Latest news with #pedestrianization
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Vancouver's Water Street to go car-free on Sundays this summer
Water Street in Vancouver's Gastown will be closed to vehicles on Sundays until the end of August, in the city's latest attempt to pedestrianize the popular tourist area. Last year, the heart of the Gastown neighbourhood at Maple Tree Square was closed to cars from July until mid-August, and Water Street was partially closed — with the city aiming to boost foot traffic in the area and improve the pedestrian experience. This year, Water Street will be closed to cars on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., from Richards Street to Columbia Street, until the end of August. Meanwhile, nearby Cordova Street will open to two-way traffic between Gore and Richards streets, and multiple events will be held in the area all summer by the local business improvement society. City planners say the plan is part of a pilot project and the ongoing Gastown Public Spaces Plan, and businesses say they're cautiously optimistic for the summer ahead. "This isn't just about one street or one season," Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim told a Sunday news conference. "It's about shaping the future of Gastown and public spaces across our entire city."A city staff report last year found that foot traffic had increased by 35 per cent in Gastown, compared to the period before the summer pilot project began. Gastown is a popular tourist area with cobblestone streets and a steam clock. CBC News spoke to people walking in Gastown on Sunday. Vancouver resident Michelle Arthur said the idea of pedestrianizing the area was great for her, saying she wouldn't have to worry about traffic and parking. "I never come to Gastown. So [the pedestrian zone] brought me down here today, and I've been living in Vancouver since COVID," she told CBC News. "So, you know, I think it's fantastic." Businesses cautiously support idea The plans to pedestrianize Water Street have been ongoing for decades, and the 2024 pilot project came after months of construction and roadwork in the area. This year, however, the car-free pilot is only running on Sundays, as opposed to last summer's seven days a Wargolet, the executive director of the Gastown Business Improvement Society, said that businesses suffered due to the construction work last year and some lost business from locals during the largely car-free summer. "Certainly the tourism traffic was here, visitor traffic was ... actually pretty solid," he said. "So I think if you came down here, things looked good. "But from a revenue perspective, a lot of those businesses were negatively impacted, and we saw revenues that did go down." Emiliano Orozco, the supervisor at the Kit and Ace clothing store on Water Street, said that car-free days would be great for the store in terms of tourist foot traffic. "But on the other hand, I might be worried because many of our regular customers come here by car, right?" he said. "So I think that can affect us a bit. We'll just have to see how it goes."
CBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Vancouver's Water Street to go car-free on Sundays this summer
Social Sharing Water Street in Vancouver's Gastown will be closed to vehicles on Sundays until the end of August, in the city's latest attempt to pedestrianize the popular tourist area. Last year, the heart of the Gastown neighbourhood at Maple Tree Square was closed to cars from July until mid-August, and Water Street was partially closed — with the city aiming to boost foot traffic in the area and improve the pedestrian experience. This year, Water Street will be closed to cars on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., from Richards Street to Columbia Street, until the end of August. Meanwhile, nearby Cordova Street will open to two-way traffic between Gore and Richards streets, and multiple events will be held in the area all summer by the local business improvement society. City planners say the plan is part of a pilot project and the ongoing Gastown Public Spaces Plan, and businesses say they're cautiously optimistic for the summer ahead. "This isn't just about one street or one season," Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim told a Sunday news conference. "It's about shaping the future of Gastown and public spaces across our entire city." WATCH | Businesses were optimistic about last year's pilot program: Part of Vancouver's Gastown goes car-free for summer 12 months ago Duration 6:17 The city has completed a project that will see Water Street go car-free as part of a pilot project. Matthew Senecal-Junkeer, the owner of the nearby Birds and Beets cafe, discusses his observations with the CBC after a weekend of the pilot project being active. A city staff report last year found that foot traffic had increased by 35 per cent in Gastown, compared to the period before the summer pilot project began. Gastown is a popular tourist area with cobblestone streets and a steam clock. CBC News spoke to people walking in Gastown on Sunday. Vancouver resident Michelle Arthur said the idea of pedestrianizing the area was great for her, saying she wouldn't have to worry about traffic and parking. "I never come to Gastown. So [the pedestrian zone] brought me down here today, and I've been living in Vancouver since COVID," she told CBC News. "So, you know, I think it's fantastic." Businesses cautiously support idea The plans to pedestrianize Water Street have been ongoing for decades, and the 2024 pilot project came after months of construction and roadwork in the area. This year, however, the car-free pilot is only running on Sundays, as opposed to last summer's seven days a week. WATCH | Construction deals a hit to Gastown businesses: Gastown businesses say they're being hurt by revitalization efforts 1 year ago Duration 4:34 Eleanor Chow Waterfall, owner of Cadeaux Bakery, and Birds and Beets owner Matthew Senecal-Junkeer are not happy the city has closed Powell Street to repair and revitalize Gastown's Maple Tree Square. They say the move comes at a time when businesses, which should be busy, are hurting. Walley Wargolet, the executive director of the Gastown Business Improvement Society, said that businesses suffered due to the construction work last year and some lost business from locals during the largely car-free summer. "Certainly the tourism traffic was here, visitor traffic was ... actually pretty solid," he said. "So I think if you came down here, things looked good. "But from a revenue perspective, a lot of those businesses were negatively impacted, and we saw revenues that did go down." Emiliano Orozco, the supervisor at the Kit and Ace clothing store on Water Street, said that car-free days would be great for the store in terms of tourist foot traffic. "But on the other hand, I might be worried because many of our regular customers come here by car, right?" he said. "So I think that can affect us a bit. We'll just have to see how it goes."
