Sparks Street

[danishh]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

From today's NCC board meeting
SPARKS STREET PUBLIC REALM PLAN: https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/do...lm_plan_en.pdf

i think they have the old 350 sparks (National Hotel) redevelopment plan in there.

[Truenorth00]

So even on the night of a rowdy protest/carnival, Sparks looks like this:



https://twitter.com/ChrisGNardi/stat...h6t8k-UtcvYF4w

[DTcrawler]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

So even on the night of a rowdy protest/carnival, Sparks looks like this:



https://twitter.com/ChrisGNardi/stat...h6t8k-UtcvYF4w

Well ya, nothing's open.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

Well ya, nothing's open.

And there isn’t any traffic to block.

[J.OT13]

Moderators, could one of you merge this thread with one of the other Sparks threads?

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Moderators, could one of you merge this thread with one of the other Sparks threads?

Done.

[acottawa]

There appears to be a hallmark Christmas movie being shot on Sparks. Some of the buildings have been nicely decorated, they built a little Christmas market set and put some department store style displays in one of the windows.

It is too bad actual Sparks street couldn't look like that around actual Christmas.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by acottawa

There appears to be a hallmark Christmas movie being shot on Sparks. Some of the buildings have been nicely decorated, they built a little Christmas market set and put some department store style displays in one of the windows.

It is too bad actual Sparks street couldn't look like that around actual Christmas.

We had this until the 1970s. Sparks Street had a diversity of retail until then. Sparks Street was in decline almost since the opening of the pedestrian mall but the big nail in the coffin was the opening of the Rideau Centre in 1983 when many retailers moved to the new Rideau Centre.

Without the critical mass of retailers, it just re-enforced the street as just a lunch spot for the PS. Now that the PS has abandoned downtown, I don't know how we revive the street. The federal government's ownership of the north side buildings has also been a disaster. They don't know how to be a proper retail landlord. Too many rules, too much uncertainty about rental rates and lease time periods. They have preserved many heritage buildings but I don't know how we eliminate empty storefronts.

Downtown Ottawa is big enough to support many high end retailers but for whatever reason, we can't get them to locate on Sparks Street. Lack of critical mass is part of the problem as mentioned earlier. Also, the pedestrian disconnect between the Rideau Centre and Sparks Street. Oddly, Confederation Square is a big pedestrian barrier. It is too far for most shoppers to walk. It is too bad that the old Union Station was not turned into a market with all sorts of unusual retailers. This would have closed the gap quite a bit. But we know that will never happen. Our transit system also does not facilitate easy access to Sparks Street for enough Ottawans despite the subway. In the old days, Sparks Street could be reached by streetcar from every part of the city with very frequent service. Not practical today for suburban access, but service has been greatly reduced in recent decades from most parts of urban Ottawa. This needs to be reversed.

[OTownandDown]

I've often complained about how the NCC takes residential rentals for a song...to rent a two bedroom apartment for like 25% of the going market rate should be illegal!

HOWEVER, the continuing lack of tenants along the entire length of North Sparks should also be illegal. There are now a couple of government co-working offices at the RETAIL level of these buildings, because there's nobody else moving in. Unheard of to put an empty office in a place where the per sq.ft. rate should be multiples of the upper floors of the same building.

Controversial, I know (and going against my arguments above) but I would see the NCC waive leasing/monthly rentals, or significantly reduce rates for retailers for the next 5 years in order to revive the street. If they want to be sh*tty landlords, they should give the properties away for free. (although, the neighbouring private landlords would squawk.)

If I had an idea for a business, I would NOT look to Sparks, and I blame PWGSC for a whole number of reasons.

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

We had this until the 1970s. Sparks Street had a diversity of retail until then. Sparks Street was in decline almost since the opening of the pedestrian mall but the big nail in the coffin was the opening of the Rideau Centre in 1983 when many retailers moved to the new Rideau Centre.

