Downtown Ottawa Revitalization Initiatives

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

If promotion and safety are at the top of the agenda instead of actual ideas on how to make nightlife more interesting and vibrant, I don’t have high expectations on what they’ll achieve. You can promote the heck out of it but if what’s on offer is boring, it’s not going anywhere.

100%. I understand there was a lot of community resistance to letting venues open or re-open in the Byward market. A lot of the venues are now gone replaced by condos which makes resistance even larger. I can't think of any other areas either. Using the streets in the market could be an idea. Clarence being fully closed and licensed for example. But yeah right.

[rocketphish]

Q&A: ‘Historic challenge’: Sutcliffe on downtown revitalization, the future of the ByWard Market and more

David Sali, OBJ
January 7, 2025

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says bringing more vibrancy to downtown Ottawa – especially the ByWard Market – is one of his top priorities for 2025.

But the mayor is also looking for help from other levels of government as the city tackles the daunting challenge of reinventing a core that was hollowed out during the COVID-19 crisis and is slowly starting to recover. In an interview this week with OBJ reporter David Sali, Sutcliffe addressed downtown revitalization, the housing crisis and other key economic issues facing the nation’s capital. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

OBJ: What role do you expect the federal government to play in helping to revive Ottawa’s downtown?

MS: There’s nothing more important than working with the federal government on a plan for downtown Ottawa. The federal government is the city’s largest employer; it’s the largest property owner in downtown Ottawa. We’re the capital of Canada, and the decisions that the federal government makes about all kinds of things have an impact on downtown Ottawa and our local economy. So it’s absolutely critical that we work together on a plan for downtown and the ByWard Market to ensure that both are vibrant in the coming months and years. There are a number of different issues that are affecting downtown and the ByWard Market, including the homelessness crisis, the opioid crisis, the mental health challenges that members of the community are facing, the decisions of the federal government about where its workforce is deployed, about some of its downtown office buildings. There are a lot of different factors, and this is really a historic challenge for the City of Ottawa. So we need to work closely with the federal government and they need to work closely with us on a plan that will address all of that.

OBJ: There’s been a lot of talk about the challenges facing the ByWard Market. What’s your sense of how that area is doing right now?

MS: I want to say something about the Market. I’ve seen coverage of some of the things that have been happening in the Market, and it’s almost like everybody is running every piece of new information from the Market through a filter or a lens that is portraying a negative story about the Market. For example, the closing of the Blue Cactus (Bar and Grill). This was a decision by a business owner to wrap up business and sell the property to another owner who’s very interested in investing in that site and opening a new restaurant. It was not related to any of the challenges the Market has faced in recent years. Some of the coverage sort of implied, ‘Here we go again,’ as though this was a part of some trend. Just before Christmas I met with a group of business owners, property owners, the ByWard Market (District) Authority, residents and other people very passionate about the ByWard Market. Their sense is that while we still face some challenges, we’re making progress and we’re seeing positive signs. More people are coming back to the Market, and more people are investing in the Market. There are other restaurants opening. The folks at McDonald’s are looking at re-establishing a location in the ByWard Market. So there are a lot of positive signs. That doesn’t mean there aren’t still challenges and we don’t still have a lot of work to do. But I think people need to take notice of the progress that’s being made. There’s a bit of a tendency sometimes when normal things are happening in business – like a business owner deciding to retire after 35 years and someone else choosing to replace that business with another exciting venture – that it gets spun into some type of negative story. I actually think much better things are happening in the ByWard Market than many people realize. We still have lots of work to do, but we’re going in the right direction.

OBJ: Two major reports were released last year looking at what needs to be done to revitalize Ottawa’s downtown. Critics are complaining there’s been a lot of talk about the subject and not enough action. What’s your response to that?

MS: I think in 2025, we need to do a lot of work to follow up on those plans that have been developed – get the right people around the table, get the right leadership in place. The city is ready to support the work of the Board of Trade (which released its Downtown Ottawa Action Agenda last May) to make sure that we’re acting on their recommendations. I see a lot of potential there, and we’re ready to support the leadership of the Board of Trade in taking that action. I think we’re going to see some progress on that in the coming weeks.

OBJ: Meanwhile, many downtown merchants have told us they’re concerned about the effect escalating crime, substance abuse, homelessness and other issues are having on their businesses. Does the city have a plan to address their concerns?

