental store across the street from the Baker Street site and the library would loan out DVDs.

Kovach said she doesn't think the city can afford a new main library branch with so many other capital projects on the books.

"All these things are wonderful, but we can't afford it. We've got waste management issues. We have some health requirements for a health facility," she said. "I just think the citizens of Guelph can't afford this."

These issues were raised at Monday's council meeting, as were concerns about missed opportunities.

In February 2005, council voted against purchasing the Wyndham Street post office, which would have housed the main library. The building is now home to Wellington County's Ontario Works. The city could have bought the historic building for about $1 million. It would have cost another $1 to $1.2 million in renovations for interim staff use, and $17.3 million to convert the building into a library.

But Coun. Bob Bell, who supported Monday's motion, said that's all water under the bridge. But he wants to be sure this time around the library initiative moves forward.

"I'm cautious about the magnitude of the project, but I think the location on the Baker Street parking lot with possible access to Wyndham Street is a good direction to go in," he said.

He said his preference is an integrated project that would see the library, parkade and residential space built together. But he'd also like a second option to move forward with each individual component in the case that one proves weaker than the others, he said.

"If we don't have the ability to move forward independently, we may not move forward at all."

Corks said an option to mitigate capital costs would be to enter into a long-term lease with the site's developer, who would own the actual building but not the land.

Norm McLeod, chief librarian for Guelph Public Library, said that's been done before with three other branches around the city.

"We've been able to justify the lease cost because we couldn't afford to buy the land, we couldn't afford to build a building," he said.

He said it's feasible that the same concept could be applied to the new main library.

"It's clearly an issue where the art of the deal is absolutely critical."


No need to postpone Baker Street library
November 23, 2007
Mary Mulholland

Dear Editor - Re: "Two councillors want to put brakes on Baker Street library proposal" (Guelph Mercury, Nov. 21).

While it is encouraging and exciting that city council has chosen Baker Street for the new central library, it is sad to read that councillors Christine Billings and Gloria Kovach would like further delays.

Guelph has more than doubled in population since the 1960s, when the current library was built, and it is destined to grow much more. This library project has been overdue (pardon the pun) for years now. Any postponement would be robbing the citizens of Guelph of a much-needed community facility and thwarting the revitalization of our beautiful and historic downtown. Any postponement would end up costing us a great deal more.

It is interesting to note that the two councillors who are against the project were part of the former anti-library city council that so unwisely lost us the downtown post office at a bargain price.

We need to remember that a library is the one public facility that is open to all. Its riches are available free of charge to everyone in the city. Let us look to the future this time and move forward at last with a fine new building for all of us to enjoy.

Mary Mulholland,

Guelph


Build a central park at the Baker Street site
November 24, 2007
Craig Chamberlain

Dear Editor - Re: "Two councillors want to put brakes on Baker Street library proposal" (Guelph Mercury, Nov. 21).

David Corks, the city's downtown economic manager, is quoted as saying, "The bottom line is we have no idea what this will cost," regarding the Baker Street library proposal. The important question is, "What is council willing to pay?

At what dollar value do councillors begin to push away from the table, saying, "No way, I'm out"?

The problem with the Baker Street proposal has perhaps more to do with council's energy for it than the actual site, as problematic as it is.

The problem with the proposal is council is unduly invested in making it work, which means the project will be overly vision-driven, with budgetary considerations downplayed in the name of "our legacy."

Council lacks the necessary detachment on this issue to objectively evaluate the costs and constraints to locating a large public building in an area with real access issues. Mitigating the constraints will be expensive and the costs and benefits will not be in scale with the need to have a main library there.

For the record, something completely counterintuitive could be done with the Baker Street site, which is prime real-estate. Something of enduring value, which would set Guelph apart long after other municipalities have built mixed-use libraries/ residences/ parkades of their own in their core, when what we have looks rather common. Build a park -- yes, a park, Central Park-- an anchor for the intensity we are planning, a place to gather, a place for reading, writing, being, belonging.

