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Uptown Public Realm Strategy - Printable Version

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Uptown Public Realm Strategy - Tony_Plow - 09-25-2018

I'm not sure I agree with converting the entire Pumping Station property on William St. into a park.
There are already a number of small parks in the area.
There is so little developable land in the Uptown core and this is a prime location right across the street from City Hall.

See here:

https://www.therecord.com/news-story/8923570-waterloo-ponders-ways-to-make-its-uptown-more-welcoming/

https://www.waterloo.ca/en/contentresources/resources/business/9-10-2018-UPRS-Final-Draft-to-Council.pdf


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - urbd - 09-26-2018

(09-25-2018, 10:56 AM)Tony_Plow Wrote: I'm not sure I agree with converting the entire Pumping Station property on William St. into a park.
There are already a number of small parks in the area.
There is so little developable land in the Uptown core and this is a prime location right across the street from City Hall.

See here:

https://www.therecord.com/news-story/8923570-waterloo-ponders-ways-to-make-its-uptown-more-welcoming/

https://www.waterloo.ca/en/contentresources/resources/business/9-10-2018-UPRS-Final-Draft-to-Council.pdf

The piece of land immediately to the right of the proposed part is owned by the City and development is expected to happen there.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - goggolor - 09-26-2018

It's funny that the proposal is talking about updating infrastructure that was literally just built, like putting bike lanes on King Street South between Allen & Uptown, or improving the connection between trails at Erb & Caroline.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - panamaniac - 09-26-2018

(09-25-2018, 10:56 AM)Tony_Plow Wrote: I'm not sure I agree with converting the entire Pumping Station property on William St. into a park.
There are already a number of small parks in the area.
There is so little developable land in the Uptown core and this is a prime location right across the street from City Hall.

....

I would tend to see this as a big reason in favour of public space at that location.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - mpd618 - 09-26-2018

(09-25-2018, 10:56 AM)Tony_Plow Wrote: I'm not sure I agree with converting the entire Pumping Station property on William St. into a park.
There are already a number of small parks in the area.
There is so little developable land in the Uptown core and this is a prime location right across the street from City Hall.

On the other hand, there's a lot of development substantially increasing the number of people living and working in this area, most of it without meaningful open space on site. Not increasing the amount of public open space would be doing a disservice to the future residents.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - Tony_Plow - 09-26-2018

(09-26-2018, 03:19 PM)mpd618 Wrote:
(09-25-2018, 10:56 AM)Tony_Plow Wrote: I'm not sure I agree with converting the entire Pumping Station property on William St. into a park.
There are already a number of small parks in the area.
There is so little developable land in the Uptown core and this is a prime location right across the street from City Hall.

On the other hand, there's a lot of development substantially increasing the number of people living and working in this area, most of it without meaningful open space on site. Not increasing the amount of public open space would be doing a disservice to the future residents.

I guess it all depends how they're planning to develop the entire area over by city hall.  I wonder if city hall itself and/or the surrounding city owned parking lots will be redeveloped in the next while.  As mentioned above, they will likely add a small condo/apartment building at the corner of William and Herbert beside the proposed Civic Common space.  Is it the City's intention to sell off their surface parking lots over time?  I recall hearing that they had a long term plan (discussed in the last 2-3 years) to add another parking garage Uptown.

If you look at the draft Uptown Public Realm Strategy, it looks like they want to link the Caroline LRT stop to the Cenotaph by adding a tree canopy and other pedestrian friendly elements along Willis Way.
The Cenotaph is in a terrible location - surrounded by parking lots.  Honestly, I didn't even know the Cenotaph existed until I saw this proposal.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - timc - 09-26-2018

(09-26-2018, 03:38 PM)Tony_Plow Wrote: If you look at the draft Uptown Public Realm Strategy, it looks like they want to link the Caroline LRT stop to the Cenotaph by adding a tree canopy and other pedestrian friendly elements along Willis Way.
The Cenotaph is in a terrible location - surrounded by parking lots.  Honestly, I didn't even know the Cenotaph existed until I saw this proposal.

Is it linking to the cenotaph, or linking to the Laurel and Spurline Trails?


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - Tony_Plow - 09-27-2018

(09-26-2018, 05:29 PM)timc Wrote:
(09-26-2018, 03:38 PM)Tony_Plow Wrote: If you look at the draft Uptown Public Realm Strategy, it looks like they want to link the Caroline LRT stop to the Cenotaph by adding a tree canopy and other pedestrian friendly elements along Willis Way.
The Cenotaph is in a terrible location - surrounded by parking lots.  Honestly, I didn't even know the Cenotaph existed until I saw this proposal.

Is it linking to the cenotaph, or linking to the Laurel and Spurline Trails?

