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  #621  
Old Posted Mar 22, 2019, 12:38 AM
Multi-modal Multi-modal is offline
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Just gonna throw it out there before I hear anyone else's opinion: I like the curvlinear/organic design option better than the sharp angled option. Curvilinear design seems more cozy. Looks like I could find a spot to read a good book and people watch.
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  #622  
Old Posted Mar 22, 2019, 12:43 AM
citydwlr citydwlr is offline
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Here's a link to the online component of the latest consultation:

https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/publi...lic-realm-plan
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  #623  
Old Posted Mar 22, 2019, 1:02 AM
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  #624  
Old Posted Mar 22, 2019, 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Urbanarchit View Post
Any chance they'll ban cars on Sparks Street? They're still driving on and parking there.
They said they removed bollards for snow plows and they will come back soon. I think it's a copout though.
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  #625  
Old Posted Mar 22, 2019, 2:02 PM
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I prefer the geometrical design. It would tie in well with the design of the open space next to the Bank of Canada.

Looking at the report, there are some good ideas but until they fix the sad selection of retailers I don't think Sparks is really going to turn around.
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  #626  
Old Posted Mar 22, 2019, 3:27 PM
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Originally Posted by acottawa View Post
How about a Garden of the Grievances, where everyone can list whatever there issue is. It could also be the location of the National Festivus Pole.

One of my first (related) grievances there would be that for every evening minute places like Sparks Street are dead and places like the Kanata Centrum are packed, a little bit of Ottawa (and my soul) hurts.
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  #627  
Old Posted Mar 22, 2019, 7:24 PM
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Originally Posted by kevinbottawa View Post
I prefer the geometrical design. It would tie in well with the design of the open space next to the Bank of Canada.

Looking at the report, there are some good ideas but until they fix the sad selection of retailers I don't think Sparks is really going to turn around.
So true! The only reason Sparks street is dead os because there is no reason to go there. Retail, retail, retail is what makes a city street lovely. Retail open intol 8 pm. Not a dentist’s office or a bank or Greco fitness all of which close evenings. All ground floor retail at 240 Sparks is gone.
I recommend that Ottawa’s Chamber of Commerce if such an entity exists go after retailers to open anchir stores on Sparks. Why not make it a furniture store destination? There are so fee amd buying furniture online is awkward. Why not a Pittery Barn or West Elm with al those condos going up I see a market for these stores. Also, DO NOT CHARGE RENT! Only charge utilities. The street is dead and it is NOT prime real estate otherwise stores would be knocking at the door. It IS the city’s business to go after business!
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  #628  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2019, 12:41 PM
eltodesukane eltodesukane is offline
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"Lipstick on a pig..."
Whichever "Sparks Street Public Realm Plan" is implemented,
I see no reason for me to walk this desolate street,
which is nothing but a back alley with mostly blind walls.
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  #629  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2019, 2:42 PM
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Originally Posted by YOWhopeful View Post
So true! The only reason Sparks street is dead os because there is no reason to go there. Retail, retail, retail is what makes a city street lovely. Retail open intol 8 pm. Not a dentist’s office or a bank or Greco fitness all of which close evenings. All ground floor retail at 240 Sparks is gone.
I recommend that Ottawa’s Chamber of Commerce if such an entity exists go after retailers to open anchir stores on Sparks. Why not make it a furniture store destination? There are so fee amd buying furniture online is awkward. Why not a Pittery Barn or West Elm with al those condos going up I see a market for these stores. Also, DO NOT CHARGE RENT! Only charge utilities. The street is dead and it is NOT prime real estate otherwise stores would be knocking at the door. It IS the city’s business to go after business!
I agree that a strong retail presence is needed, but it has to be something fitting the nature of the location. Furniture is much too bulky and awkward for a location with minimal parking or truck access.

Whatever the optimal retail and commercial mix is, it will need to be something that fits in with a location best accessible by pedestrians and transit users.
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  #630  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2019, 3:07 PM
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The street will look a whole lot better with these improvements, but this plan does not address the root of the problem; lack of interesting retail, early closing hours, overpriced rents and lack of residents.

Maybe not make the rents free, but at least lower them significantly and have stores stay open later and restaurants/bars open much later. Convert few buildings to residential and/or hotels. Open-up some of the historic buildings for public use; do something with the former American Embassy and the CIBC Building once the bank moves out in November. Less closed-door bureaucratic uses and more museums and retail.
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  #631  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2019, 5:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eltodesukane View Post
"Lipstick on a pig..."
Whichever "Sparks Street Public Realm Plan" is implemented,
I see no reason for me to walk this desolate street,
which is nothing but a back alley with mostly blind walls.
Absolutely. It will be very difficult to erase past serious errors, particularly constructing buildings with no street interaction. Terrible planning from the 1960s and 1970s like the buildings between Bank and Kent. Basically a wasteland.

