Ottawa's Byward Market

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by hwy418

This rink was such a dumb idea. Just look at the size of it - three strides and you reach the end. Can't really have more than 3 or 4 people in there at a time. I think a real ice skating rink at Major's Hill Park with the backdrop of Parliament Hill / downtown would be awesome. It would be a real draw from locals and tourists! As for its feasibility... well NCC...

Closing George St at Williams Mall and putting a rink there would have allowed something of decent size. Bring the Sens down. Figure skating. Embassy hockey Finland vs Sweden with Swedish snacks. The so called downside of closing the street is actually a feature not a bug.

[harls]

Originally Posted by hwy418

Can't really have more than 3 or 4 people in there at a time.

Just like their swimming hole at the River House, they can't have too many people just in case people collide or something..

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by hwy418

This rink was such a dumb idea. Just look at the size of it - three strides and you reach the end. Can't really have more than 3 or 4 people in there at a time. I think a real ice skating rink at Major's Hill Park with the backdrop of Parliament Hill / downtown would be awesome. It would be a real draw from locals and tourists! As for its feasibility... well NCC...

What NCC? They'd be more than happy if you fund and lead this project, I'm sure. Do it.

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

What you need to know about Ottawa’s $129M ByWard Market plan
The city plans to (partially) give the ByWard Market back to pedestrians.

Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 20, 2025 • Last updated 49 minutes ago • 4 minute read

Is that image really in a report. That is a brutal image with people just dropped into the Byward Market. Who wrote that report?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

ByWard Market rink is a bust for skaters
The William Street rink is empty, uneven and unloved. Time to skate away and try something else?

Bruce Deachman, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 23, 2025 • Last updated 2 minutes ago • 6 minute read



If you build it, they will come.

This adage may hold true for baseball diamonds cut into Iowa cornfields, but maybe not so much for synthetic skating rink in the ByWard Market.

I wish this were not the case. When the ByWard Market District Authority announced plans last October to purchase and erect a synthetic rink on William Street, and opened it in late November, I thought it might be an excellent idea.
Article content

As Zachary Dayler, executive director of the BMDA, accurately noted at the time, skating on the Rideau Canal had lately become an iffy proposition: It was only open for public skating 10 days last winter, and none the winter before. Given that uncertainty, offering the public an alternative experience, similar to smaller skating rinks like those at city hall and Lansdowne Park, could only be a good thing.

Additionally, the city’s renewal plan for the ByWard Market calls for increased activities and attractions, so why not try a rink, right? If you build it, they at least might come.

<more>

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/deachman-byward-market-rink-is-a-bust-for-skaters

My theory is that the Canal's opening is probably contributing to this rink being seldomly used.

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

Is that image really in a report. That is a brutal image with people just dropped into the Byward Market. Who wrote that report?

Yup, from the report.

[ponyboycurtis]

This thing is for kids. Can only imagine the adult that would want to skate on this wouldn't be a very proficient skater. Can you imagine the tumble you would take heading into the knee height boards and not being able to stop?

Reminds me of the roller skate rink they had on Bank st. during Pride festival a couple summers ago. Was a miracle I didn't take out any kids. Roller skating felt like walking on the moon to me.

I feel like this would work better if they had some cheapo child size skates for renting or borrowing. I don't know how you would administrate that though.

The roller skate thing had a person there managing it and it was free but that was a specific well attended event so not a fair comparison.

[rocketphish]

Is Lansdowne killing the ByWard Market?
The civic tug-of-war between Lansdowne Park and the ByWard Market is a contest for hearts, minds and dollars that is shaping the future of two of Ottawa’s prime attractions.

Andrew Duffy, Ottawa Citizen
Published Feb 07, 2025 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 6 minute read

In the decade since a renovated Lansdowne Park opened to visitors in August 2014, the 40-acre venue has steadily drawn visitors, vendors and investment dollars away from the ByWard Market.

The City of Ottawa poured $210 million into the first redevelopment, and later this year, council will decide whether to double-down on Lansdowne with another $419 million-plus investment to modernize its sports facilities.