MS: I’ve spoken with many merchants in the downtown core, and I totally understand their concerns. We're ready to work with them and the BIAs in the downtown core. This is a multi-faceted problem; we’re seeing more people come to the downtown core, which is encouraging. We want to continue to see that happen. We’re dealing with issues like homelessness and substance use, the opioid crisis and mental health challenges. We’re making progress on some of the solutions. We’re hiring more police officers, paramedics.

OBJ: Another big issue that’s not going away is the housing crisis. Developers say red tape and rising costs such as development fee hikes are making it tougher to build the volume of housing we need. What can the city do to help?

MS: We’re (hoping) to build more homes and build them as fast as possible. We’re going to continue to work with the development community to find solutions. We want to streamline our processes; we want to work side-by-side with the development industry to do that. We want to incentivize new builds. We want to keep the cost of building as low as possible. Obviously, we still have to pay for that growth and pay for the infrastructure that goes along with it. I think there’s a role for the other levels of government to play in this. I’ve had conversations with the other levels of government about how we can offset development charges with more infrastructure funding from the other levels of government. That would be a big help. There are a lot of different ways to approach this, and I think we’re going to continue to try to innovate at the city and try new ideas and find ways to streamline the processes and incentivize development as much as possible.

OBJ: What else is on your agenda in 2025 as far as helping to build the city’s economy?

MS: Economic development continues to be one of my biggest priorities. I think we’ve made a lot of progress getting new flights to and from Ottawa. I hear a lot of very positive feedback from the business community about the Paris flight and the upcoming London flight that’ll be launching in a couple of months. We’re bringing more and more events to the city to drive tourism and economic development. The world juniors were a huge success; I heard very positive feedback from the International Ice Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada about the job that Ottawa did in hosting the world juniors this year. They both want to bring more events to Ottawa in the near future, which is exciting. We have the Ironman (Canada Triathlon) coming for the first time this summer. There’s a lot of other stuff in the pipeline. The stronger we’re doing economically, the more resources there are for us to tackle the other challenges we’re facing as a community. I’m going to continue to be very focused on making sure that Ottawa is a great place to do business.

https://obj.ca/sutcliffe-on-future-of-byward-market-and-more/

[rocketphish]

Business leaders hope new leadership on Hill brings ‘fresh eyes’ to issues facing downtown Ottawa

David Sali, OBJ
January 8, 2025

Shawn Hamilton prefers to see a looming change in leadership on Parliament Hill as a glass-half-full proposition for supporters of revitalizing Ottawa’s downtown.

The veteran commercial real estate broker and outspoken civic booster has been one of the loudest voices calling for new ideas to bring life back to the city’s core, where foot traffic has plummeted since the pandemic as office buildings hollowed out amid a widespread shift to remote work. Leaders of the downtown revitalization campaign, including Hamilton, argue the federal government could play a key role in the process by selling off aging Crown-owned properties to private-sector developers that could convert them into housing and other uses.

In May 2023, the feds released a list of several buildings they intend to dispose of in the National Capital Region, including L’Esplanade Laurier and the nearby Jackson Building.

Since then, however, updates on the disposal process have been few and far between. Hamilton said this week he doesn’t think Justin Trudeau’s pending resignation and the prorogation of Parliament until the end of March will have much, if any, effect on the government’s effort to sell the buildings. “I’m not sure if the ball was ever really rolling in terms of the feds doing anything downtown,” he told OBJ in an interview on Tuesday, one day after Trudeau announced he intended to resign once a new federal Liberal leader is chosen. “We only hear about the divestment of their assets as sort of a political sound bite. In between those sound bites, we hear absolutely nothing about timeline, process, public consultation, discussion of any sort (about) the divestment of these assets. From my perspective, they might as well not even be on the market.” Still, Hamilton, a principal at Proveras Commercial Realty, is trying to remain optimistic. He’s hoping Trudeau’s exit might set the stage for a more concerted effort from the feds to speed up the disposal process and work with local officials on other revitalization efforts. “Maybe a change (in leadership) will bring with it a change in the view of the importance of divesting of these buildings,” he said. “Maybe a new government, or a change in leader, whichever it’s going to be, will breathe new life into a (process) that, to the outside world, appears stalled.” Hamilton suggested a shakeup on the Hill might provide the opportunity to take another look at the office buildings on the current federal disposal list to ensure they’re the best candidates for other potential uses. “They can put any building they want on a list that they feel is best for them to get rid of,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean the buildings they’re getting rid of are desirable for somebody to buy. What’s the point of putting buildings on a list to dispose of if those buildings will never be sold to anybody? Hopefully, a change will (bring in) some people who are open to that idea.”

