By Sylvie Grenier
The City of Ottawa has hired consultants to make a long-term plan to improve the public realm in the ByWard Market. The plan will establish a vision for the short, medium and long-term improvements to the network of public spaces in the ByWard Market, including streets, sidewalks, courtyards and plazas. It will provide direction and designs to beautify, organize and connect the ByWard Market’s public spaces to make them accessible, inclusive, safe and inviting.
The underlying design principles are to create a bold and memorable public environment to celebrate the Market’s unique character, put pedestrians first, enhance the experience year-round, beautify the Market, welcome everyone, support businesses and balance the needs of residents, tourists and businesses.
The consultants tabled their proposals at a public meeting on May 28. They include redesigning York and George by widening the sidewalks on the north side, greening the streets and creating public spaces. Surface parking on York would be eliminated, and a public square would be created at the north end of the Market Building. The redesign of George Street would focus on youth and families by creating playful street elements and water features. William Street would be closed to traffic year-round and ByWard Market Street would be closed on a seasonal basis. The roadways and the sidewalks would feature special pavers and be at the same level without distinction of grade.
Also proposed are new street furniture, new lighting to enhance the heritage character of the Market and better connections between the NCC courtyards. A wider sidewalk on the north side of Clarence is proposed together with larger sidewalks on Dalhousie and Parent. Murray will be redesigned with a bicycle lane. Where space is available, a clear walking width of three metres or more will be implemented in the Market.
The consultants propose the elimination of 279 of the 500 on-street parking spaces in the Market over the next 20 years. This is a small dent in the total of over 5,000 of parking spaces available in the Market. The public parking garage at 70 Clarence is expected to reach its life expectancy in 10 years and will likely be demolished and replaced by a smaller structure that may include underground parking. The consultants calculate that the shortfall in the parking supply will be compensated by a greater use of public transit and a more efficient use of the parking garage at 141 Clarence, which is often not full.
This new iteration of proposals no longer includes making Sussex a two-way street between York and St. Patrick or the idea of closing Clarence between Parent and Dalhousie.
You can share your comments on these proposals by contacting Jillian Savage at Jillian.Savage@ottawa.ca or designbyward@ottawa.ca. Final proposals are expected in the fall.