The Market, too, has had a redevelopment plan on the table since January 2021. But the ByWard Market Public Realm Plan contains no funding mechanism and relies on federal, provincial and public-private partnerships to finance its $129 million worth of improvements.

For four years, they have largely gone unfunded.

In December, the Ontario government announced an $11.8 million contribution to the Market makeover plan to pedestrianize William Street, renovate ByWard Market Square and improve some basic infrastructure.

It’s all part of a civic tug-of-war between Lansdowne Park and the ByWard Market – a contest for hearts, minds and dollars that is shaping the future of two of Ottawa’s prime attractions.

Right now, it seems, the ByWard Market is losing that contest.

<more>

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/lansdowne-byward-market

[phil235]

Way to create a false dichotomy. Revitalizing sports infrastructure has nothing to do with the public realm improvements in the Byward Market.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by phil235

Way to create a false dichotomy. Revitalizing sports infrastructure has nothing to do with the public realm improvements in the Byward Market.

Landsdowne is certainly a competitor. A lot of these things are zero sum so claiming restaurants paying property taxes pays for the stadium is funny math as it just reduces revenue somewhere else. But agreed the new plan that involves renovating the stadium/arena and adding new housing isn't going to make much difference. It does add more competition for the other dense housing nodes such as the Byward Market. The housing concentration there is the only growth it's seen so that should also be considered.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by harls

Just like their swimming hole at the River House, they can't have too many people just in case people collide or something..

Capacity is 125, and I think it's delightful that at times they have to restrict access.

Almost like there's a big demand for this sort of activity or something.

[Uhuniau]

I will take "we tried something and it didn't work" over "we've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas" any day and thrice on Sundays.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Landsdowne is certainly a competitor. A lot of these things are zero sum so claiming restaurants paying property taxes pays for the stadium is funny math as it just reduces revenue somewhere else. But agreed the new plan that involves renovating the stadium/arena and adding new housing isn't going to make much difference. It does add more competition for the other dense housing nodes such as the Byward Market. The housing concentration there is the only growth it's seen so that should also be considered.

I was more suggesting that we shouldn't be pitting sports infrastructure against public realm improvements. We need to do both.

Ottawa is more than big enough to have multiple restaurant and bar districts. Particularly when the number of restaurants at Lansdowne is tiny when compared to the number in the Market.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by phil235

I was more suggesting that we shouldn't be pitting sports infrastructure against public realm improvements. We need to do both.

Ottawa is more than big enough to have multiple restaurant and bar districts. Particularly when the number of restaurants at Lansdowne is tiny when compared to the number in the Market.

Yes we can support multiple districts but it does become a zero sum game at some point. Is the number of restaurants seats in Landsowne really tiny compared to the market? There are some big venues there. Regardless my point is the dubious nature of accounting games where any property taxes paid by condos or retail "pay for" the city contribution after a waterfall on the second Sunday in a leap year.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Yes we can support multiple districts but it does become a zero sum game at some point. Is the number of restaurants seats in Landsowne really tiny compared to the market? There are some big venues there. Regardless my point is the dubious nature of accounting games where any property taxes paid by condos or retail "pay for" the city contribution after a waterfall on the second Sunday in a leap year.

Sure, simpler for the city to just sell off the air rights and take the proceeds. But they wanted an ongoing revenue stream to pay for maintenance and upgrades over a few decades.

I don’t have seat numbers, but there are only 8(?) restaurants at Landsdowne, big and small, plus some cafes/desert places. The Market is in the ballpark of 100 restaurants alone, depending on what you count. Despite having a couple of big places, Lansdowne isn’t really anywhere near the same ballpark.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by phil235

Sure, simpler for the city to just sell off the air rights and take the proceeds. But they wanted an ongoing revenue stream to pay for maintenance and upgrades over a few decades.

I don’t have seat numbers, but there are only 8(?) restaurants at Landsdowne, big and small, plus some cafes/desert places. The Market is in the ballpark of 100 restaurants alone, depending on what you count. Despite having a couple of big places, Lansdowne isn’t really anywhere near the same ballpark.