Claridge Homes chief financial officer Neil Malhotra, who co-chaired a task force that examined ways to revitalize Ottawa’s core, said any effort to offload surplus government buildings will be a “multi-year process” that likely won't be affected by Monday’s events. “The bureaucracy is not shut down,” Malhotra noted. “There’s still a lot of work that has to happen before things start making their way online. So I don’t think (prorogation and Trudeau’s resignation create) a particular risk for a delay.” With the three major opposition parties pledging to topple the minority Liberal government at the earliest opportunity, there could be a federal election as soon as May.

Both Hamilton and Malhotra said that no matter which party ultimately controls the House of Commons, the future of Ottawa’s downtown should remain a major priority. “I think everyone recognizes we’re the capital city and something needs to happen here,” Malhotra said. “I would think when any large employer in any city should care and does care about the environment their workforce is in. I think there’s a national interest in (rebuilding) Ottawa’s downtown, and I think all those concerns will still be front of mind no matter who’s sitting in the (prime minister’s) seat.”

While the Treasury Board now requires most federal employees to work in the office at least three days a week, Hamilton said “there still doesn’t seem to be a management plan” for enforcing the mandate. He wants the next government to push for a clear, coherent return-to-office plan that will benefit downtown Ottawa. “I hope a change in leadership or government, whichever occurs, will bring fresh eyes to this and recognize that our largest workforce in the downtown (core) doesn’t seem to be managed in an effective way.”

In the meantime, downtown merchants that have benefited from civil servants’ return to the office as well as measures such as the HST holiday might be in for a tough stretch now that Parliament is on an extended break, Hamilton and Malhotra said. Businesses in the hospitality industry, such as hotels and restaurants, could be particularly hard hit because there aren’t as many staffers on the Hill, they explained.

“In the short term, elections are hard on Ottawa,” Hamilton said. “Even with proroguing and knowing that a writ is going to drop, a lot of business in Ottawa slows right down.”

But he predicted the pain won’t last too long. “This will be an annoyance for the next couple of months that we will rise out of. I think we can all be excited that there will be fresh eyes on the problems that are facing our city.”

https://obj.ca/business-leaders-hope-new...h-eyes-to-issues-facing-downtown-ottawa/

[DTcrawler]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Q&A: ‘Historic challenge’: Sutcliffe on downtown revitalization, the future of the ByWard Market and more

David Sali, OBJ
January 7, 2025

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says bringing more vibrancy to downtown Ottawa – especially the ByWard Market – is one of his top priorities for 2025.

But the mayor is also looking for help from other levels of government as the city tackles the daunting challenge of reinventing a core that was hollowed out during the COVID-19 crisis and is slowly starting to recover. In an interview this week with OBJ reporter David Sali, Sutcliffe addressed downtown revitalization, the housing crisis and other key economic issues facing the nation’s capital. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

OBJ: What role do you expect the federal government to play in helping to revive Ottawa’s downtown?

MS: There’s nothing more important than working with the federal government on a plan for downtown Ottawa. The federal government is the city’s largest employer; it’s the largest property owner in downtown Ottawa. We’re the capital of Canada, and the decisions that the federal government makes about all kinds of things have an impact on downtown Ottawa and our local economy. So it’s absolutely critical that we work together on a plan for downtown and the ByWard Market to ensure that both are vibrant in the coming months and years. There are a number of different issues that are affecting downtown and the ByWard Market, including the homelessness crisis, the opioid crisis, the mental health challenges that members of the community are facing, the decisions of the federal government about where its workforce is deployed, about some of its downtown office buildings. There are a lot of different factors, and this is really a historic challenge for the City of Ottawa. So we need to work closely with the federal government and they need to work closely with us on a plan that will address all of that.

OBJ: There’s been a lot of talk about the challenges facing the ByWard Market. What’s your sense of how that area is doing right now?

