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Mission Mississauga:"Grow a Lively Downtown"
Another slam dunk for Mississauga City Centre on the front page of the GTA section.
Thanks again to interchange 42, Jarrek, Observer Walt and a new UT member from SCC, Tuscani1 for attending Monday's workshop.
Thanks also to yyzer for attending last night's public meeting!
I would also like to add that it was annouced last night that $3 million over two years has been set aside to help implement some of these proposals on the Civic Square.
Another $6 million has been committed towards the new City Centre Parks.
There was loud debate that the Free City Centre Shuttle Service needs to be reintroduced.
Expect another slamn dunk from Mississauga at the end of the month when we announce concept proposals for our Hurontario LRT.
Louroz
Making a square dance in Mississauga
Plan aims to draw pedestrians to downtown area
Parks, gardens, markets will reduce the emphasis on cars
Feb. 1, 2006. 01:00 AM
MIKE FUNSTON
STAFF REPORTER
Tear down walls, close a street, add a farmers' market and a wedding chapel.
Those are among the suggestions to transform Mississauga's civic square and ultimately the whole downtown from uninviting empty spaces into vibrant people places.
Fred Kent, president of a non-profit New York City-based consulting group, Project for Public Spaces, presented his vision — really the citizens' vision, he said — for the downtown's future to residents and stakeholders at a public meeting last night.
It's the second phase of a project launched last October by the city to reshape the emerging downtown from a focus on the car into one for pedestrians.
That's considered critical because 30 condominium buildings will rise in the next 10 to 20 years, adding 12,300 people in the area west of the Mississauga Civic Centre, the Living Arts Centre and the Central Library.
Kent's plan, which has no cost estimates, will be further refined based on last night's comments and presented to city council as a final vision sometime in March.
While recommendations deal with the broader downtown area from Square One on the east, to the lands west of Confederation Park, north of Burnhamthorpe Rd. W., the key is the civic square. Everything will radiate from there, Kent said.
"The aim is to transform it into one of the great squares in Canada," he said in an interview.
Now mostly an empty stretch of concrete, except for a reflecting pond/skating rink, and with sightlines blocked by walls on either side, it's not a people-friendly place and that has to change, Kent said.
He recommends removing the walls and moving a farmers' market that runs in the warm weather months from a remote corner of the Square One parking lot to City Centre Dr., immediately south of the square. The street would be closed for the market.
The square itself should have a permanent ground-level restaurant and kiosks featuring multi-cultural foods on the east side.
On the west side, a wall blocking the view of an existing garden would be torn down and a wedding chapel built adjacent to it, to play host to the many nuptials that take place at city hall. Events should be programmed there year-round, he said.
Immediately south of the square and street is an open area beside the Central Library. Kent recommends having street level retail shops, an outdoor library, cafe, and a play area for children.
The open space would be mostly retained for festivals and other special events, and a pavilion would be built at the south end of it for indoor events and with a games area for children.
The Living Arts Centre north of city hall should also have outdoor activities, including a performance area, cafe, outdoor studios, displays and art exhibits all connected by a path around the building.
To the east of the arts centre, city hall and library is Duke of York Blvd., which Kent describes as "too wide and aggressive" for pedestrians.
He recommends narrowing the street and promoting the private-sector development of street-level retail shops and professional offices on part of what is now Square One's west parking lot.
That would provide a natural connection between the city's public buildings and the shopping centre, Kent said.
A series of three parks are to be developed immediately west of the arts centre as a buffer to the mammoth condominium projects to be built north and south of them. That will form a pedestrian connection with the city centre, Kent said.
Next to the arts centre, the park could have a tea house, a spectacular water fountain, performance area and bicycle rental facility.
Parkland west of that area could have a pond, public gardens, children's playground, dog run, a pavilion with picnic tables and outdoor barbecue area and street vendors.
Asked how he thinks politicians will react to the proposals, Kent said: "It's a slam dunk."
Gil Penalosa, a city planning official, said: "All of these ideas are do-able," and the city is committed to change from the mayor on down.
Mayor Hazel McCallion "says she wants a city that is vibrant and exciting," Penalosa pointed out.
He said a broad cross section of citizens has been consulted, including youth, seniors, multi-cultural groups, arts and sports groups. So far, two public meetings and a number of workshops have been held with residents to gather ideas for change.
Residents at last night's meeting, attended by about 150 people, expressed enthusiasm for the proposals and added some suggestions of their own.
"I found the presentation fascinating, very forward thinking and positive,'' said Carol Hennigar. I'm looking forward to having an exciting city centre that I will want to visit."
"The downtown corridor is going to be heavily populated and already the traffic makes it difficult to move,'' said Zia Khan. "With the large number of condominiums in the city centre, things need to be connected so that people don't bring their cars and add to the congestion."
Chris Dewar said the plan must include facilities for action sports, especially a BMX facility to attract the younger crowd.
"The city centre is a great location for it and it will bring in a key demographic, the 15-25 year olds, into the downtown.''