I don't think it is about an ongoing revenue stream as much as it's about politics. Even if we sell the air rights for $50 million there would be an outcry if we gave $50 million to rich sports owners. So instead it's layered in a complicated structure to pretend we aren't contributing tax funds. Well we own the land so the air rights have a value and pretending otherwise is a fudge.

Certainly the market has more restaurants but not 11 times as your 8 to 100 estimate would suggest give the size difference. The 8 restaurants in the market building are smaller than one of the big box restaurants at Landsdowne. The point is if they are full that is a lot of bums in seats not spending elsewhere.

[Lakeofthewood]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

I will take "we tried something and it didn't work" over "we've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas" any day and thrice on Sundays.

Seconded. Let's not poo poo Ottawa actually trying something new, otherwise they'll never try something new again

[phil235]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

I don't think it is about an ongoing revenue stream as much as it's about politics. Even if we sell the air rights for $50 million there would be an outcry if we gave $50 million to rich sports owners. So instead it's layered in a complicated structure to pretend we aren't contributing tax funds. Well we own the land so the air rights have a value and pretending otherwise is a fudge.

No doubt it is about politics and selling it to the public. But I think the current ongoing profit-sharing arrangement is what leads to people claiming that we are enriching the sports owners. If you were to take $50 million and invest it in a new arena or stadium that is publicly-owned, I think the perception of a subsidy is less. But then there is the issue of ongoing operating costs, and the effort the city has to make to ensure that the facilities have tenants, and the costs that ensue when they fail to do that.

Certainly the market has more restaurants but not 11 times as your 8 to 100 estimate would suggest give the size difference. The 8 restaurants in the market building are smaller than one of the big box restaurants at Lansdowne. The point is if they are full that is a lot of bums in seats not spending elsewhere.

Sure, the restaurants at Lansdowne are probably bigger on average, but other than Craft and maybe Jack Astors, I'm not sure what constitutes a "big box" restaurant. The rest are pretty regular sized.

I still think that overall it's just a drop in the bucket. There are more restaurants and restaurant seats elsewhere in the Glebe than there are at Lansdowne. Same thing with Elgin, and definitely in the Wellington West/Hintonburg/Westboro corridor. Or at any number of suburban power centres. It's silly to single out Lansdowne as having a negative impact on the Market.

[rocketphish]

Buh-bye


ByWard Market mini-rink shuts for season; officials plan next steps
The ByWard Market District Authority described the inaugural season of the William Street rink as a "good learning experience for us to build on in future years."

Staff Reporter, Ottawa Citizen
Published Feb 20, 2025 • Last updated 16 hours ago • 1 minute read

Skating’s officially over for the year at the ByWard Market plastic mini-rink.

While the rink’s sudden disappearance this week may have surprised some, the people who run Market activities said this had been the plan since the beginning.

“The rink was always planned for removal after Winterlude,” Victoria Williston, communications manager for the ByWard Market District Authority, said in a release on Feb. 20.

The BMDA is now shifting its focus to prepare for the spring and summer seasons.

“Since opening (the rink), we’ve shared that our goal with this pilot was to test the concept and plan to bring it back in fun ways.” Williston said.

“For example, in warmer months — it makes a nice addition to a ‘Christmas in July’ event!”

While the rink had its share of complaints about the size of the rink and the unusual plastic surface, the BMDA described the inaugural season as a “good learning experience for us to build on in future years.”

The BMDA said preliminary figures indicated some 150,000 visits just on William Street (between George and York) between November and early January.

A breakdown of visits specifically to the rink is expected in the next 10 days.

The BMDA installed the synthetic skating rink in November as part of the new ByWard Winter Market Season, which included a winter market through the Christmas season.

Winterlude also included activities on the synthetic skating rink in the ByWard Market.

“A huge thank you to everyone who came out and joined us for this year’s Winterlude festivities! From skating to enjoying amazing performances, your energy made this winter season truly unforgettable,” the ByWard Market said on an Instagram post.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/byward-market-mini-rink-shuts

[zzptichka]

Since it doesn't have ice, wouldn't it make more sense to run it in the summer or something?

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Since it doesn't have ice, wouldn't it make more sense to run it in the summer or something?

It says right in the text: “For example, in warmer months — it makes a nice addition to a ‘Christmas in July’ event!”