MS: I want to say something about the Market. I’ve seen coverage of some of the things that have been happening in the Market, and it’s almost like everybody is running every piece of new information from the Market through a filter or a lens that is portraying a negative story about the Market. For example, the closing of the Blue Cactus (Bar and Grill). This was a decision by a business owner to wrap up business and sell the property to another owner who’s very interested in investing in that site and opening a new restaurant. It was not related to any of the challenges the Market has faced in recent years. Some of the coverage sort of implied, ‘Here we go again,’ as though this was a part of some trend. Just before Christmas I met with a group of business owners, property owners, the ByWard Market (District) Authority, residents and other people very passionate about the ByWard Market. Their sense is that while we still face some challenges, we’re making progress and we’re seeing positive signs. More people are coming back to the Market, and more people are investing in the Market. There are other restaurants opening. The folks at McDonald’s are looking at re-establishing a location in the ByWard Market. So there are a lot of positive signs. That doesn’t mean there aren’t still challenges and we don’t still have a lot of work to do. But I think people need to take notice of the progress that’s being made. There’s a bit of a tendency sometimes when normal things are happening in business – like a business owner deciding to retire after 35 years and someone else choosing to replace that business with another exciting venture – that it gets spun into some type of negative story. I actually think much better things are happening in the ByWard Market than many people realize. We still have lots of work to do, but we’re going in the right direction.

OBJ: Two major reports were released last year looking at what needs to be done to revitalize Ottawa’s downtown. Critics are complaining there’s been a lot of talk about the subject and not enough action. What’s your response to that?

MS: I think in 2025, we need to do a lot of work to follow up on those plans that have been developed – get the right people around the table, get the right leadership in place. The city is ready to support the work of the Board of Trade (which released its Downtown Ottawa Action Agenda last May) to make sure that we’re acting on their recommendations. I see a lot of potential there, and we’re ready to support the leadership of the Board of Trade in taking that action. I think we’re going to see some progress on that in the coming weeks.

OBJ: Meanwhile, many downtown merchants have told us they’re concerned about the effect escalating crime, substance abuse, homelessness and other issues are having on their businesses. Does the city have a plan to address their concerns?

MS: I’ve spoken with many merchants in the downtown core, and I totally understand their concerns. We're ready to work with them and the BIAs in the downtown core. This is a multi-faceted problem; we’re seeing more people come to the downtown core, which is encouraging. We want to continue to see that happen. We’re dealing with issues like homelessness and substance use, the opioid crisis and mental health challenges. We’re making progress on some of the solutions. We’re hiring more police officers, paramedics.

OBJ: Another big issue that’s not going away is the housing crisis. Developers say red tape and rising costs such as development fee hikes are making it tougher to build the volume of housing we need. What can the city do to help?

MS: We’re (hoping) to build more homes and build them as fast as possible. We’re going to continue to work with the development community to find solutions. We want to streamline our processes; we want to work side-by-side with the development industry to do that. We want to incentivize new builds. We want to keep the cost of building as low as possible. Obviously, we still have to pay for that growth and pay for the infrastructure that goes along with it. I think there’s a role for the other levels of government to play in this. I’ve had conversations with the other levels of government about how we can offset development charges with more infrastructure funding from the other levels of government. That would be a big help. There are a lot of different ways to approach this, and I think we’re going to continue to try to innovate at the city and try new ideas and find ways to streamline the processes and incentivize development as much as possible.

OBJ: What else is on your agenda in 2025 as far as helping to build the city’s economy?

MS: Economic development continues to be one of my biggest priorities. I think we’ve made a lot of progress getting new flights to and from Ottawa. I hear a lot of very positive feedback from the business community about the Paris flight and the upcoming London flight that’ll be launching in a couple of months. We’re bringing more and more events to the city to drive tourism and economic development. The world juniors were a huge success; I heard very positive feedback from the International Ice Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada about the job that Ottawa did in hosting the world juniors this year. They both want to bring more events to Ottawa in the near future, which is exciting. We have the Ironman (Canada Triathlon) coming for the first time this summer. There’s a lot of other stuff in the pipeline. The stronger we’re doing economically, the more resources there are for us to tackle the other challenges we’re facing as a community. I’m going to continue to be very focused on making sure that Ottawa is a great place to do business.

https://obj.ca/sutcliffe-on-future-of-byward-market-and-more/

I've gotta say I really agree with Sutcliffe on his answer to the second question. Despite the Market's obvious challenges, it's become clear that the area has almost become a "water cooler chat" type of topic where people lump every Market-related story under the doom & gloom narrative. The proof of that is when media outlets publish stories with headlines like "Blue Cactus joins growing list of closures in the Market" while rarely distinguishing between the various reasons for businesses' closures. They also usually fail to mention all the new places taking over the vacated space. Read the comments section on any Citizen article about the Market and you'll notice many people have very ill-informed perceptions of what the Market actually looks like today, and the fact that they proudly declare they'll never visit won't help change that.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

