By Steve Ball
I’m excited about the ByWard Market Public Realm Plan. I t’s been in the works for quite some time and is going before Council for approval this winter. The challenge as I see it will be getting started on a project of this magnitude, especially with our economy in such chaos. The City will be facing serious budget constraints until we fully recover from COVID-19, and that could take years.
The good news is that the surface road work is only a two-year project so it could still be ready for the ByWard Markets 200th Anniversary in 2026 if it gets funded reasonably soon.
The vision statement in the Plan paints a picture that is very appealing for the tourism industry. The end product will create a space that tourists will want to seek out during their visit. It reads:
The ByWard Market’s public spaces invite residents and visitors to linger, relax, socialize, shop and explore this special district within a network of inspiring public places that put pedestrians first. The public spaces are the backdrop against which daily life, festivals, and celebrations unfold; a place for both the everyday and the extraordinary.
This statement should also highlight the great dining experiences that are located in the Market and draw in thousands of people every year.
Within the Plan there is a component that calls for a new “Destination Building”. It is described as “a signature public building to complement the existing historicMarket building”, and would replace the old parking garage on the corner of ByWard Market Square and William Street.
The following lists just a few of recommendations pulled from the design principles that are presented to reinforce the goals of the public realm:
- be high quality urban design
- respect the ByWard Market Heritage Conservation District plan
- include a use that bolsters the retail environment of the ByWard Market and the experience for visitors and Ottawa residents alike
- be 2 to 4 storeys in height
- provide a highly transparent facade treatment to showcase the use and activity within. Ideally, the interior uses will be able to spill out on all sides of the building into a retail/patio zone
- consider views to Parliament Hill from within the building envelope
- provide public washrooms at ground level
- provide enclosed bicycle parking facilities
- consider the potential to provide underground public parking
This checks off a lot of boxes and addresses some of the shortfalls that exist in the Market today. Just having proper public-washroom facilities available is long overdue, and maintaining some of the lost parking spots from the parking garage makes good sense. Not everyone wants to use public transportation to go downtown. But it’s the third point where the opportunity lies. What will most bolster the activity for the retail environment is simply more people coming to the Market and spreading out those visits over the whole year.
What the ByWard Market could really use is a new blockbuster attraction for the new Destination Building that will provide a draw for people to come downtown from the suburbs, and for out-of-town visitors to seek out while planning their agendas of must-see attractions during their stay. There has been talk over the years of an aquarium on the corner of Rideau and Sussex or a downtown casino, but those ships have long since sailed. So, what will it be?
I think the City should consider hosting a public forum asking for people to share their ideas about what they believe would help to rejuvenate the Market. Call it a suggestion box of sorts! The criteria for submissions could be simple; perhaps just that the attraction has to be creative and interesting, have an appeal to all ages and all walks of life, and be accessible to all Canadians. We might be surprised at what comes back. My expectation is that there will be great creative ideas that will inspire us to get moving sooner than later on this project.
What do we have to lose? If nothing else, asking for public input will create some awareness and excitement around the pending improvements in the ByWard Market at a time when things are looking pretty grim. If the legacy of COVID-19 is that we took it upon ourselves to revitalize the ByWard Market into a thriving place to live, work and play, that would be a formidable achievement.
Steve Ball is the President of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association and a resident of George Street.