ByWard businesses say it's their turn for a revamp

A $129-million plan to rejuvenate the historic ByWard Market heads to Ottawa city council for approval next week, and business owners say it's about time the downtown area saw some civic love by way ofupgrades.

As it nears its 200th anniversary, Ottawa's original commercial districtis stillat the top ofsightseeing lists, but many people wholiveand workthere say it's looking run down.

Even city staff referred to the market as a "district in distress"before presenting revitalization plans to Ottawa's finance committee last month.

The idea is to make betteruse of the city's 10hectares of the market, mostlyitsstreets. The city plansto "reclaim" 3.2 hectares of that spacefor pedestriansby wideningsidewalks for patios and benches, and reconfiguring roadwaysso whole streets can be closed forevents and festivals.

The aging municipal garage at the market's core would be replaced bya new "destination"buildingwith much-needed public washrooms.William Street would be the onlystreet permanently closed to traffic.

Atthe "gateway" to the area, the ramp over thesombre pedestrian underpass atSussex Drive and Rideau Street could be demolished to make the area brighter andimprove cycling connections.

"It's the biggest thing to happen down here since I've been around," said John Borsten, owner ofthe Metropolitain Brasserie,The Grand Pizzeriaand for 35 years, Zak's Diner.

Lively summer a sign of what could be for the ByWard Market, store owner says

4 years ago

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Mandy Gosewich, who owns a fashion boutique, says the vibrancy of the ByWard Market has slipped away in the past decades and hopes any redevelopment plans can bring energy back to the neighbourhood.

York Street a 'wasted' boulevard

The way Borsten sees it, ifthe city needs to redo sidewalks and install new lampposts anyway, it might as well do the job right and create wide, flexible public spaces that can be used for events such as Canada Day.

"I think the future of the ByWard Market depends on it happening," he said.

Borsten and partners have just bought the old building that housed the Fish Market restaurant at the prominent corner of York and William streets, a building that has borne witness to countlesschangesover its nearly 150 years. Someday, when the pandemic is over, the streetscape outside its doors might host a concert for 7,500 people.

York Street, with its wide roadway and strip of parking spaces down the middle,is the city's top priority forthe revamp.

"It's a giant boulevard. It's just wasted. It's just surface parking," said Borsten.

Mandy Gosewich looks out on York Street fromher boutique, STUNNING! Fashion + Accessories. As a girl, she wouldsee live chickens for sale on the street when she visitedher shopkeeper grandparents in the ByWard Market.

She's the fourth generation in her family to operate a businessin the marketandsays times are changing yet again, with younger generations less dependanton cars and keener on open public spaces, especially since the pandemic.

This past summer, Gosewichwatched as families spent whole daysin the ByWard Market when the city closed off streets for patios.

ByWard Market revamp should focus on more flexible public space, restaurant owner says

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John Borsten, who owns several restaurants in the ByWard Market, says the neighbourhood needs to be a much more lively and dynamic space, with more room for pedestrians and the potential to hold big events in the area.

"It was really wonderful to see the amount of people who were down here hanging out," she said."It really brought back the vibe of the market that had gone away."

• Pandemic fast-tracks planned improvements to ByWard Market

Like Borsten, she thinks it's the market's turn for some municipal attention.

"Lansdowne has been a huge focus for the city, and I think their cup has runneth over, and I think it's time to give love back to the ByWard Market," said Gosewich.

The hunt for funding

While citycouncil is expected to approve the plan on Jan. 27, it doesn't yet have the money for a dozenprojects pegged at $129 million.

Coun. Mathieu Fleurysays the cost is comparable to a couple of road renewals, and believes the city can make the case for funding. The revamp creates coveted public outdoor space, and helps local businesses and farmers recover from the pandemic. Plus the National Capital Commission already has a major stake, he points out.

"It just checks so many of those boxes when you think of a federal or provincial [funding] application," said Fleury.

Others with a stake in the ByWard Market have seen enough ideas come and go that they're not counting on the full plan to happen, or at least happen quickly.

This time, however, the area's blend ofretailers, restaurants, bars and homes appear more unified and supportivethan they have in the past. That said, the perennial disagreement overparking versus pedestrian space continues.

Some shops maintain thatlosing parking will harm salesbecausetheir customer bases extend beyond the neighbourhood, and most shoppers simply won't walk far with heavy bags.

"We have been assured by the politicians that most of the parking that will be removed will be replaced, so I'm optimistic about that," said John Diener of longstanding Saslove's Meat Market.

Diener, who also lives in the ByWard Market, hopes this will be the plan to finally lift up an area thatlooks more "tired" as each yeargoes by.

"We're hoping that the great majority of these things actually do take place, because I think it would be great for the city and certainly great for the area."