Looks like the temporary street closures in Centretown were something of a success. The comment from the owner of Fauna about sales being up 25% in August is particularly encouraging. One weeknight in August I had occasion to sit on Bank St. near Fauna for a while and definitely noticed the number of people on the street being much higher than it was previously. It had a decent vibe.
The one that I thought was a mishandled was the Uncommon space on Bank St. near Slater. They rented the space to a food vendor for their exclusive use. The servers spent virtually all of their time shooing away people who bought food elsewhere and wanted to sit outside to eat. Huge wasted opportunity, as the tables sat mostly empty all summer. It definitely showed the demand for those spaces downtown.
https://obj.ca/centretown-street-seats-project-could-be-replicated-in-city/
Centretown âStreet Seatsâ project could be replicated in other parts of the city
Marissa Galko
October 20, 2025
After the success of the âStreet Seatsâ pilot that took place in Centretown this past summer, the program could be replicated in other parts of the city and may also lead to the redevelopment of the Snider Plaza âUncommonâ space.
SabriNa Lemay, executive director of Centretown BIA, told OBJ on Monday that the pilot project, which converted parts of Florence, Frank and McLaren streets into pedestrianized areas from mid-June to mid-October, added vibrancy and connection to the area.
âI feel we added a lot more visibility to Centretown by having these installations. The community came together and our members joined in and held different workshops. I think it will continue to be more successful (as time goes on),â Lemay said.
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The project, conducted in partnership with Bloomberg Associates, was aimed at accelerating public realm and road safety improvements, according to a progress report published by the City of Ottawa earlier this month. The âStreet Seatsâ spaces hosted 166 events, attracting more than 2,500 attendees by early September, the report said.
The report also included the results of a survey conducted by the city that showed that, as of Sept. 10, 91 per cent of respondents had a positive impression of the new spaces, with 66 per cent saying they visited nearby businesses more frequently.
Lemay said that while some business owners were reluctant at first, many saw increased sales during the summer as a result of the project.
âOur sales were up about 12 per cent in July and 25 per cent in August, this allowed us to hire and retain two full time employees and one part-timer, which is a feat of magic in the current job market in the restaurant industry,â said Jon Svazas, chef and owner of Fauna on Bank Street, in the report.
Lemay said the project fits into the Ottawa Board of Tradeâs Downtown Ottawa Action Agenda as well as the BIAâs own Centretown Street Safety and Revitalization Action Plan.
âWeâve been talking about pedestrianizing streets, creating more activities and (having) more things for people to do. So it aligns in that way,â she said, adding that many of the events that took place after dark helped to boost the cityâs Nightlife Economy Action Plan.
âThis initiative has had a meaningful and energizing impact. A local business owner told me this summer that the BIA and these activations are âsaving Centretownâ, and I agree,â said Michael Wallack, owner of Wallackâs Art Supplies & Framing, in the cityâs report.
The BIA is also looking to redevelop the first of its âUncommonâ spaces at Snider Plaza, between Bank, Laurier and Slater streets, in 2026.
âWe are looking to redevelop this space in direct alignment with the revitalization task force and the plan thatâs been developed by OBOT (to) really amplify greenspace. Itâs really in the planning phases right now, but to say that our downtown core will have its first created greenspace would be really good and exciting to say,â Lemay told OBJ.
Creating âthird spaces,â or places for people to gather outside of home, work or school, are key to revitalization efforts downtown, Lemay told OBJ in June.
âAnybody from the community can utilize the space, whether theyâre walking by, want to sit there for lunch, have a meeting or are a small business owner wanting to do something creative ⊠I think the colours and the vibrancy it creates in the different programming immediately creates curiosity, which keeps people on the streets (and) more people are walking into businesses,â Lemay said on Monday.
So, while the 2025 season may be over for the âStreet Seatsâ project, it isnât the end, Lemay said.
âThe idea is to bring these spaces back. Weâre looking at what kind of programming we want to do, but even more so working with our members now (so) that we have a little bit more time to plan ⊠which will just put more traction on their business as a whole,â she said, adding that the program will likely last from early spring to early fall in 2026.
And, Centretown wonât be the only place in Ottawa where people can experience âStreet Seats,â according to Lemay.
âThey will be replicated in other parts of the city, so thatâs really exciting. This is just a pilot to pull throughout our entire city,â she said.
Lemay said creating spaces for people to connect with their community elevates the vibe of the area and gives people more reason to visit Centretown.
âIt gives people more of a reason to come down here, especially knowing weâre no strangers to the challenges that the downtown core has had. Thereâs been reservations in the past about coming down here. I think as youâre experiencing these spaces and feeling that safety, creating memories and having those moments, whether itâs attending a workshop or stopping by, itâs creating a different persona for the area, which is going to drive more people here.â
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