Louroz
Another slam dunk for Mississauga City Centre on the front page of the GTA section.
Thanks again to interchange 42, Jarrek, Observer Walt and a new UT member from SCC, Tuscani1 for attending Monday's workshop.
Thanks also to yyzer for attending last night's public meeting!
I would also like to add that it was annouced last night that $3 million over two years has been set aside to help implement some of these proposals on the Civic Square.
Another $6 million has been committed towards the new City Centre Parks.
There was loud debate that the Free City Centre Shuttle Service needs to be reintroduced.
Expect another slamn dunk from Mississauga at the end of the month when we announce concept proposals for our Hurontario LRT.
Louroz
Making a square dance in Mississauga
Plan aims to draw pedestrians to downtown area
Parks, gardens, markets will reduce the emphasis on cars
Feb. 1, 2006. 01:00 AM
MIKE FUNSTON
STAFF REPORTER
Tear down walls, close a street, add a farmers' market and a wedding chapel.
Those are among the suggestions to transform Mississauga's civic square and ultimately the whole downtown from uninviting empty spaces into vibrant people places.
Fred Kent, president of a non-profit New York City-based consulting group, Project for Public Spaces, presented his vision — really the citizens' vision, he said — for the downtown's future to residents and stakeholders at a public meeting last night.
It's the second phase of a project launched last October by the city to reshape the emerging downtown from a focus on the car into one for pedestrians.
That's considered critical because 30 condominium buildings will rise in the next 10 to 20 years, adding 12,300 people in the area west of the Mississauga Civic Centre, the Living Arts Centre and the Central Library.
Kent's plan, which has no cost estimates, will be further refined based on last night's comments and presented to city council as a final vision sometime in March.
While recommendations deal with the broader downtown area from Square One on the east, to the lands west of Confederation Park, north of Burnhamthorpe Rd. W., the key is the civic square. Everything will radiate from there, Kent said.
"The aim is to transform it into one of the great squares in Canada," he said in an interview.
Now mostly an empty stretch of concrete, except for a reflecting pond/skating rink, and with sightlines blocked by walls on either side, it's not a people-friendly place and that has to change, Kent said.
He recommends removing the walls and moving a farmers' market that runs in the warm weather months from a remote corner of the Square One parking lot to City Centre Dr., immediately south of the square. The street would be closed for the market.
The square itself should have a permanent ground-level restaurant and kiosks featuring multi-cultural foods on the east side.
On the west side, a wall blocking the view of an existing garden would be torn down and a wedding chapel built adjacent to it, to play host to the many nuptials that take place at city hall. Events should be programmed there year-round, he said.
Immediately south of the square and street is an open area beside the Central Library. Kent recommends having street level retail shops, an outdoor library, cafe, and a play area for children.
The open space would be mostly retained for festivals and other special events, and a pavilion would be built at the south end of it for indoor events and with a games area for children.
The Living Arts Centre north of city hall should also have outdoor activities, including a performance area, cafe, outdoor studios, displays and art exhibits all connected by a path around the building.
To the east of the arts centre, city hall and library is Duke of York Blvd., which Kent describes as "too wide and aggressive" for pedestrians.
He recommends narrowing the street and promoting the private-sector development of street-level retail shops and professional offices on part of what is now Square One's west parking lot.
That would provide a natural connection between the city's public buildings and the shopping centre, Kent said.
A series of three parks are to be developed immediately west of the arts centre as a buffer to the mammoth condominium projects to be built north and south of them. That will form a pedestrian connection with the city centre, Kent said.
Next to the arts centre, the park could have a tea house, a spectacular water fountain, performance area and bicycle rental facility.
Parkland west of that area could have a pond, public gardens, children's playground, dog run, a pavilion with picnic tables and outdoor barbecue area and street vendors.
Asked how he thinks politicians will react to the proposals, Kent said: "It's a slam dunk."
Gil Penalosa, a city planning official, said: "All of these ideas are do-able," and the city is committed to change from the mayor on down.
Mayor Hazel McCallion "says she wants a city that is vibrant and exciting," Penalosa pointed out.
He said a broad cross section of citizens has been consulted, including youth, seniors, multi-cultural groups, arts and sports groups. So far, two public meetings and a number of workshops have been held with residents to gather ideas for change.
Residents at last night's meeting, attended by about 150 people, expressed enthusiasm for the proposals and added some suggestions of their own.
"I found the presentation fascinating, very forward thinking and positive,'' said Carol Hennigar. I'm looking forward to having an exciting city centre that I will want to visit."
"The downtown corridor is going to be heavily populated and already the traffic makes it difficult to move,'' said Zia Khan. "With the large number of condominiums in the city centre, things need to be connected so that people don't bring their cars and add to the congestion."
Chris Dewar said the plan must include facilities for action sports, especially a BMX facility to attract the younger crowd.
"The city centre is a great location for it and it will bring in a key demographic, the 15-25 year olds, into the downtown.''
Louroz