I've gotta say I really agree with Sutcliffe on his answer to the second question. Despite the Market's obvious challenges, it's become clear that the area has almost become a "water cooler chat" type of topic where people lump every Market-related story under the doom & gloom narrative. The proof of that is when media outlets publish stories with headlines like "Blue Cactus joins growing list of closures in the Market" while rarely distinguishing between the various reasons for businesses' closures. They also usually fail to mention all the new places taking over the vacated space. Read the comments section on any Citizen article about the Market and you'll notice many people have very ill-informed perceptions of what the Market actually looks like today, and the fact that they proudly declare they'll never visit won't help change that.

The Citizen report indicated very clearly why Blue Cactus was closing. It was a news report, not a conspiracy. I agreee that perceptions of the Market have become very negative. Perceptions are more important than reality when it comes to whether you want to go somewhere.

[AuxTown]

It took Manhattan like 25 years to shake the stigma of what seemed like a very dangerous city in the 1970s. Was it dangerous? Probably. But it's such a negative feedback loop when people refuse to visit, which just amplifies the appearance of an abandoned/dangerous area.

That said, check out the market during Winterlude (or during the WJCs) and I bet things were hopping. Tourists still visit because of its history and proximity to transit/hotels/tourist sites. It seems like more of a local problem currently, but it won't take long to become more of a global issue if we don't address the problems soon. I will always look to our failure to build a new bridge/tunnel as a leading factor to why Lowertown was never able to gentrify the way other downtown-adjacent neighbourhoods have. Shelter city along King Edward doesn't help of course.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

The Citizen report indicated very clearly why Blue Cactus was closing. It was a news report, not a conspiracy. I agreee that perceptions of the Market have become very negative. Perceptions are more important than reality when it comes to whether you want to go somewhere.

The media is clearly having a heyday with these reports though. Look at this report today, where they are somehow explicitly linking the closure of a chain restaurant on Elgin (another strip with about zero vacancy) to the closures in the Market, and whatever larger area they call the Market.

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/elgin-street-r...awa-s-centretown-neighbourhood-1.7169606

This is more than just news reporting. These reports are feeding the negativity because people will read this. It is not fair and balanced. Could you imagine if the media reported on every chain restaurant that turns over in Barrhaven?

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by phil235

The media is clearly having a heyday with these reports though. Look at this report today, where they are somehow explicitly linking the closure of a chain restaurant on Elgin (another strip with about zero vacancy) to the closures in the Market.

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/elgin-street-r...awa-s-centretown-neighbourhood-1.7169606

This is more than just news reporting. These reports are feeding the negativity because people will read this. It is not fair and balanced. Could you imagine if the media reported on every chain restaurant that turns over in Barrhaven?

Yeah. Elgin is thriving right now this is probably a unique issue with this business. Though perhaps Lansdowne has taken a lot of the drive from the suburbs for big plates of meat from a chain restaurant market.

[rocketphish]

NCC official confident a new arena at LeBreton Flats will be part of Ottawa’s nightlife economy

Mia Jensen, OBJ
February 26, 2025

Like any aspect of the local economy, nightlife can’t be improved without the support of people and organizations across all sectors, Ottawa’s nightlife commissioner told members of the local real estate and land development sector at an event Tuesday evening.

Hosted by Urban Land Institute Ottawa at the offices of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, the gathering allowed Mathieu Grondin to introduce himself and explain what the night economy is to a crowd he said he hasn’t had much chance to speak with.

It’s part of his mission to put nightlife at the forefront of everyone’s minds, he said.

“My job is to implement the Nightlife Economy Action Plan but it’s also to develop what I call the nightlife reflex inside the city administration,” he said. “And now, today, as I’m speaking with you, I’m hoping you can develop your own nightlife reflex for your own projects. If there’s a condominium tower being popped up, asking what’s going to happen after 6 p.m.? That is the reflex I’m speaking of.” In Ottawa, Grondin said the nightlife economy accounts for $1.5 billion in annual spending and 38,000 jobs. And with more than 110,000 students across four post-secondary institutions, Grondin said it has the potential to reach thresholds seen in cities like Montreal.

“Sixteen per cent of spending comes from visitors (to Ottawa),” he said. “We get almost the same amount of people that visit Ottawa (as Montreal) and engage in nightlife activities. If we can bring that up to 33 per cent, like we see in other cities, this will have a significant impact on our economy.”

