Gore Park

[SteelTown]

Wellington to Queen.

[DC83]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

From the Downtown BIA....

Seems like they'll be getting their whole wish list. Wish OUR wish lists all came true! haha

I'm glad to see yet another organization officially throwing their support behind LRT, too!

[flar]

Can't complain about the downtown BIA anymore.

[matt602]

Definitely not. That's a very smart list there.

[SteelTown]

Gore Park revamp aims to coax folks downtown

BY ELISABETH JOHNS

Councillors will look at a plan to temporarily close the south side of King Street at Gore Park to traffic as a way of drawing more pedestrians downtown.

The proposal is part of the downtown transportation master plan, which will be reviewed at a public works committee meeting tomorrow.

City staff have also recommended that all Hamilton Street Railway buses be rerouted to the north side of Gore Park and the proposed transit terminal hub on MacNab Street, just a few blocks away.

Council will vote on the trial closure Thursday.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger’s initial plan last year was to close all lanes of King Street to traffic (except buses) to create a pedestrian mall around the park.

If more people can walk around downtown between the urban park and shops and restaurants, more residents will see it as a lively place to be.

Most councillors were in favour of closing the south leg only, since the north section is considered a major artery.

Councillor Bob Bratina warned the city needs to tread carefully.

His caution comes as a result of $1.8 million paid to Limeridge Road East businesses, which claimed once the city closed their road when the Linc was
opened, they lost customers.

Bratina doesn’t want King Street businesses to be put in the same position.

“This is visionary,” he acknowledged. “If we build it, will they come and if they close it, will they walk?” he asked of pedestrians.

Businesses on both sides of Gore Park have been either receptive to or against the idea to revitalize the city’s central hub, said Kathy Drewitt, executive director of the Downtown Hamilton Business Improvement Area.

Some have voiced concerns they might lose business as a result of fewer cars driving by and because the move would wipe out parking on their side of the street, she said.

There are 12 parking spaces on the south side of that section of King Street.

Simply closing off one side of the street won’t bring people downtown, Drewitt argued.

“We would encourage the city to partner with the BIA to bring in programs, vendors, entertainment - like concerts, special events, car shows, circus rides — to the park.

“Lots of our members are for it. We can see what we have right now isn’t working,” she said.

[raisethehammer]

wow...she finally notices that their district isn't working. good for you kathy.
losing 12 spots in a downtown filled with parking isn't going to hurt one bit.
And instead of always expecting the city to do everything, why dooesn't the BIA start their own events, markets, festivals, live music, theatre in the park. James North businesses have developed great programming in their neighbourhood all by themselves.
It's high time the downtown BIA do the same instead of just sitting around complaining all the time.

[hamiltonguy]

Having read about Living Streets I was thinking that maybe something similar could be done with Gore Park.

Imagine no sidewalks and no lanes, and no median. The trees and monuments would stay in planters as well as planters of wildflowers.

Benches, Bike Racks, and Patios would be placed in desginated areas. The whole street would be in Bricks.

Cars could drive over any part of the Brick, but so could cyclists and pedestrians who would have the right of way.

The General Path of cars of course is controlled by the placement of the Street furniture.

What do you guys think?

[Millstone]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

City staff have also recommended that all Hamilton Street Railway buses be rerouted to the north side of Gore Park and the proposed transit terminal hub on MacNab Street, just a few blocks away.

Oh great, so now all the buses will use that disastrous left-hand turn at John Street. Hopefully the city can be coaxed to install an advance green at least, if not a fully protected green.

[ryan_mcgreal]

Originally Posted by hamiltonguy

What do you guys think?

I think it's terrifying! Yet the counterintuitive evidence from Europe is that it works wonderfully at slowing everyone down, refocusing drivers on the road (instead of the myriad of signs), and increasing civility in general.

The prevailing sentiment in Hamilton (and more broadly in North America) is exceptionalism - the idea that somehow we're different and things that work in other cities wouldn't work here. I don't buy that for a moment.

I'd love to see Hamilton trial naked streets in the King/James area.

[omro]

Most towns and cities in the UK have large pedestrianised areas in their town centre.

London only has pedestrian pockets. However, Covent Garden is a huge pedestrianised open air shopping area in London, always full of people walking around, especially at weekends. Lots of coffee shops and people enjoying the car free atmosphere.

[SteelTown]

The gussying up of Gore Park
Hamilton is studying ways to make the area more pedestrian friendly

October 03, 2008
Dana Brown
The Hamilton Spectator

Vendors. Entertainment. A peace memorial. Less loitering. A friendlier climate.

Ask people what they want in Gore Park and the area that surrounds it and those are just a few of the answers you'll get.

"I'd just like to see it people friendly," said Hamilton police services board vice-chair Mark Nimigan.

"Office workers used to sit there and have their lunch ... because it was a pleasant place to be."

Nowadays, the first thing many say when asked about the park is that the loiterers need to go.