I think the Cenotaph park is part of the Laurel Trail.  The best image of the overall plan is on page 22 of the Report - https://www.waterloo.ca/en/contentresources/resources/business/9-10-2018-UPRS-Final-Draft-to-Council.pdf

I really like the idea of enhancing Laurel Trail in the Uptown area - the updates will provide a better link between Uptown and Waterloo Park.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - rangersfan - 09-28-2018

I really like the idea of the Laurel Creek Greenway. I have always wanted to see a trail/park created a long the length of Laurel Creek.

I also like the idea of creating a park on the pumping station lands.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - darts - 09-28-2018

(09-26-2018, 02:09 PM)panamaniac Wrote:
(09-25-2018, 10:56 AM)Tony_Plow Wrote: I'm not sure I agree with converting the entire Pumping Station property on William St. into a park.
There are already a number of small parks in the area.
There is so little developable land in the Uptown core and this is a prime location right across the street from City Hall.

....

I would tend to see this as a big reason in favour of public space at that location.

Why?

People go to parks because of the equipment in the park, not because it is close to city hall. The only people who go to city hall go there to pay property taxes or set up their utility account.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - danbrotherston - 09-28-2018

(09-28-2018, 07:56 AM)darts Wrote:
(09-26-2018, 02:09 PM)panamaniac Wrote: I would tend to see this as a big reason in favour of public space at that location.

Why?

People go to parks because of the equipment in the park, not because it is close to city hall. The only people who go to city hall go there to pay property taxes or set up their utility account.

Yeah, nobody ever goes to the public square in front of Kitchener City Hall...or Toronto City Hall...or London City Hall...

Just to clarify, the above is sarcasm...all those spaces are heavily used...as is, in fact, (perhaps to a lesser extent, because there is also the uptown square) the parking lot next to Waterloo city hall, which is not entirely pleasant I find.

In any case, another vote for open space, there isn't a lot of it in Uptown, although I think it would be a reasonable trade to develop the land along King St. instead...given that plot is along the existing streetscape, continuing that would help extend uptown farther south.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - darts - 09-28-2018

(09-28-2018, 08:57 AM)danbrotherston Wrote:
(09-28-2018, 07:56 AM)darts Wrote: Why?

People go to parks because of the equipment in the park, not because it is close to city hall. The only people who go to city hall go there to pay property taxes or set up their utility account.

Yeah, nobody ever goes to the public square in front of Kitchener City Hall...or Toronto City Hall...or London City Hall...

Just to clarify, the above is sarcasm...all those spaces are heavily used...as is, in fact, (perhaps to a lesser extent, because there is also the uptown square) the parking lot next to Waterloo city hall, which is not entirely pleasant I find.

In any case, another vote for open space, there isn't a lot of it in Uptown, although I think it would be a reasonable trade to develop the land along King St. instead...given that plot is along the existing streetscape, continuing that would help extend uptown farther south.

And if those public squares were a block away, would it matter? do people go there because the city hall is there or because there is lawn chairs set up and an ice rink? Judging by Waterloo, it does not.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - robdrimmie - 09-28-2018

(09-28-2018, 09:12 AM)darts Wrote: And if those public squares were a block away, would it matter? do people go there because the city hall is there or because there is lawn chairs set up and an ice rink? Judging by Waterloo, it does not.

This is a strong point. Waterloo Public Square serves much the same purpose as Nathan Phillips and Carl Zehr Squares do and I think a big part of that is their position right in the midst of the core, rather than on the edge.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - Tony_Plow - 09-28-2018

(09-28-2018, 08:57 AM)danbrotherston Wrote:
(09-28-2018, 07:56 AM)darts Wrote: Why?

People go to parks because of the equipment in the park, not because it is close to city hall. The only people who go to city hall go there to pay property taxes or set up their utility account.

Yeah, nobody ever goes to the public square in front of Kitchener City Hall...or Toronto City Hall...or London City Hall...

Just to clarify, the above is sarcasm...all those spaces are heavily used...as is, in fact, (perhaps to a lesser extent, because there is also the uptown square) the parking lot next to Waterloo city hall, which is not entirely pleasant I find.

In any case, another vote for open space, there isn't a lot of it in Uptown, although I think it would be a reasonable trade to develop the land along King St. instead...given that plot is along the existing streetscape, continuing that would help extend uptown farther south.

It would be great if they allowed the land at the corner of King and William to be developed.  There are only three properties on the north side of Kuntz Lane (so it shouldn't be hard for the land to be consolidated) and you never see anyone using the small park in front.  In a perfect world, Chartwell would demolish the retirement home across the street and add density.


RE: Uptown Public Realm Strategy - megabytephreak - 09-28-2018

I believe part of the issue with both the park at the corner of King and William as well as the William street pumping station is water protection. My understanding is that the William Street pumping station will continue to have wells into the future, but will no longer do any treatment, instead pumping the untreated water to Strange Street to be treated. As part of the drinking water supply, that probably prevents putting a building on that land. The park by Kuntz lane has monitoring wells of some sort that might pose an issue for development, not to mentions some rather substantial electrical vaults that were installed as part of the Ion work.