I still find it hard to believe that they put a road for cars to park on between those buildings and the promenade. What were they thinking?!?
I entirely agree. It's even worse when you realize the road doesn't actually
go anywhere (the road behind the buildings already connects the east and west sides). The only reason it exists is to give access to those street parking spots. Which means
allllllll that space is there and sits empty so that ~20 street parking spots can exist.
I've been told there was debate when the area was first proposed about whether to have the street. Ultimately it was decided the retail tenants needed the street parking to be viable. Even if that were true, that was 10-15 years ago. With the surrounding developments including the Quayside development (and just the way things trend), the expected density for the immediate area is, I suspect, at least double what was expected back then, so I think that argument is moot now: there will be
plenty of people living within walking distance of the retail units that 20 surface parking spots are no longer necessary and would provide less traffic to those retail units than a large, pedestrian-only, destination promenade would.
My secret hope is that there will eventually be interest to extend the
Lassonde Art Trail from the Port Lands, across the Equinox bridge, and over to this street, which could be pedestrianized (via planters or bollards if needed to be done on the cheap) and contain outdoor art sculptures down the middle of the street similar to the rest of the Lassonde Art Trail. It'd be a great "starting point" for the art trail and pull pedestrians into the Port Lands.
Taken 26 September. 
Taken 29 September. 