Without the critical mass of retailers, it just re-enforced the street as just a lunch spot for the PS. Now that the PS has abandoned downtown, I don't know how we revive the street. The federal government's ownership of the north side buildings has also been a disaster. They don't know how to be a proper retail landlord. Too many rules, too much uncertainty about rental rates and lease time periods. They have preserved many heritage buildings but I don't know how we eliminate empty storefronts.

Downtown Ottawa is big enough to support many high end retailers but for whatever reason, we can't get them to locate on Sparks Street. Lack of critical mass is part of the problem as mentioned earlier. Also, the pedestrian disconnect between the Rideau Centre and Sparks Street. Oddly, Confederation Square is a big pedestrian barrier. It is too far for most shoppers to walk. It is too bad that the old Union Station was not turned into a market with all sorts of unusual retailers. This would have closed the gap quite a bit. But we know that will never happen. Our transit system also does not facilitate easy access to Sparks Street for enough Ottawans despite the subway. In the old days, Sparks Street could be reached by streetcar from every part of the city with very frequent service. Not practical today for suburban access, but service has been greatly reduced in recent decades from most parts of urban Ottawa. This needs to be reversed.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by acottawa

There appears to be a hallmark Christmas movie being shot on Sparks. Some of the buildings have been nicely decorated, they built a little Christmas market set and put some department store style displays in one of the windows.

It is too bad actual Sparks street couldn't look like that around actual Christmas.

Sparks, and Rideau, probably did back in the days of the streetcars.

EDIT: lrt's friend beat me to it.

[J.OT13]

I honestly would prefer the NCC take over the management of retail space on Sparks. They've done a pretty good job on and around Sussex. They've done very well recently reviving some areas with the NCC Bistros as well.

We also need more residential. The Feds should prioritize some buildings Sparks for conversion if that's the way they are headed, though I have no doubt they would raise "security" concerns.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

The federal government's ownership of the north side buildings has also been a disaster. They don't know how to be a proper retail landlord.

Even worse: they have taken too many private-sector uses out of the mix and replaced them with Parliamentary ones. The loss of the Temple of Commerce style banks is an urban crime.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Downtown Ottawa is big enough to support many high end retailers but for whatever reason, we can't get them to locate on Sparks Street. Lack of critical mass is part of the problem as mentioned earlier. Also, the pedestrian disconnect between the Rideau Centre and Sparks Street. Oddly, Confederation Square is a big pedestrian barrier. It is too far for most shoppers to walk. It is too bad that the old Union Station was not turned into a market with all sorts of unusual retailers. This would have closed the gap quite a bit. But we know that will never happen. Our transit system also does not facilitate easy access to Sparks Street for enough Ottawans despite the subway. In the old days, Sparks Street could be reached by streetcar from every part of the city with very frequent service. Not practical today for suburban access, but service has been greatly reduced in recent decades from most parts of urban Ottawa. This needs to be reversed.

I agree Confederation Square feels like a barrier between the Central Business District and the Market area. Especially in winter. I think the Confederation Line helps somewhat, but a streetcar (the STO's tram/loop) would be a huge improvement in connecting the two areas of downtown.

In the meantime, better signage to direct people between Parks and the O-Train entrances (Winners, Podium Building, PdV underground) would help. Actual entrances on Sparks would be even better.

An eventual rebuild the Mackenzie/Sussex/Rideau/Colonel By intersection, making the road narrower, adding bike lanes and of course removing the horrible pedestrian underpass and maybe even add a restaurant or café on the corner, that would probably be the best improvement.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I agree Confederation Square feels like a barrier between the Central Business District and the Market area. Especially in winter. I think the Confederation Line helps somewhat, but a streetcar (the STO's tram/loop) would be a huge improvement in connecting the two areas of downtown.

In the meantime, better signage to direct people between Parks and the O-Train entrances (Winners, Podium Building, PdV underground) would help. Actual entrances on Sparks would be even better.

