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Currently in a humdinger of a meeting about Calgary's downtown. Seven years into a structural recession, what are the big (and small) bold moves that will transform the future of the downtown?
Can downtown (central business district) attract residential conversions when the whole transportation system is built for a quick exit? Will we attract residents when the public realm is deteriorating and looks like a vertical office park?
Did you know that even though downtown is still Calgary's economic driver, there's no sustainable funding even for sidewalk maintenance & replacement? It's because it's reliant on density bonusing, which no longer applies with no new office towers in the foreseeable future.
Calgary’s DT was built for one industry. Now is the time to recognize that future success mean accepting and supporting change. Should we still have one-way streets? Should we widen the sidewalks? Downtown needs to LOOK habitable for people to move there.
Downtown was built to go through rather than go to. "The goal of moving as much traffic through a city as quickly as possible led to the introduction of one way couples, over-sized streets and the peak hour parking restrictions which still exist today." http://carfreeamerica.net/2018/07/07/are-peak-hour-parking-restrictions-necessary/
The debate on the future of central business districts isn't unique to Calgary. We need to act with some urgency or we'll be left behind.
"It is about transforming the business district into a destination and offering a differentiating experience."
https://go.ey.com/3bNQCIU
"It is about transforming the business district into a destination and offering a differentiating experience."
https://go.ey.com/3bNQCIU
From @brent_bellamy: “The pandemic will have lasting and potentially devastating impacts on downtown. The time to start planning for a post-Covid future is now. “ https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/for-lease-signs-abound-downtown-573523432.html