Nevertheless, we can't give up. We need to make an effort to re-animate the street somehow.
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  #632  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2019, 7:06 PM
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Originally Posted by lrt's friend View Post

Nevertheless, we can't give up. We need to make an effort to re-animate the street somehow.
Why? It was an interesting idea from the 60s. It never really worked. Maybe it is time to move on.
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  #633  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2019, 7:20 PM
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Originally Posted by J.OT13 View Post
The street will look a whole lot better with these improvements, but this plan does not address the root of the problem; lack of interesting retail, early closing hours, overpriced rents and lack of residents.
Bolded for me is the biggest issue with Sparks. Get more people living in and around the street and maybe there will be more people floating around at 8PM on a Tuesday.

We're seeing improvements on Bank south of Laurier in terms of raw number of local residents, and with new condos/residential going up in Centretown we'll continue to see more people in the area, which should improve the livelihood of Sparks. ALT has and RE will provide more direct residents in the area but more work can be done on actually getting people living in the area.
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  #634  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2019, 8:14 PM
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Originally Posted by acottawa View Post
Why? It was an interesting idea from the 60s. It never really worked. Maybe it is time to move on.
Why would you give up on any downtown street? The prospects are better than for Queen, Albert and Slater, which have even less street front presence.
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  #635  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2019, 8:24 PM
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Originally Posted by lrt's friend View Post
Why would you give up on any downtown street? The prospects are better than for Queen, Albert and Slater, which have even less street front presence.
Because doing the same thing (or almost the same thing) over and over again is the definition of insanity. Sparks Street has none of the characteristics of a successful pedestrian street and there is no prospect of it ever acquiring the characteristics of a successful pedestrian street. It would be much better as a mixed use street that periodically closes for special events.
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  #636  
Old Posted Mar 24, 2019, 3:15 AM
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Originally Posted by acottawa View Post
Because doing the same thing (or almost the same thing) over and over again is the definition of insanity. Sparks Street has none of the characteristics of a successful pedestrian street and there is no prospect of it ever acquiring the characteristics of a successful pedestrian street. It would be much better as a mixed use street that periodically closes for special events.
Opening up Sparks Street to traffic, when Sparks doesn't go anywhere, and making it just another street like Queen, Albert, Slater and Laurier, is not going to give us a better outcome.
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  #637  
Old Posted Mar 24, 2019, 11:25 AM
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Originally Posted by JHikka View Post
Bolded for me is the biggest issue with Sparks. Get more people living in and around the street and maybe there will be more people floating around at 8PM on a Tuesday.

We're seeing improvements on Bank south of Laurier in terms of raw number of local residents, and with new condos/residential going up in Centretown we'll continue to see more people in the area, which should improve the livelihood of Sparks. ALT has and RE will provide more direct residents in the area but more work can be done on actually getting people living in the area.
Clardige Moon should bring a significant amount of people as well around the time the current revitalization plans are completed. We need more on the street though, not just on the periphery.
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  #638  
Old Posted Mar 24, 2019, 12:02 PM
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Originally Posted by lrt's friend View Post
Opening up Sparks Street to traffic, when Sparks doesn't go anywhere, and making it just another street like Queen, Albert, Slater and Laurier, is not going to give us a better outcome.
It gets people (parker’s, cyclists, transit users) on the street, which is better than the current situation most of the time.
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  #639  
Old Posted Mar 24, 2019, 12:19 PM
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I rarely park on the street where I plan to shop or grab a bite. I drive around until I find a spot or better yet, head straight into a parking lot or garage.

In terms of cycling, I think it would have been beneficial to add cycling lanes to Sparks, away from cars.

Transit users will be 2-3 blocks closer once the Confederation Line opens; if they could advertise the Zellers entrance as a Confederation/Sparks entrance/exit and add more entrances to Sparks or direct people between the two, it would go a long way to helping the situation.
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  #640  
Old Posted Mar 24, 2019, 1:12 PM
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Originally Posted by J.OT13 View Post
I rarely park on the street where I plan to shop or grab a bite. I drive around until I find a spot or better yet, head straight into a parking lot or garage.
I head for a garage as well, but Eastern Ontario has an obsession with on street parking which isn’t going away anytime soon.
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