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

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Downtown Halifax Timeline 1749 - 2011 1749 - 1784 1749 - First permanent European presence 1784 - Subdivided to accommodate local control for Loyalists (American Revolutionary War) 1758- Siege of Louisbourg (instrumental in the French and Indian War) (Largest Royal Navy Force on the Atlantic Coast). First representative committee in Canada. 1803 - 1917 1813 - Large Navy captured American ships and invaded Washington DC from Halifax 1914 - Departure and supply point for Canadian soldiers and allies during WWI 1803-1815 - Significant growth during Napoleonic Wars 1842- Incorporated as Halifax 1917 - Munitions explosion that was the largest man-made explosion before the atomic bomb 1939 - 1978 1939-1945 - 17,593 vessels went through port and Halifax created 7,000 vessels during WWII 1966 - Central Dartmouth Urban Renewal Plan sees several major urban renewal projects undertaken in Dartmouth 1973 - Metropolitan Area Planning Commission was established 1978 - Municipal Planning Strategy for Halifax 1955 - Opening of the MacDonald Bridge 1964 - Halifax County Official Plan put into effect in urban and suburban areas 1970 - Burnside Industrial Park built. New Murray MacKay Bridge Completed 1975 - Halifax-Dartmouth Regional Development Plan 1992 - 2011 1996 - Halifax Regional Municipality was created 1998 - Municipal Government Act 2006 - Regional council adopted the Regional Plan 2011 - Began Regional Plan 5 Year Review 1992 - “Facade and Signage Improvements for Downtown Dartmouth” for DT Development Corporation 2000 - Downtown Dartmouth Secondary Planning Strategy 2009 - By-law H500 Heritage Conservation District (Barrington Street). The Halifax Regional Municipality Charter Act created. 34
Context Map: Key Assets and Features in the Downtown 35 The Harbour (1) Halifax Harbour was historically strategic, spurring much of the City’s early economic development and population growth. The Harbour’s dominant role in global trade routes is long-standing as it served as Canada’s dominant point of access to the Eastern United States and Europe prior to the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The Port Authority also administers a Cruise Ship Pavilion and Pier 21, Canada’s National Museum of Immigration, on the site. The Citadel (2) Completed in 1856, this National Historic Site sits at the top of Citadel Hill overlooking the city. Visitors can interact with historical interpreters who commemorate Halifax’s role as a key naval station in the British Empire. Protecting views from the Citadel has historically created challenges for taller buildings in the core. Halifax Common (3) Created by surveyors immediately following the settling of Halifax in 1749, Canada’s oldest urban park remains a popular place for Haligonians to walk and gather. The park contains amenities including softball diamonds, tennis courts, a soccer field, swimming pool, and skateboarding facilities as well as an allages music club and a new long-track skating oval. Public Gardens (4) The Halifax Public Gardens are designed to embody a formal Victorian Public Garden, complete with wrought iron gates, statues, and fountains. The gardens have remained relatively unchanged since their opening in 1867. Province House (5) Canada’s oldest house of government, the Nova Scotia Legislature, has met in this Palladian-style edifice since 1819. Granville Mall (6) Formerly part of Granville Street, this space was closed off to vehicular traffic and converted to a pedestrian mall in 1963. This action has allowed the historic streetscape to remain relatively impervious to modernization initiatives, forming one of the last remaining continuous nineteenthcentury commercial districts in Canada. ADD Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (7) The largest art museum in Atlantic Canada and one of the premier arts institutions in Canada houses a permanent collection of over 15 000 objects. It opened at its present location in the Dominion Building (circa 1867) in 1988 and expanded a decade later to the Provincial Building. Historic Properties and Harbourfront (8) This collection of buildings constructed by settlers in the late 1700s contains seven structures designated as National Historic Sites. This tourist attraction, along with a nearly 4-kilometer harbourfront boardwalk, contains a multitude of restaurants, pubs, and shops and serves as a location for prominent events – such as the Tall Ships Festival and Buskers festivals – throughout the year. Central Library (9) The new Halifax Central Library, to be completed in 2014, will be a prominent addition to one of Halifax’s most popular shopping and walking streets, Spring Garden Road. The new library will span over 108 000 square feet – over 2.5 times the size of the present Spring Garden Library, and is an exciting new addition to the downtown. Dalhousie University (10) Founded in 1818, Dalhousie is one of Canada’s largest and most respected research hubs. The 79-acre campus is located a few blocks southwest of Downtown and is comprised of beautiful heritage buildings and greenery. There are currently approximately 16,700 students enrolled at Dalhousie. Halifax Metro Centre (11) The Halifax Metro Centre is Atlantic Canada’s most prominent entertainment and sporting event venue with a seating capacity of over 10,000. Built in 1978, the arena underwent renovations in the late 1990s. Rail Yards (12) The Rail Yards, immediately south of the study area, demonstrate Halifax’s integral role as a national shipping and transportation hub and its historic function as the eastern gateway to Canada for immigrants. Grid Layout (Refer to Legend) The tight street grid in Halifax was laid out in 1749 and contains small blocks, which allow for the creation of very small and unique spaces. The grid layout also follows two strong orientations as it bends along the shore line and climbs the hills leading up from Halifax Harbour. Argyle Street (Refer to Legend) With professional theatre, live music and numerous restaurants and nightclubs, this small street running from City Hall to St. Mary’s Basilica is often the centre of evening activities in downtown Halifax. As well, many formal civic events, such as the annual outdoor New Years Eve celebrations, take place on the Grand Parade in front of City Hall. Walkable Halifax Adjacent to the downtown, on three sides, are predominantly residential areas – known by their geography, they are peninsular Halifax’s “North End”, “South End” and “West End” communities. All are within walking distance of the downtown. These areas contain two major health complexes, four universities and Canada’s East Coast Naval base, in addition to the local shopping amenities one would find in traditional residential neighbourhoods.