An eventual rebuild the Mackenzie/Sussex/Rideau/Colonel By intersection, making the road narrower, adding bike lanes and of course removing the horrible pedestrian underpass and maybe even add a restaurant or café on the corner, that would probably be the best improvement.

That was all done to improve traffic throughput when Colonel By Drive was extended into downtown in 1967. So, it became traffic over people at a time when traffic priority was at its zenith. How do we correct this without jeopardizing pedestrian safety is going to be challenging? We need to make it easier and more friendly for pedestrians to go between the Rideau Centre and Sparks Street. It should not be necessary to use the subway to do this. This is one of the most beautiful sections of downtown Ottawa.

Is it possible to return Sussex to two way traffic and make the MacKenzie/Rideau intersection right turn only? This would allow us to eliminate that pedestrian underpass.

[OTSkyline]

That problem isn't necessarily isolated to Sparks Street though, look at the rest of our CBD right now. With such a huge portion of it dedicated for public service (and most of them not working downtown anymore and very reluctant to go back even on a casual basis), many retail spots & downtown businesses are having trouble surviving. Without a good base of everyday customers (employees in the area & local residents), no amount of subsidies on rent will make businesses on Sparks St lively or thrive.

On the note about improvements, one thing I find missing downtown are wayfinding signs. How hard would it be to have a few of these installed to show where LRT/bus stations are, public washrooms, directions, etc... I like the new ones on Rideau Street

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

That was all done to improve traffic throughput when Colonel By Drive was extended into downtown in 1967. So, it became traffic over people at a time when traffic priority was at its zenith. How do we correct this without jeopardizing pedestrian safety is going to be challenging? We need to make it easier and more friendly for pedestrians to go between the Rideau Centre and Sparks Street. It should not be necessary to use the subway to do this. This is one of the most beautiful sections of downtown Ottawa.

Is it possible to return Sussex to two way traffic and make the MacKenzie/Rideau intersection right turn only? This would allow us to eliminate that pedestrian underpass.

That's the issue. We have multiple projects that are interlinked but are being planned in silos. The Wellington closure, the STO tram, the loop, Alexandra Bridge replacement, the ByWard Market improvement plan, some (including MP Naqvi) have floated the idea of closing part of Colonel By to vehicular traffic. All these projects could have an effect on this massively important intersection.

[OTSkyline]

Also, I was on Sparks St a few weekends ago for Buskerfest. It was extremely hot that day (30+) with no clouds in the sky and no shade.

There is so much we could be doing to help improve Sparks yet very little ever gets done. Don't we have a Sparks St BIA?

Here are some ideas;
-Something like the Ste Catherines installation would've done wonders in making the space more vibrant, colourful and help with shade
-Much more seating. Other than sitting the edge of a planter, there's very little place to sit. It's like we're telling people "either you buy beer to have a seat on a patio or keep it moving.
-Public water fountains to drink and mists to keep people cool (Montreal is doing it)
-Play structures for kids. Where is the nearest kids park? Why not help make Sparks a destination for families?
-What happened to downtown movie nights?

[J.OT13]

Agreed. Sparks should be a series of interesting parks/plazas with seating, trees, shade, interesting structures, water features, public art that actually have a function, not just an empty pedestrian street with restricted patios and poorly maintained paving.

Public washrooms (all Government buildings, so why is it so hard) and water fountains, at least water bottle filling stations, should surely be part of a re-imagined Sparks as well.

[acottawa]

Even with all the government buildings, they could still decorate them nicely, put up lights, stick displays in windows, add a Christmas market, etc. and make it a bit of a destination in December.

[OTSkyline]

While writing, it reminded me that they did do a study for Sparks Street Public Realm Improvement. Looks like it was completed and published in 2019. Said they were going to go through "engineering phase" in 2020 and construction to start spring of 2022. Has anyone heard of anything? Definitely did not see any construction or improvements there yet.

https://ottawa.ca/en/planning-develo...lic-realm-plan

https://www.sparkslive.com/mysparksstreet