1201 replies to this topic

[sebberry]

You pave the area to be pedestrian with more a more subtle transition to the SINGLE vehicle lane. So there is more space for patios and more space for wandering. Maybe more stores would chose to stay open late. Then a family or two might go downtown on a weeknight after 6 PM to stroll government and take in the buskers. As it is downtown is left to street people and drunk seekers....  

 

Perhaps easing the restrictions on the patios and buskers would be the first step. 

[Mike K.]

Hundreds of stores attract locals, but only a handful happen to be on Government. It's a street laden with tourist junk and blow-out sale signage.

[dasmo]

With so much more potential....

[dasmo]

Perhaps easing the restrictions on the patios and buskers would be the first step.

Making room for them makes more sense....

[dasmo]

Sure is busy when it is closed off like during the busking festival, or the chalk art festival....

[29er Radio]

There are a lot of stores downtown that attract locals and we found that at market
square, for what it was worth, getting the local retailers in, attracted the local
shoppers, and generally those boutiques had stuff that the nationals didn't have in the Bay Ctr.

That said, the last resurgence in retail on Johnson was fueled by the arrival of MEC
and all the national brands in the Bay Ctr do not create a spill over to the shops on
Govt like MEC did to Johnson. We as shoppers like clusters of like product and many
towns have themed areas so a shopper can explore a certain area and feel like they have done their research.

Government needs to change its theme not its traffic pattern, IMHO.

[thundergun]

This has become a chicken or the egg conversation. Should the city help attempt to revive a crappy few blocks of tourist garbage (for the most part) or should that onus fall on businesses?

I'm for the idea of the city stepping in to a certain extent. I think a great example of what we could aspire to is Pearl St Mall in Boulder, which is also quite touristy but had plenty of good shops as well.

Edited by thundergun, 26 January 2015 - 12:45 PM.

[dasmo]

These shops are tourist garbage?
Street
Roots
Eddie Bauer
W&J Wilson
Tapas bar
So-Ya
Irish Times
Garrick's Head
Earls
New Balance
Murchies
The Churchill
Old Morris
Munro's Books
Bard & Banker
Birks
Irish Linens
Glam & Fame
Lush
7-11
Rogers Chocolates
Rocky Mountain chocolate factory
Mirage Coffee
Sam's Deli
Dog gone it

[Bingo]

The poll is working fine for me. Just delete your vote and try again to see...

How do you do that?

[Mike K.]

These shops are tourist garbage?
Street - long time business, hopefully doesn't fall by the wayside like Levi's did
Roots - tourism
Eddie Bauer - locals and tourists
W&J Wilson - losing its appeal
Tapas bar - not on Government
So-Ya - not on Government
Irish Times - it's a bar/restaurant (that really shines when tourists are in)
Garrick's Head - it's a bar
Earls - it's a bar/restaurant
New Balance - locals love it
Murchies - tourism
The Churchill - it's a bar
Old Morris - tourism
Munro's Books - locals love it
Bard & Banker - it's a bar/restaurant (that really shines when tourists are in)
Birks - tourism
Irish Linens - tourism
Glam & Fame - not sure what this is
Lush - tourism
7-11 - well, it's 7/11
Rogers Chocolates - tourism
Rocky Mountain chocolate factory - tourism
Mirage Coffee - locals and tourists
Sam's Deli - tourism
Dog gone it - tourism, but locals should give it more time

 

10 of those businesses, easily, depend on tourism as their main source of customers. Five of them are bars and/or restaurants popular with the bar crowde. Having said that, the three restaurants heavily depend on tourism and cruise ship traffic. To be honest only a handful of stores actually cater to the local customer.

[dasmo]

I'm willing to bet this ex coffee shop location would be leased right now if there was room for people to sit outside and watch the people strolling by instead of breathing exhaust as cars park and idle in front of them....

[dasmo]

it could look like this 

[dasmo]

In fact as far as costs go it could start with the bollards at the four intersections and only a couple of spots where you would need to widen the sidewalk... Could paint the asphalt for the short term to influence the pedestrian flow... It would be relatively cheap and the income from renting patio space would compensate pretty quick...

 

http://www.ontariobo...e-bollards.html

[Bingo]

This has become a chicken or the egg conversation. Should the city help attempt to revive a crappy few blocks of tourist garbage (for the most part) or should that onus fall on businesses?

I'm for the idea of the city stepping in to a certain extent. I think a great example of what we could aspire to is Pearl St Mall in Boulder, which is also quite touristy but had plenty of good shops as well.

 

Well I don't think you should gear up just for the tourists as a shop needs to survive year round, and that means support from the locals. Apart from the Provincial Museum, the inner harbour walkway and a handful of pubs and restaurants there is nothing to do downtown for the tourists, or for many of the locals for that matter.

 

I think that sending more traffic north along Wharf Street will just add to the congestion at the new bridge. But from the City's point of view that might be a good thing to show the tourists what not to do. On second thought maybe we need to funnel all the tourists from the cruise ships over that way this summer, and the boat shuttle could drop them off for a guided tour of the project.

[Mike K.]

it could look like this 

 

I bet there are cars parked just to the right.

 

That Starbucks had tables. But they cannibalized their own customers with a location in the Bay Centre, half a block north, and two blocks further north. One of the stores had to go.

[dasmo]

By this vehicle logic one could argue that the Era condo would have been better off to add surface parking instead of the pedestrian boulevard...

[Mr Cook Street]

Hobart Australia: population 48k. Greater Hobart 215k.

 

Wonderful pedestrian mall despite cold and wet climate:

[thundergun]

These shops are tourist garbage?

 

I was referring to the few blocks from Humboldt to Fort. I can't think of a bunch of shops that better defines tourist garbage: Dog Gone It, multiple chocolatiers, and an uncountable number of shops selling knick-knacks covered in Canadiana.

 

The further from the Empress, the better stuff gets.

[Mike K.]

Dog Gone It, as was pointed out by Mrs. Mike K. just yesterday, is actually a very moderately priced and quality hot dog shop. It's location gives it a touristy vibe, I guess, but seems like a place lots of locals would appreciate if they gave it a shot.

[Bingo]

When we go downtown on a summer evening our favourite stop for a fabulous waffle cone is the Soda Shop on Humbolt near Government.