Pilot project to close south leg of King St. E.
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...ng-this-summer
The city wants residents to do a lot more walking downtown this summer.
Hamilton plans to implement a pedestrian-friendly initiative at Gore Park by closing the south leg of King Street East between James and Hughson streets to traffic for a couple of months.
The pilot project, which would run in either June or July through to August, is a test run for the proposed promenade in the city’s Gore Master Plan, which includes the concept of raising the roadway between the park and the storefront sidewalk along the south edge of King.
“What we’re trying to do is simulate a pedestrian space that blends with the park … We’re providing a seamless connection between the park and the businesses between James and Hughson,” the city’s acting manager of landscape architectural services Steve Barnhart said.
In a report going to the public works committee Monday, staff recommended building a permanent raised, concrete crosswalk from the park to the sidewalk that would bring the recreational space closer to the road.
“We want to attract people from the office towers, the residents and, the tourists that will come and be in the downtown core,” Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) executive director Kathy Drewitt said, adding they are working with local businesses on preparing outdoor patios.
“We would like them to have that positive experience in the downtown.”
The pilot project would coincide with the BIA’s Gore Park Promenade, which will feature artisans, artists and vendors at the downtown site every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from June 13 to Sept. 15.
Drewitt said she is hoping to have the pilot extended to September so activities at the site could continue for Supercrawl.
“If last year’s Promenade is any indication ... coupled with the closure from Hughson to James, my guess (is) it’ll be a hummer of a summer in the heart of our city,” Councillor Jason Farr said.
City staff proposed setting up large planters at the Hughson and James access points to block vehicles while allowing emergency and delivery vehicles to enter.
There will also be signs to limit vehicle access to the space and repairs to the road bed. The city is in discussions with the Downtown BIA about the best times to open up the strip to deliveries.
The committee of the whole asked staff to look at implementing the pedestrian initiative in 2008. At the time, they suggested doing a design study at the cost of $100,000.
But Barnhart said the total cost the city would not be determined until they closed the tendering process and awarded a contract to do the work.
Construction would take about five weeks, Drewitt said.
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