Craig Chamberlain,

Guelph

[FazDeH]

I've never seen Guelphs downtown, is there any skyline to speak of? I hear its a well kept historical area. Lots of old buildings, that sort of thing.

[Cambridgite]

I've never seen Guelphs downtown, is there any skyline to speak of? I hear its a well kept historical area. Lots of old buildings, that sort of thing.

Not much of a skyline, but for what it lacks in size, it makes up for in style. Lots of stone buildings and nice architecture. It's like Galt (Cambridge) except larger and more vibrant. It has lots of decent bars and clubs as well (catering to a large population of university students).

[Cambridgite]

WaterlooInvestor...who's going to take over the Guelph section? I'm unaware of there being any Guelph forumers on SSP, which is unfortunate.

[flar]

I've never seen Guelphs downtown, is there any skyline to speak of? I hear its a well kept historical area. Lots of old buildings, that sort of thing.

See for yourself, I just posted a phototour of downtown Guelph last week:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=141483

[WaterlooInvestor]

At this point, this is pretty much an "open thread". What I mean by that is the thread is meant for everyone to post in whenever they hear some Guelph Development News. Hopefully in the future, someone from Guelph will join and they will takeover this thread.

[FazDeH]

thanks for the link and info, Guelph looks really nice.

[softee]

In response to that tattoo parlour article, downtown North Bay had 4 tattoo parlours last year (now we are down to 3 downtown, but there is another parlour outside the downtown), and we only have about half the population of Guelph!

[Cambridgite]

Stewart Mill lofts in downtown Guelph. Phase 1 is sold out and as it says, phase 2 began in summer 2007.

http://www.stewartmill.ca/index.html

http://www.stewartmill.ca/images/oldmill.gif

[Cambridgite]

Images of the 400-acre Hanlon Business Park in the south end of Guelph.

http://www.bogdanarchitects.ca/jba/mainframe/urbandesign2/ud2-hanlon.htm

http://www.bogdanarchitects.ca/jba/mainframe/urbandesign2/ud2-hanlon.htm#

Oh how the times change....I used to go road biking on Forestell Road a few years ago. It was all farmland.

[MolsonExport]

Wow, tattoo parlours. What a way to bulk up the skyline.

[Cambridgite]

Wow, tattoo parlours. What a way to bulk up the skyline.

I know eh. ;)

Hopefully we'll start seeing more relevant posts on here.

[vid]

Wow, tattoo parlours. What a way to bulk up the skyline.

When you don't have a skyline, every little bit helps! :)

And you know he only posted that article because it has a shirtless guy in it.

[WaterlooInvestor]

1) The articles were posted because I was browsing the Guelph Mercury http://news.guelphmercury.com/ and those were the urban/development related articles I found that day. Posts in this thread aren't restricted to high-rise developments.

2) The Stewart Mill Lofts look awesome inside.

3)
Guelph's New Civic Administration Centre Complex - http://guelph.ca/cityhall.cfm?subCatID=1508&smocid=2087:

This section of our website will chronicle the ongoing development of the new Civic Administration Centre Complex, allowing interested citizens to keep tabs on the progress of the construction. Construction is currently underway on Carden Street, at the former site of Memorial Gardens Arena.

About the project
New Civic Administration Centre Complex

Architectural Statement

The new Civic Administration Centre Complex is a unique and sophisticated project imbued with the complexities and challenges of a facility that must respect site, heritage and context and yet meet the very real demands for considerable new program space in a manner that sensitively bridges the past with the future and expresses the culture of a growing and progressive city such as Guelph.

Moriyama &Teshima’s design approach is premised upon achieving balance and harmony between new architecture and old, and creating a cohesive design that expresses the past, present and future of the City. To this end, the design works to complement the existing City Hall while showcasing the Memorial Gardens Heritage Wall. The Wall is being restored and becomes an integral part of the front facade of the New City Hall. As well, 1 Carden Street, the old Fire Hall, is being restored and integrated into the new design and, in fact, anchors the North West corner of the project. New construction and contemporary design unites and unifies the historical elements into an integrated and harmonized New City Hall that asserts a distinct architectural identity and expresses a vibrant and progressive City to all who view it.


