Gore Park

[BCTed]

Originally Posted by BCTed

Those pictures do not help the argument for pedestrian malls, given that it looks to be the middle of the day with warm weather and there are a total of four people in the first pic and two in the second. I am sure that things are not like that all day, but those pedestrian mall pics are certainly missing pedestrians.

Oh, and there appear to be a couple of empty storefronts.

[raisethehammer]

I'm not a big fan of pedestrian malls like that....I prefer more piazza type projects which is what our Gore would be.
The area along the Montreal waterfront is more of what I have in mind for the Gore.

I don't think the city has decided on the bus terminal yet.
Yup...office space by Blair, Blanchard group at James and Hunter. They've been great for the downtown.

[the dude]

ya, this will not be a pedestrian mall, as such. i don't think people realize this. the entire concept is likely difficult for most people to understand given our car culture. it'll be a plaza, piazza, place. call it what you like.

[Jon Dalton]

My concern with the Hunter St. Go station as an HSR terminal is that it would take away incidental street traffic from Gore Park. People that find themselves at Gore in between buses would be likely to walk around and shop. If all this traffic is relocated to Hunter, there exists the psychological barrier of Main St. in between them and the shops. Main has the effect of making things seem further away from one side to the other.

[Jon Dalton]

Originally Posted by BCTed

Those pictures do not help the argument for pedestrian malls, given that it looks to be the middle of the day with warm weather and there are a total of four people in the first pic and two in the second. I am sure that things are not like that all day, but those pedestrian mall pics are certainly missing pedestrians.

FINE. Is this a better example?

[SteelTown]

They'll only be 4 bus stops at Hunter St. The other 10 will be at MacNab. The passenger terminal will be at MacNab as well so I don't think it's all that bad. I know all Mountain buses will go to MacNab - travel down John turn on King enter MacNab...exit out on Main and turn at James St.

I'm going to make a new thread to discuss about the downtown terminal soon.

[Berklon]

Halifax's Pedestrian Plaza is nice and has that European feel to it. Howver I like the potential of Gore more, since it has the advantage of being wider allowing for more people and avoiding the claustorphobic feeling you get with thinner walkways and tall buildings. I like it more open and airy.

[BCTed]

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

FINE. Is this a better example?

There are more pedestrians on that pedestrian mall.

[the dude]

here are a few old photos i found downtown of the gore park area before it expanded east.

looking south on john towards the old post office.


looking west from catharine towards the post office.


looking south on john past the old wesanford clothing manufactory. notice the building farthest away. it's soon to become the london tap house.


south side of king from hughson to john. the hamilton loan and provident building [far right] was deemed expendable in the early 60s in favour of the shitbox that stands on the site now. that's progress, right?

[matt602]

Are any of those buildings there at all anymore? I think Victoria/Mackay should be there, but I can't make them out.

[the dude]

i would guess that victoria hall is the third or fourth from the left, not including the post office. it's an old building that was renovated into what it is today in the first decade of the 20th century. mackay was built well after this photo was taken. other than that, none of those buildings still stand today.

[matt602]

Ah I see it, it's actually right beside the post office.

[NorthEndRules]

Just came back from Noodle Chef (spicy and awesome) with my wife (also nice). She came up with a good idea. Why not have the ice rink at Gore Park around the Fountain. There can be 2 semi-circular benches around it. With the proper safety measures, it would be a unique destination for downtown residents, suburbanites and out of towners. The skating rink in front of City hall has been done (ie Toronto). Imagine grabbing a coffee and watching the skaters from one of the shops there.

[raisethehammer]

yes, Noodle Chef rocks...and so does your wife by the sounds of it. Great idea!!
The only possible problem I could see is how narrow the sides of the rink would be. I assume the sidewalks along both sides of King would need to be kept clear.
I'll have to look closely when i'm down there tomorrow....if it could work, it's pure genius.

[DC83]

^^ That's a pretty great idea, for sure!!
I also don't know whether or not one would fit in the Gore either?
If not, they should incorporate a rink in the plans for the Rebecca St Park.
Either there or in Commonwealth Square across from City Hall. This section of Main is surprisingly dead despite it's proximity to City Hall/School Board/IBM Bldg/Family Court House which all have activity every business day during business hours.
I think something like a big, bold water feature that can turn into an ice rink (kinda like the one at Spencer Smith Park in Burly) would really bring life back to this area.

[Berklon]

That would be a great idea... except it would leave pedestrians without Gore Park in the winter. Of course I don't know how many pedestrians walk through Gore in the winter, so that may be a minor thing.

[DC83]

Originally Posted by Berklon

That would be a great idea... except it would leave pedestrians without Gore Park in the winter. Of course I don't know how many pedestrians walk through Gore in the winter, so that may be a minor thing.

Gore Park in the winter is SOOO gorgeous!! After a fresh snowfall, I go out of my way to walk through Gore Park. Especially when they have the Christmas Decor up, like the LED Lights/Red Bows up on the Fountain.
It's such a nice place to visit during the snowy months.

[SteelTown]

If we can get Gore Park pedestrianized a skating rink there would be beautiful like like Rockefeller Center.

[raisethehammer]

yup..there'd be plenty of room for pedestrians still. i think the rink would basically just take up the space from the benches near Queen Victoria over to the area in front of the huge Christmas tree.
it would be awesome to have a rink there.

[NorthEndRules]

It is true a rink around the fountain would take up a lot of room and may be quite expensive. However, can you imagine how great it would be to be skating around the beautifully decorated symbol of Hamilton? As you skate around the fountain, you could see the whole downtown area. You would see a new inviting entrance to Jackson square, bustling office buildings, cafes and restaurants full of customers, the east side of gore park all decked out, new shops all along the other side of king street, a new lister and a spruced up City centre. Now, imagine sitting in one of the cafes, or restaurants and watching the skaters go by. This would be the perfect postcard scene of Canadiana for Hamilton which could rehabilitate our image nationwide. Even the Randle Reef cleanup couldn't do as much.

You hear people complaining about parking downtown. They don't want to park and walk for 5 minutes because there is nothing there to entice them. There has to be something to make them decide that coming to experience Gore park will be worth it. And while they are there, they will walk to Jackson Square, they will walk to a movie, they walk and window shop, they will walk to a new exciting restaurant... It will become a pedestrian area.

Gore park is ideally suited as such a destination that can draw people who want something fun to do from miles around. Limeridge Mall, Centre Mall and Meadowlands could not offer the same ambience and cache that a bustling downtown can offer.

In the summer at least part of the rink can be a water display and the other half can be full of art pieces, or flower arrangements, or full of vendors.