King-Victoria Transit Hub

[danbrotherston]

This was asked about during the virtual consultation. The answer was basically that they'll support retail in the future phases of the project, in privately-owned buildings, but the region REALLY doesn't want to be a landlord to private businesses. So they're planning to ignore the convenience benefits of a coffee stand in the main building.

The region in general, is acting strongly conservatively right now, they feel that government has no place doing much of anything, we saw this in closing the regional childcare centres with zero transition plan and against overwhelming and unanimous public opposition.

[plam]

This was asked about during the virtual consultation. The answer was basically that they'll support retail in the future phases of the project, in privately-owned buildings, but the region REALLY doesn't want to be a landlord to private businesses. So they're planning to ignore the convenience benefits of a coffee stand in the main building.

argh... not cool.

[panamaniac]

The absence of at least a coffee bar is a pretty shocking omission.

[ac3r]

These are good ideas. A little place to eat would be great. Charles Street Terminal had the Transfers bar/restaurant - while it wasn't great, it was still a very popular place for a lot of people. Having a café for really quick items or a small restaurant for people would be really useful. Forgot breakfast? No worries, grab a bagel before you sit on the GO Train. Something other than a major corporate chain would be nice, but even a Subway, McDonalds etc would be useful for people.

There are a lot of small cafes in DTK already, and we won't have more than 10 trains/day, which is not likely enough to keep another one in business. A McD, though, could draw in additional customers from outside the transit hub.

There are only 2 cafés I can think of that are within comfortable walking distance to the station. There is one at 1 Victoria and Monigram has a location next to the old McDonalds, though I don't know if that's still open or not. Another café may not be the smartest business idea because as you say there are a lot of them, but there are other things that could open up in this train station and easily work. To find anything else - whether it's for a quick meal, piece of fruit, cigarettes, newsmagazine, phone charger etc - people have to waste about 20 minutes walking further downtown to find the most basic items. It just makes sense to me to have at least one store in the central train station servicing a city of about to 620'000.

Anyway, taylortbb mentioned this was asked about a few days ago and it's because the region doesn't want to be a landlord (except they have already successfully done so before). Can't really rely on disconnected bureaucrats in suits and offices to really make rational decisions for the communities they serve, unfortunately. "People want to eat before they go to work? No! Think of the extra work we'd need to do to achieve that!"

[panamaniac]

There’s also the place in the School of Pharmacy, across the street.

[danbrotherston]

There’s also the place in the School of Pharmacy, across the street.

Is it open to the public? It is not obvious that it is, and that alone is probably makes it inaccessible.

Although, it is totally on brand for the university not to make it obvious their public facing facilities are open.

[panamaniac]

There’s also the place in the School of Pharmacy, across the street.

Is it open to the public? It is not obvious that it is, and that alone is probably makes it inaccessible.

Although, it is totally on brand for the university not to make it obvious their public facing facilities are open.

I’ve been told that it is, although it looks like it’s not.  I’ve never tried it.

[plam]

Anyway, taylortbb mentioned this was asked about a few days ago and it's because the region doesn't want to be a landlord (except they have already successfully done so before). Can't really rely on disconnected bureaucrats in suits and offices to really make rational decisions for the communities they serve, unfortunately. "People want to eat before they go to work? No! Think of the extra work we'd need to do to achieve that!"

I guess the Charles & Benton garage is Kitchener not Region. I can imagine that landlording the retail there might not be the best thing. But the region really should landlord at the transit hub.

[taylortbb]

There’s also the place in the School of Pharmacy, across the street.

Is it open to the public? It is not obvious that it is, and that alone is probably makes it inaccessible.

All UW campuses, and their food outlets, are effectively open to the public. Certainly the DC Tim Horton's got lots of traffic from RIM buildings back in the day.

I don't think there's any official policy on the subject, but given they don't check ID (and they won't, as they're definitely expected to be used by campus visitors) it'd be hard for them to prevent the general public from using them.

[tomh009]

There’s also the place in the School of Pharmacy, across the street.

And Smile Tiger is two blocks away. (The new) Cafe Pyrus is about the same.

My point was that yet another Cafe won't really make the hub a destination. But a McD might. (And I will say that I have not eaten at a McD for maybe five years so I have no personal interest in this ...)

[danbrotherston]

There’s also the place in the School of Pharmacy, across the street.

And Smile Tiger is two blocks away. (The new) Cafe Pyrus is about the same.

My point was that yet another Cafe won't really make the hub a destination. But a McD might. (And I will say that I have not eaten at a McD for maybe five years so I have no personal interest in this ...)

I guess there are two different considerations, one, making the square a destination, which can be a goal, and two, making the station work for people catching a train, which is absolutely essential.

I wouldn't call having a cafe essential for two, but I think it would advance it.  As for a McDs, I'd uhh...wait till I got to Toronto if that was the only option.

Oh, and another point, I'm not sure what hours the cafe's in DTK run...but I caught the 6:40 train a few times...which is pretty early for most shops.

[tomh009]

I wouldn't call having a cafe essential for two, but I think it would advance it.  As for a McDs, I'd uhh...wait till I got to Toronto if that was the only option.

You would. And I would. But the reality is a lot of people do eat there, and there isn't another one anywhere in DTK.

[danbrotherston]

I wouldn't call having a cafe essential for two, but I think it would advance it.  As for a McDs, I'd uhh...wait till I got to Toronto if that was the only option.

You would. And I would. But the reality is a lot of people do eat there, and there isn't another one anywhere in DTK.

There's a lot of places we don't have in DTK...

One of the advantages of being a landlord is the region could do that thing that free market folks hate...and choose winners, so they could choose an independent local business owner to operate an establishment instead of giving it to a large chain.

[Bytor]

There’s also the place in the School of Pharmacy, across the street.

And Smile Tiger is two blocks away. (The new) Cafe Pyrus is about the same.

My point was that yet another Cafe won't really make the hub a destination. But a McD might. (And I will say that I have not eaten at a McD for maybe five years so I have no personal interest in this ...)

No another café wouldn't make it a destination, as in a place people go for other than transportation services. However, a café in the terminal, or other small shops like one finds at an On Route stop, would undoubtedly be well-patronised given their location to transit.

[Acitta]

The videos for the Transit Hub Virtual Tour and the Transit Hub Virtual Meeting have now been posted on EngageWR. https://www.engagewr.ca/king-victoria-transit-hub