Revisiting the Market District

[LakesidePark1]

Kitchener Waterloo is the worst for complaining about parking in the downtown cores. I have never parked more then 300ft away from where I wanted to go and most times it has been free. I have had to park farther at Fairview or Conestoga Mall. any other city, chances are you have to pay- look at Stratford down HWY 8- the parking downtown is cheap but it is still not free.
Get out and walk a few steps

[Rainrider22]

Kitchener Waterloo is the worst for complaining about parking in the downtown cores.  I have never parked more then 300ft away from where I wanted to go and most times it has been free.  I have had to park farther at Fairview or Conestoga Mall.  any other city, chances are you have to pay- look at Stratford down HWY 8- the parking downtown is cheap but it is still not free.
Get out and walk a few steps

You are preaching to the choir here....  The attitude will change slowly as the older people stop complaining... Nobody likes change..

[Spokes]

Architects DCA is an architectural firm in Ottawa.  Recently they just did a detailed study of Ottawa's ByWard Market and created a report (ByWard Market Study – Reclaiming City Streets for People) of their findings and ways to improve the market.

There's been some preliminary discussions about hosting them here to give a talk about lessons learned there, and how they could apply here.  Would there be interest in this?  I think it could be cool, but if it's me and two other people it probably doesn't seem like it makes sense to do.  Thoughts?

[panamaniac]

Other than pedestrianizing Eby St and the Market Lane, and ensuring that the area isn't overrun by mediocre restaurants, bars, and illicit drugs, I'm not sure Kitchener can learn many lessons from the Byward Market experience, unless in fact what is sought is an "entertainment district" rather than a farmers market.

[nms]

How do the two district footprints generally compare? My experience with the ByWard Market area was that it consisted of some wider streets that could accommodate farmers stalls as well as a wide variety of commercial space (both ground floor and upper level offices and/or hotels).

[panamaniac]

The Market in Ottawa is an area about 4-5 blocks across and about the same deep. The Byward Market itself is arguably just two buildings (the market building and the parking garage) each covering a small block, and the adjoining streets, William and Byward. Some of the streets, especially York, are wide and, yes, the area contains a wide variety of retail, restaurants and bars, offices, hotels, and residences. By comparison, Kitchener's market area is quite linear - I would say that it doesn't even encompass Duke or Charles Sts yet, in any meaningful way.