Page 3 and 4: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project would
Page 5 and 6: CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .........
Page 7 and 8: Additionally this project aims to b
Page 9 and 10: with the selected downtown study ar
Page 11 and 12: KEY FINDINGS The project team devel
Page 13: Downtowns are iconic and powerful s
Page 16 and 17: Victoria have very sensitive downto
Page 18 and 19: PROSPERITY Does the downtown have a
Page 20 and 21: These are very promising signs, yet
Page 22 and 23: Downtowns are making a major contri
Page 24 and 25: The densest downtown is Vancouver a
Page 26 and 27: Downtowns are important places for
Page 28 and 29: Winnipeg Fredericton Edmonton Halif
Page 30 and 31: Downtown Toronto and downtown Vanco
Page 32 and 33: Municipal Investments (mapped inves
Page 34 and 35: DOWNTOWN CASE STUDIES 32
Page 38 and 39: VISIBILITY Does the downtown have a
Page 40 and 41: VISIONARY Does the downtown have st
Page 42 and 43: LIVEABILITY Is the downtown vibrant
Page 44 and 45: sites for redevelopment that are cu
Page 46 and 47: Summary of Municipal Investments Pr
Page 48 and 49: Key Patterns of Investment: 1. Cent
Page 50 and 51: Future Investments The proposed Con
Page 52 and 53: Downtown Fredericton Timeline 1749
Page 56 and 57: PROSPERITY: Is the downtown’s eco
Page 58 and 59: Municipal Tax Base Since 1995, the
Page 60 and 61: Public Realm Downtown Fredericton h
Page 62 and 63: 60 Municipal Investments in Downtow
Page 64 and 65: 2. Enhancing the waterfront Committ
Page 66 and 67: Downtown Ottawa Timeline 1792 - 201
Page 70 and 71: charges have recently been reinstat
Page 72 and 73: Many of the federally occupied buil
Page 74 and 75: Safety Downtown Ottawa is seen as a
Page 76 and 77: transit service downtown and across
Page 78 and 79: Summary of Public Investments Publi
Page 80 and 81: Key Patterns of Investment: Convent
Page 82 and 83: Downtown Toronto Timeline 1793 - 20
Page 84 and 85: Context Map: Key Assets and Feature
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The downtown study area differs sli
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http://www.architravel.com/architra
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Office Development Downtown Toronto
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Municipal Tax Base The downtown mak
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Safety Crime indicators for the Cit
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STRATEGY Is the City Strategically
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Public Investments in Downtown Toro
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5. Strengthening Communities Invest
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Downtown London Timeline 1840 - 201
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VISIBILITY Does the Downtown have a
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PROSPERITY: Is the downtown’s eco
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LIVABILITY Is the downtown vibrant,
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picnic tables, cafe tables with umb
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Summary of Capital Projects: 1998-2
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Key Patterns of Investment: The Cit
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WINNIPEG Growing in strength and co
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Context Map: Key Assets and Feature
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VISIONARY Does the downtown have st
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PROSPERITY: Is the downtown’s eco
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126 Major Public Investments in Dow
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Ship Street, Sky, and The Strand. T
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Downtown Saskatoon Timeline 1903 -
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VISIBILITY Does the downtown have a
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Leadership and Collaboration The Ci
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Office Development Private office s
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LIVEABILITY Is the downtown vibrant
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Key Patterns of Investment: 1. Conn
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EDMONTON a downtown filled with mom
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UNITY Does the downtown have strong
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Retail Development It has been obse
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156 Municipal Investments in Downto
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downtown zoning bylaws ensure that
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Downtown Vancouver Timeline 1859 -
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PROSPERITY Is the downtown’s econ
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The downtown also generates a fifth
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Eastside community, which could pot
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uild freeways into downtown Vancouv
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172 Downtown Vancouver Capital Proj
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2. Building complete communities In
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The City has also taken strong lead
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downtown is striving to offer a uni
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Safety Downtown Victoria has faced
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Pattern of Investment: Investing in
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QUICK WINS FOR CANADIAN DOWNTOWNS O
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Connecting the Downtown with Natura
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comprehensive planning processes to
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uilding and reconnect it with surro
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198 APPENDICES
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Yet, where the municipality had not
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Data Gaps From the outset of this p
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The foundation of the five principl
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was also collected that examines pr
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APPENDIX 2 - PHOTO CREDITS Front Co
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Context Map The Harbour: http://www
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Toronto 212 Confederation Square: h
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214 Rebuilt Covent Garden Market: h
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Parking lots: The Alberta Legislatu
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Victoria Cover Page Red Second post
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APPENDIX 3 - REFERENCE LIST City of
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City of Edmonton. (2010). Capital C
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City of Vancouver. (2007). Downtown
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Condos Victoria BC. (2011). The Atr
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Harris Consulting (2007). City of V
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The Star Phoenix Website. (2011). S
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