1201 replies to this topic

[sebberry]

I bet there are cars parked just to the right.

 

Context is everything: http://goo.gl/maps/lFNPU

[sebberry]

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

 

Because those events draw many people down.  Simply closing the road won't make it like that year-round.

 

Look, let's give it a year or so to see how the lower speed limits bring more pedestrians downtown like we've been promised.  Can we at least see if that is a success first? 

[lanforod]

Because those events draw many people down.  Simply closing the road won't make it like that year-round.

 

Look, let's give it a year or so to see how the lower speed limits bring more pedestrians downtown like we've been promised.  Can we at least see if that is a success first? 

Seriously? Did the speed limit even change on Government? ...

[dasmo]

so we would rather this continues? 

[vicernie]

has anyone asked the stores whether they think making a mall would improve their business?  would mayor Lisa approve of a study?

 

drop the rents and you will have tenants.

Edited by vicernie, 26 January 2015 - 03:34 PM.

[dasmo]

If you park at any of the parades you will have less far to walk than parking at Costco and walking to the meat department....

[sebberry]

If you park at any of the parades you will have less far to walk than parking at Costco and walking to the meat department....

 

But when I park at Costco and walk to the meat department, I don't have to walk through clouds of cigarette smoke, past aggressive panhandlers, put up with seagull crap all over the place, put up with seagull crap smell, put up with urine smells in parkade stairwells, watch crackheads shooting up in the open, worry about my car getting broken into...

 

Oh but let's attack the big, bad automobile. 

[Mr Cook Street]

But when I park at Costco and walk to the meat department, I don't have to walk through clouds of cigarette smoke, past aggressive panhandlers, put up with seagull crap all over the place, put up with seagull crap smell, put up with urine smells in parkade stairwells, watch crackheads shooting up in the open, worry about my car getting broken into...

 

Oh but let's attack the big, bad automobile. 

Way to blow Victoria's issues way out of proportions. Sheesh. You'd think we were living in Dicken's England with street urchins picking your pockets, workhouses, and open sewage ditches. 

With all these massive issues you have to contend with downtown, I'd think you'd want a nice wide pedestrian mall so they could be easily sidestepped when necessary. 

[jonny]

I don't mind the idea, but I don't think it would magically fix the ailments of the greater retail landscape, and wonder what such a change would mean to the cross streets like Fort and Broughton.

[dasmo]

But when I park at Costco and walk to the meat department, I don't have to walk through clouds of cigarette smoke, past aggressive panhandlers, put up with seagull crap all over the place, put up with seagull crap smell, put up with urine smells in parkade stairwells, watch crackheads shooting up in the open, worry about my car getting broken into...

 

Oh but let's attack the big, bad automobile. 

 

That's your parkade experience? How am I attacking the automobile? Can no one actually create a cohesive argument against doing this? 

[29er Radio]

I don't mind the idea, but I don't think it would magically fix the ailments of the greater retail landscape, and wonder what such a change would mean to the cross streets like Fort and Broughton.

A lot of time in urban planning people think they are looking at the whole
equation from successful projects and assume the same result may happen.
Most times there are so many moving parts to any urban revitalization that it is impossible to allocate success to any one aspect of the process.

Some people shop downtown, some people don't. I am a believer that you could answer every one of a "don't" persons on the surface problems and they
still wouldn't come/shop downtown. The best chance of changing that reality is to change the fundamentals of our decision making.

IF dasmo, you were suggesting that at one end of the calmed Govt St you
would plan for the downtown art gallery with adjoining kids museum and at
the other end a replacement for the McPherson, then perhaps the equation
might start to add up.

[sebberry]

Is the presence of cars on Government Street the primary cause of the state of businesses there? 

[dasmo]

Is the presence of cars on Government Street the primary cause of the state of businesses there?

With seven vacant store fronts the question shouldn't be "are we good enough?" But rather "can we be better?"

[North Shore]

Way to blow Victoria's issues way out of proportions. Sheesh. You'd think we were living in Dicken's England with street urchins picking your pockets, workhouses, and open sewage ditches. 
With all these massive issues you have to contend with downtown, I'd think you'd want a nice wide pedestrian mall so they could be easily sidestepped when necessary.

Darles Chickens!

Dickens! Thus: Dickens' England..

[sebberry]

With seven vacant store fronts the question shouldn't be "are we good enough?" But rather "can we be better?"

 

Let's identify the cause of the problem first and work on that.  Remember that for 6 months of the year our weather isn't particularly conducive to a comfortable outdoor shopping and dining experience, and whatever increase in business going car-free brings in the summer likely won't be enough to offset the high rents and other unpleasantries.

[LJ]

dasmo, on 26 Jan 2015 - 11:26 AM, said:

We have the density. That's like saying we don't have the density to build residential downtown.... Note, my proposal keeps a one lane access with hours open to vehicular traffic at hours appropriate for delivery, and possibly late night taxi. You pave the road the same as the sidewalk with a transition. You have bollards that drop into the ground during access hours (or for emergency access) 

 

 

What about the horse carriages etc.? 

[dasmo]

[Nparker]

The Graben (Vienna) is an exclusive and pulsating shopping street in the heart of the inner city. The origin of this street dates back to the old Romans and it is surrounded by popular alleys, streets and places which stand for flair, elegant tradition and gourmet pleasures...

[aastra]

 

Let's identify the cause of the problem first and work on that.

 

Indeed. I don't have a problem with the idea of closing the street but I do have a problem with this Victorian tendency to put the cart before the horse. We have this community wish list that includes things like bustling pedestrian streets, safe/clean/active public spaces, a destination public market, light rail, etc. and yet we fight increased density tooth and nail. Without the increased density, none of the other things will work. It's as if we want all of the benefits of increased density without any of the increased density. It's crazy.

[dasmo]

I see a lot of condos being built downtown. Who is fighting density?

Edited by dasmo, 26 January 2015 - 08:37 PM.