Grondin was joined for the evening by other business leaders to discuss ideas for activating key areas of Ottawa after sunset. One area of interest was Sparks Street, which has had its challenges for decades.

Bill Leonard, vice-president of real estate development for the National Capital Commission, said there are a lot of factors at play when it comes to the success of Sparks Street.

“It’s been tough, coming out of COVID, with federal workers down,” he said. “A lot of people can't find staff to bring into new businesses or they’re scared of investing their money into (the area).” Despite the challenges, there have also been opportunities, he added. For example, the NCC found unexpected success when it signed an agreement with Kichesippi Beer Co. to open up shop on Sparks Street at the end of 2023.

The brewer has done well in one of the empty storefronts that line the street. Its success sparked the possibility of bringing similar businesses to Sparks Street to re-activate the area.

The idea is inspired in part by the nearby Queen St. Fare, a food hall that houses six different eateries in one space.

“We’re trying to build more on that success,” Leonard said. “I sent over my leasing staff to talk to every micro-distillery and brewery in the region. We could create a district along Sparks Street where it’s all micro-breweries, micro-distillers. Add a few other services in there and you’ll create a destination.” While the NCC considers that proposal, it has another even bigger destination to keep in mind: the possibility of a new arena to be built at LeBreton Flats.

“It’s a game-changer for Ottawa,” Leonard said. “It’s best in class, that’s important. This will be a best-in-class arena. One of the things we’ve thrown around in some of the negotiating meetings is, will this arena be able to attract Taylor Swift? And the answer is yes.” Leonard said the new facility would draw much larger concerts into the downtown core after hours, bringing more foot traffic to nearby businesses and becoming a major draw for tourists who would typically travel to Toronto or Montreal for big shows. He also said it’s expected to bring more people from the Quebec side of the border, which is more difficult for the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata.

While the Senators have come to an agreement in principle to buy 10 acres of land from the NCC for the new arena, the deal isn’t finalized.

But Leonard said that’s not unusual for a project of this magnitude. By comparison, he said the deal the NCC made with Live Nation to transform the former Rideau Street Chapters into an events space was relatively easy to negotiate, yet still took 21 months.

The new arena, he said, is a much bigger project and will bring in other partners such as restaurants, bars and smaller venues.

Despite the complexity, Leonard is confident the deal will get done. “There’s so many people weighing in,” he said. “I can tell you everything’s going well. Every week we’re meeting at least once. (The NCC) does 100 deals a year; we know which ones are going to succeed. This one’s going to succeed. We’re going to hit the finish line. It’s just a matter of time.”

Grondin did not grow up with a strict bedtime. With a radio host and rocker for a father, he recalls falling asleep in the studio or at concerts during his childhood in Montreal.

Claudia Belladelli, executive director of Axe WorldFest and a member of Ottawa’s nightlife council, said Grondin’s childhood experience is similar to what she grew up with in Brazil. And it’s an experience that Ottawa could learn from.

“I don’t know why it has to be the separation,” she said. “My son is 19 years old now, but since day one, I’ve always wanted to take him from wonderful shows at the NAC to a pub to sit on the patio and have food. And how many times have I been told no after 9 p.m.” In countries like Brazil, she said there are far more options for venues where multiple generations gather and mingle, even after hours. She said it isn’t unusual to go out at night and see babies and children accompanying their parents, asleep in their strollers. Older generations were active and up late as well.

“You grow up a better person because of it,” she said. “You’re used to being in every single situation.” Researcher and creator Kwende Kefentse, who is with Memetic Media, saw similar trends growing up in Barbados. He mentioned that one example of space that achieves that diversity in Canada is Celebration Square in Mississauga.

“It works really, really well in multiple hours of the day, daytime, nighttime, whatever,” he said. “There are many communities that convene there. I’ve been there multiple times where you have lots of Muslim families there, celebrating traditions like Eid, and they’re levering the big screen and the big lawn to be together and hangout. It’s a really interesting use of space.”

When it comes to development, one trend Kefentse has noticed is that too many residential developments like condos are being built along main streets. Without multi-use in mind, he said residential development can slow the activation of business-oriented streets, especially at night.

“I don’t know if there’s any thought about how to put them deeper in neighbourhoods so that you can create land uses on the front of the street that draw people away from residential land and create more space for a variety of land uses that actually engage people,” he said.