"You can't bring your kid down here," said downtown worker Bill Johnson, 41. "And if they want to make it a business area, they have to get rid of (the loiterers)."

Now, thanks to a plan to shuffle HSR buses off the south side of King Street East, the city is taking a look at the Gore area and what can be done to make it more pedestrian friendly.

"We understand the significance of the Gore area to Hamiltonians," said Le'Ann Seely, project manager for the new Gore Master Plan Study.

"It's a real anchor for people, emotionally, I think, as well as physically in the city."

The study area will include Gore Park, to its north side, and the south side of King Street with the sidewalk. It will run from James to Catharine streets.

Although it's "highly unlikely" there will be a redevelopment or overhaul of Gore Park, Seely said, the city will still be looking for input into what can be done in the area.

"The consultation part of this is integral," she said.

Many Hamiltonians still remember the unpopular and unexpected revamp of the park 25 years ago, when trees were cut down, grass was removed and several concrete structures were built before ultimately being removed because of public objections.

"Suddenly, a very, sort of, intimate oasis in the centre of the city became something very different when the trees were gone," said Walter Peace, an associate professor in the geography and earth sciences department at McMaster University.

Peace said a city square needs to have a wide variety of amenities and should also reflect something about the city and the people in it.

"People have to feel comfortable there," he said. "They have to be able to go there ... want to go there ... (and) want to spend time there."

Downtown Councillor Bob Bratina said he'd like see some kind of peace memorial in Gore Park.

"The soldiers died, we commemorate their death," he said.

"We don't commemorate their legacy, which is the peace they fought for."

Seely said the idea of adding other memorial elements to the park, which already houses a cenotaph, will be looked at.

As for the physical structure of the area, she suggested the roadway could merge with other pedestrian areas, such as the park or sidewalk. But the study is still in its very early stages.

Kathy Drewitt, executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement Area, said she's hoping the city will hear from the public and others "that there's a lot they can do to this park that would facilitate becoming a more predominant focal point for the heart of Hamilton."

The study does not encompass the north lanes of King Street, where the proposed light rail transit line could run.

[ryan_mcgreal]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Less loitering.

Wait, what?

To loiter is to stand idly about; linger aimlessly; to proceed slowly or with many stops.

Isn't that exactly what we would want to encourage in a public plaza?

Or is the issue not the loitering per se but the particular people who presently happen to enjoy loitering at the Gore?

[flar]

Originally Posted by ryan_mcgreal

Or is the issue not the loitering per se but the particular people who presently happen to enjoy loitering at the Gore?

That would be the issue, hopefully they won't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

The only solution to "undesirable" people that seem to be everywhere downtown is to get them something to do, ie: jobs. There are too many idle young adults (especially 20 something men) in this city.

[raisethehammer]

yea, that article was bush league.
I want MORE people 'loitering' in Gore park, not less.
I want more people shopping, dining, chilling etc.... not less.

some people in this city are so friggin anal. they think that all public areas should look like the limeridge mall parking lot.

[Millstone]

Originally Posted by ryan_mcgreal

Wait, what?

To loiter is to stand idly about; linger aimlessly; to proceed slowly or with many stops.

Isn't that exactly what we would want to encourage in a public plaza?

Or is the issue not the loitering per se but the particular people who presently happen to enjoy loitering at the Gore?

Yes, they are called loiterers, such as in this quote from the article:

Originally Posted by Spec

Nowadays, the first thing many say when asked about the park is that the loiterers need to go.

[ryan_mcgreal]

Originally Posted by Millstone

Yes, they are called loiterers, such as in this quote from the article

And another thing: all these kids hanging around playgrounds just playing. I mean, haven't they got something better to do with their time?

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

yea, that article was bush league.
I want MORE people 'loitering' in Gore park, not less.
I want more people shopping, dining, chilling etc.... not less.

some people in this city are so friggin anal. they think that all public areas should look like the limeridge mall parking lot.

I think by loiterers, they mean by people who aren't people they want filling up your public parks, by like homeless people, beggars, or typical trashy looking people.

I know exactly what they mean. Gore isn't a really an attractive place, based on alot of the general appearance of the people there.

They want office workers to go there, stand around for half an hour, have a smoke or commune with people, but those are office workers. They look professional, well dressed.

I think there are too many people that look like they call Gore Park home.

[adam]

Its a public park. I don't go to Gage park regularly. Do they mean criminal activity?

[ryan_mcgreal]

Originally Posted by adam

Its a public park. I don't go to Gage park regularly. Do they mean criminal activity?

I walk through Gore Park a few times a day and sometimes read there during my lunch break. I'm pretty certain they mean something along the lines of icky homeless people I don't want to have to look at.

[Millstone]

Originally Posted by ryan_mcgreal

And another thing: all these kids hanging around playgrounds just playing. I mean, haven't they got something better to do with their time?

Probably not? Playing is a natural part of human existence. Loitering means you should be doing something else with your life.