Quote:
Originally Posted by crane_guy
If people are concerned about attracting tourism, I don't think re-naming the roadway will do as much as, diversifying and growing the area. Tompkins park could stand to have events other than speakers corner. Lilac fest is not enough. More local restraunts. More live music, a larger concert or theater venue, Galeries and Hotels right on 17th, are some of my thoughts.There's just not enough to attract all walks of life down there.
I think 17th will suffer if the new arena is built in the west village.
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I'm not quite sure where you're coming from on this. More restaurants? Seriously? One of the biggest barriers to diversity on 17th is the fact that the restaurants are already pushing out other retail. And while I agree that more live music and galleries would be good, I really don't think the avenue needs a big venue. It's busy all the time without needing periodic floods of theatre goers (or hockey fans for that matter) washing down it. And for what it's worth, Tompkins Park is being used more and more for all sorts of stuff -- not enough, maybe, but more than before.
In my mind what it needs most is some lower rent commercial spaces on the side streets (like it has at 6th, 9th, 11th to get some of the marginal start-ups and to absorb some of the existing retail that is being priced off the main drag). The redevelopment of 8th will be huge. And it needs a better pedestrian environment. Then, as I've said before, 17th needs bylaw officers with bean bag cannons on the rooftops to knock the assholes off their stupidly loud bikes when they're cruising around on weekends.
I don't think the problem is that 17th needs to attract tourism. I think the original question was about how to direct tourists to 17th. Google plus beltline hotels ought to do it.