And even if there are things to do during the day, Kefentse said, “At night, you’re getting down to 10, 15 per cent of the space where people can actually go and engage.” For Grondin, the issue goes back to the “nightlife reflex,” which he said developers could exercise by taking nightlife uses into consideration when planning their next project.

It’s something Leonard said has been top of mind at the NCC.

“It’s something my colleague has reinforced, this idea that when we’re building on LeBreton or Sussex, that ground floor is extremely important to make sure it’s activated,” he said.

But he added that multi-use elements like retail or restaurant spaces can be a hard sell for developers on their own. For nighttime uses, it’s even harder.

“Developers specifically (will ask), if I have nightlife down here, is it going to limit my market in my building? Do I really want an electronic venue on the ground floor?” he said.

To get developers to care about nightlife, Leonard said, “You have to make it worth their while. That’s the simplest way to look at it.”

https://obj.ca/ncc-official-confident-new-arena-lebreton-nightlife-economy/

[Richard Eade]

Put on your best Freddie Mercury and sing along with me . . .

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one’s gone, and another one’s gone
Another one bites the dust

No March 15 St. Patrick’s Day Parade this year. There hasn’t been one since 2019.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/ottawas-st-patricks-day-parade-postponed-this-year/

“I regret that I must inform you that after three months of discussions, a flurry of emails and numerous zoom meetings, we still do not have a permit in place to hold a parade from the City of Ottawa for our March 15, 2025 date,” Tom O’Neill, president of the Irish Society of the National Capital Region, said in the letter.

“I am now forced to make a call which I thought wouldn’t be necessary and impossible but since COVID-19 and the trucker convoy the City of Ottawa and the Government of Ontario have instituted newer regulations.”

The letter goes on to say, “These new regulations have a greater police presence as well as traffic studies, signage and hardware need whose costs have all been downloaded onto the permit holder in User Fees. The sum of $35,000 makes it extremely difficult for us to use the proposed route down Elgin Street.”

Maybe we need a DAY-MAYOR as well as a NIGHT-MAYOR to enable things to happen during the light hours, too. (Although I haven’t seen much evidence that the NIGHT-MAYOR has made a big difference, yet.)

Honestly, I understand that the ‘Crazies’ have made it hard, but there needs to be some way to run safe events without the huge expense and bureaucratic requirements now in place. It’s getting to the point where regulations are going to require bollards along every sidewalk. Right now, there is nothing preventing anyone from running a car along Sparks Street (bad example, perhaps, given that Sparks is pretty empty of pedestrians most of the time). Think of the Buskerfest, or Rib-Fest. (I can only imagine the hoops that those organizers need to jump through – and their costs.)

Let the city have some fun. If there is really that much of a risk, have the city set up anti-ram barriers (which the City should own a quantity of) on the side streets that lead to the parade. The City should be doing what it can to make the city a more enjoy place for the tax-payers who pay for it.

Keeping the label “The city that fun forgot” is not a goal that the City should be aspiring to.

[Ottawacurious]

If they were having a protest parade dressed in green along the same route, would there still be the permit cost of 35k? Just asking...

[NOWINYOW]

Originally Posted by Ottawacurious

If they were having a protest parade dressed in green along the same route, would there still be the permit cost of 35k? Just asking...

Ottawa and many Cities across this country are quickly becoming places where dreams die young.

[OTownandDown]

I'm in no way commenting on the validity of their cause, just pointing out... did the Palestinian protesters pay $35k each week for their marches all year? Also just sayin'.

And what economic benefits would spring from the City providing $35k in free policing for a St. Patrick's day parade? A few hundred thousand in restaurant and pub receipts? Seems like the correct math to me.

[DTcrawler]

I hope one day these officials will realize the idiocy it takes to let overly burdensome bureaucratic measures kill the very types of events they are supposed to facilitate

[J.OT13]

$35 for a permit for a parade because of the "freedumb" convoy, but a "freedbumb" convoy could come back and they wouldn't bother getting permits. Almost as if the cops should do their jobs and fine the illegal protesters so we can fund fun events.

[rocketphish]

Board of trade announces members of downtown champions table

OBJ staff
March 11, 2025

The Ottawa Board of Trade has announced the members of its “Downtown Ottawa Champions Table,” a mix of private- and public-sector professionals who will “drive transformation and economic resilience within our downtown core.”