CTV News
30-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Wellington Street will not be car-free year-round after report: Verdun mayor
Wellington Street is seen in the Montreal borough of Verdun Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press) Borough mayor Marie-Andrée Mauger posted on her Facebook page that after a public consultation (OCPM) report, the strip of road from Regina Street to 6th Avenue will be pedestrianized for the summer only. A petition was launched in 2023, and the OCPM held consultations to decide whether cars would be banned throughout the year. 'At the borough council meeting on June 30, we will submit the borough's response to the OCPM's recommendations,' Mauger wrote. 'I have always seen this citizen request as a declaration of love for our iconic artery.' The OCPM made three other recommendations. Any future pedestrianization plans should be done based on 'up-to-date studies on the impacts and benefits of the project in terms of accessibility, mobility, commercial dynamics, collateral effects and costs.' 'These studies should take into account the specific urban morphology of the neighbourhood, as well as parking issues in the vicinity of commercial and service establishments,' the post reads. The commission also suggests that the borough consider other ways to reduce vehicle traffic on Wellington outside of the summer pedestrianization period and continue efforts to 'reduce the nuisances associated with the summer pedestrianization of Wellington Street.' Included in the post were council members Sterling Downey, Benoit Gratton, Kaïla A. Munro, Véronique Tremblay, Enrique Machado and Céline-Audrey Beauregard. The mayor will table the response to the commission's report on June 30.
CBC
27-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Here are the Montreal streets that will be pedestrian-only during the summer
Montreal unveiled a list of eight streets that will be pedestrianized during the summer period. The list is pretty similar from year to year, but it gives residents and tourists a sense of when they can roam in the middle of the street while exploring the city on foot or when they might need to adjust their commute. The City of Montreal said the pedestrianization of these streets will make it easier for people to access more than 1,300 businesses. In total, a little more than seven kilometres of roads will be pedestrianized. Here are the eight areas to keep in mind: Mount Royal Avenue between Saint-Denis Street and de Lorimier Avenue from May 26 to Sept. 4, between Saint-Denis Street and Saint-Laurent Boulevard from May 26 to Oct. 16 and between Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Saint-Hubert Street from June 16 to Oct. 16. Duluth Avenue East between Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Saint-Hubert Street from June 16 to Oct. 16. Wellington Street between 6th Avenue and Regina Street from June 2 to Sept. 19. Sainte-Catherine Street East between Saint-Hubert Street and Papineau Avenue (this will include a smaller stretch of road on Saint-Christophe Street) from May 15 to Oct. 14. Saint-Denis Street from Sherbrooke Street to Sainte-Catherine and Émery streets as well as between Sanguinet and Saint-Denis streets from June 14 to Sept. 15. Ontario Street East between Pie-IX Boulevard and Darling Street from June 16 to Sept. 12. Bernard Avenue between Wiseman and Bloomfield avenues from May 24 to Sept. 21. de Castelnau Street East between Saint-Denis Street and de Gaspé Avenue from May 12 to Nov. 7. In its news release, the City of Montreal also pointed out that other streets could be pedestrianized, but that's up to each borough. For example, Place du Marché-du-Nord, which is where the Jean-Talon Market is located, will be pedestrian-only Thursday to Sunday from June 5 to Oct. 19 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. In the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, Monkland Avenue will be pedestrian-only between Girouard and Melrose avenues from Aug. 21 to Aug. 24. It'll be the same for Lacombe Avenue between Côte-des-Neiges Road and Gatineau Avenue. One notable omission is the St. Hubert Plaza. It was pedestrian-only last summer, but that won't be the case this year.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
8 Montreal streets to be pedestrianized this summer
Thousands were in The Village in Montreal on Aug. 12, 2023 as the MTL Pride festivities lead up to the annual parade. (Daniel J. Rowe/CTV News) Eight Montreal streets are slated to be pedestrianized this summer, city officials announced on Monday. This means that over seven kilometres of asphalt will be car-free this summer, making over 1,300 local businesses accessible for pedestrians. The following streets will be blocked off to cars: Street Span Start End Mont-Royal Saint-Laurent to De Lorimier May 26 Sept. 4 Wellington 6th to Regina June 2 Sept. 19 Sainte-Catherine Saint-Cristophe to Papineau May 15 Oct. 14 Saint-Denis Sherbrooke to Saint-Catherine June 14 Sept. 15 Duluth Saint-Laurent to Saint-Hubert June 16 Oct. 16 Ontario Pie-IX to Darling June 16 Sept. 12 Bernard Wiseman to Bloomfield May 24 Sept. 21 Castelnau Saint-Denis to De Gaspe May 12 Nov. 7 Other arteries may be created in neighbourhoods throughout the city, based on each borough's plans. Place-du-Marché-Nord Street near the Jean-Talon Market, for example, will be pedestrianized on June 5, while Notre-Dame-de-Grâce's (NDG) Monkland Street between Melrose and Girouard will be car-free on the Aug. 21-24 weekend. 'Pedestrian streets have become staples of Montreal summers, in addition to making our city shine internationally,' said Projet Montréal Leader Luc Rabouin, who is on the economic development file on the executive committee. 'They are the beating heart of Montreal, enhancing the summer season and offering a comfortable, friendly and attractive street experience.'
