The Value of Investing in Canadian Downtowns - International ...

Connecting the Downtown with Natural
Features
Vibrant waterfronts, view planes to mountain ranges or natural
features and natural corridors are just some of the ways that
downtowns are trying to ensure that their cities feel a connection
with the natural world. Some downtowns have been highly
successful with this. For example Ottawa, Fredericton and
London have extensive trail systems radiating outward from the
downtown core along their waterfronts, while other downtowns
such as Edmonton, Toronto and Saskatoon have gone to
significant effort to connect city dwellers with the waterfront
through the creation of new parks and public amenities. A stand
out is Vancouver’s Stanley Park, connected to waterfront trails,
that brings the beauty of nature to the centre of the city and
provides spectacular mountain vistas. Both Vancouver and
Halifax have developed strong design policies to protect view
corridors.
Embracing the Winter
Many downtowns in North America and Europe have embraced
winter and are busy, interesting places year-round. Perhaps the
most famous example is Copenhagen, where sidewalk cafes
remain open throughout the winter due to efficient heating, partial
enclosure, free blankets provided by cafe owners, and vibrant
street life that is worth sitting out in the cold to watch. In Canadian
cities, on the other hand, sidewalk cafes are generally dismantled
in November (if not earlier).
Skating is an accessible and popular winter activity that brings
people outdoors. Downtown skating rinks are often iconic
landmarks in their cities, like those at Rockefeller Center in New
York City, or in front of the city hall in Toronto, or at Fountain
Square in Cincinnati. A length of the Rideau Canal, running
through central Ottawa, is turned into a popular linear skating rink
every winter and attracts skaters both locally and from across the
country.
Programming public spaces is also a critical element of any
downtown’s efforts to draw people out of their homes and cars in
the winter. Large winter festivals like Quebec City’s Winter
Carnival or Ottawa’s Winterlude are effective ways to draw
huge crowds downtown and make lots of people more
comfortable with the downtown in winter, but such massive efforts
are not necessary. Holiday-themed markets, for example,
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Fredericton’s North Riverfront Trail
“It’s like any other time of the year. If there are people out,
other people will come out too to see what’s going on. But
there has to be a reason to be outside–a market, ice skating,
music, decorative lighting or just a good place to hang out
when it’s cold. No one will stay outdoors to stare at an empty
plaza.” - Cynthia Nikitin, Project for Public Spaces VP for civic
centres and downtowns
http://www.pps.org/articles/winter_cities/
Ottawa’s Rideau Canal; Quebec City Winter Carnival; and, getting
bundled up to enjoy a sidewalk café in winter, Copenhagen, Denmark