Introduction to Site

The new Guelph Civic Administration Centre Complex is on a site bound by Carden Street to the north,Wilson Street to the west and Wyndham Street to the east.The south boundary of the site is a rail right-of-way.

The site development will be comprised of the following:

an active civic scaled space for special occasions and festivities;
passive spaces for day-to-day use which are intimately scaled;
parking;
formally landscaped areas that include trees;
a landscaped courtyard;
service, underground parking and loading entry driveway.


Potential initiatives for site development include:

a donor fountain -The Blacksmith;
momuments to the history of the site and the City of Guelph;
areas for public art.


Design Approach

The landscape for the Guelph Civic Administration Centre was conceived as three distinct zones:

- Zone A is conceived as a symbolic area and, as such, contains landscape elements that create a sense of arrival and speak to the civic tradition and function of the site: Sportsman's Corner - traditionally, local Guelphites meet everyday on the benches at the corner of Wilson and Carden Streets to discuss the latest happenings in Guelph. A bosque of trees with benches will help continue this tradition. John Galt statue - a symbol of arrival and ceremony, the sculpture will be relocated next to the Civic Administration Centre entrance. Flagpoles - three poles will fly the flags of the nation, province and city. - a symbolic area in the eastern portion pf the site at the corner of Wilson and Carden Streets that creates a sense of arrival and ceremony for the people entering the Guelph Civic Administration Centre;
- Zone B is defined by the Civic Square, an open area designed to support civic ceremonies, festivities and gatherings. The square is centred on the Memorial Wall and is defined along its edges by soft landscaping. These areas of planting frame the space and the Memorial Wall and provide opportunities for informal gathering. The eastern edge is designed to commemorate the former 1909 Winter Fair Building that once stood on this location. This edge will be sheltered by shade trees and will provide a sitting area adjacent to the Civic Square. - an active area to the north of the Memorial Wall that supports civic activities,festivities,and functions; a treed area to commemorate the 1909 addition to the Winter Fair building;and
- Zone C: The area north of the proposed POA Courts will be a formal garden reflective of the era when the former City Hall building was constructed. This will be an area for people to sit and relax, meet, or have their lunch or coffee break. A bosque of shade trees and formal planting encloses two paved areas containing benches. These two areas frame the entrance to the proposed POA court building. Within the formal garden is the newly relocated Blacksmith fountain - a commemorative gesture in keeping with the stately nature of the surrounding gardens and heritage context. - a passive area in front of the proposed POA court that supports day-to-day activities such as lunchtime relaxation and small, informal gatherings and meetings.

It should be noted that while each zone is programmed differently, the functions and design are integrated and not exclusive of each other. For example, the active Zone B and passive Zone C will carry symbolic aspects as well, but these symbolic aspects are more evident in Zone A than other zones.

A courtyard - A simple landscaped garden will be the green heart of the Civic Administration Centre with planting beds, specimen tree and seating. The Courtyard will provide a pleasant setting for city staff and functions. The Courtyard is framed on all sides by the glazed walls of the Civic Administration Centre. This will allow the space to be enjoyed by those inside the building with views into the courtyard as well as provide natural daylight to indoor areas. Interest year round will be maintained with an appropriate selection of plants providing structure, form and colour. in the centre of the Guelph Civic Administration Centre provides a view to a green landscaped garden, a breakout area for staff, city functions and meetings and natural light to office areas.


Renders:

Summer
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Winter
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Render
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Site Plan
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Council Chambers
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Council Chambers Rendering
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Council Chambers Rendering
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Taking Down The Crane - Nov 14, 2007 http://guelph.ca/cityhall.cfm?itemid=71090&smocid=2087
http://guelph.ca/uploads/images/photos/newcac/construction/11_14c.jpg