The creation of the group builds on the momentum of the Downtown Ottawa Action Agenda, the board of trade said in a news release Tuesday.

“This is a pivotal moment for Ottawa. The establishment of the Downtown Ottawa Champions Table signals our collective determination to create a downtown that is more diverse, vibrant, and economically resilient than ever before. We are mobilizing the right leaders, securing the right investments, and executing the right strategies to build a future we can all be proud of,” said OBOT CEO Sueling Ching in the release.

The “non-political group of ambassadors” will have a mandate to secure investments, align strategies and advocate for policies to drive long-term success, according to OBOT.

The Champions Table includes:

• Rosemary Thompson, chair, ByWard Market
• Stephan Dery, president and CEO, Canada Lands Company
• Erin Benjamin, president and CEO, Canadian Live Music Association
• Wendy Stephenson, city manager, City of Ottawa
• Hugh Gorman, CEO, Colonnade BridgePort
• Bryce Conrad, president and CEO, Hydro Ottawa
• Sonya Shorey, president and CEO, Invest Ottawa
• Melissa Reeves, COO, Linebox Studio
• Tobi Nussbaum, president and CEO, National Capital Commission
• Sean Webster, deputy chief of staff to the premier of Ontario and head of the Ontario regional office in Ottawa
• Brendan McGuinty, chair, Ottawa Board of Trade
• Sueling Ching, president and CEO, Ottawa Board of Trade
• Stéphane Giguère, president and CEO, Ottawa Housing
• Eric Stubbs, chief, Ottawa Police Services
• Michael Crockatt, president and CEO, Ottawa Tourism
• Stephen Willis, senior principal, Stantec
• Kate Harrison, vice-chair, Summa Strategies
• Dennise Taylor-Gilhen, president and CEO, United Way of Eastern Ontario

https://obj.ca/board-trade-announces-members-downtown-champions-table/

[Ottawacurious]

I guess the night manager didn't make the cut ������

[Lakeofthewood]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Board of trade announces members of downtown champions table

OBJ staff
March 11, 2025

The Ottawa Board of Trade has announced the members of its “Downtown Ottawa Champions Table,” a mix of private- and public-sector professionals who will “drive transformation and economic resilience within our downtown core.”

The creation of the group builds on the momentum of the Downtown Ottawa Action Agenda, the board of trade said in a news release Tuesday.

“This is a pivotal moment for Ottawa. The establishment of the Downtown Ottawa Champions Table signals our collective determination to create a downtown that is more diverse, vibrant, and economically resilient than ever before. We are mobilizing the right leaders, securing the right investments, and executing the right strategies to build a future we can all be proud of,” said OBOT CEO Sueling Ching in the release.

The “non-political group of ambassadors” will have a mandate to secure investments, align strategies and advocate for policies to drive long-term success, according to OBOT.

The Champions Table includes:

• Rosemary Thompson, chair, ByWard Market
• Stephan Dery, president and CEO, Canada Lands Company
• Erin Benjamin, president and CEO, Canadian Live Music Association
• Wendy Stephenson, city manager, City of Ottawa
• Hugh Gorman, CEO, Colonnade BridgePort
• Bryce Conrad, president and CEO, Hydro Ottawa
• Sonya Shorey, president and CEO, Invest Ottawa
• Melissa Reeves, COO, Linebox Studio
• Tobi Nussbaum, president and CEO, National Capital Commission
• Sean Webster, deputy chief of staff to the premier of Ontario and head of the Ontario regional office in Ottawa
• Brendan McGuinty, chair, Ottawa Board of Trade
• Sueling Ching, president and CEO, Ottawa Board of Trade
• Stéphane Giguère, president and CEO, Ottawa Housing
• Eric Stubbs, chief, Ottawa Police Services
• Michael Crockatt, president and CEO, Ottawa Tourism
• Stephen Willis, senior principal, Stantec
• Kate Harrison, vice-chair, Summa Strategies
• Dennise Taylor-Gilhen, president and CEO, United Way of Eastern Ontario

https://obj.ca/board-trade-announces-members-downtown-champions-table/

Would be intrigued to know how much time each of these people actually spends downtown.

[le calmar]

People like the night mayor should live in the most urban, central parts of the city imo, at least for the optics. It was said that he lives in Gatineau.

[harls]

Originally Posted by le calmar

People like the night mayor should live in the most urban, central parts of the city imo, at least for the optics. It was said that he lives in Gatineau.

That hurt.