Comments by Robert Ritz on Proposed Plans by GSP

June 6, 2016

This has to begin by standing back and asking the questions; why are we doing this, who is the square developed for, who is the end user, what are we trying to achieve with this injection of funds into this part of the city. Well thought out answers to these questions will eliminate the dreaded question that may be asked five years after the work is complete, “What were they thinking?”

To ensure the right decisions are being made a review of the applicable sections of the Official Plan should be made and the guiding principles that are the basis for it should be applied.

Official Plan - The Official Plan of the City of Stratford establishes the “goals, objective and policies established primarily to manage and direct physical change and the effects on the social, economic and natural environment of the municipality … and such other matters as may be prescribed.” (Section 16(1) of the Planning Act).

More specifically, the Official Plan of the City of Stratford is designed to achieve the following:

i) To establish the vision statement and the planning goals and objectives of the City as to the type of community desired and the quality of life to be achieved.

ii) To establish, in general terms, the desired type, form, pattern, intensity and character of land use and the principles and policies of the City governing the future development, redevelopment and improvement of the municipality.

iii) To assist the City in determining its position and actions on all matters related to the use of land and the development and re-development of the municipality including environmental protection, economic and sustainable development, housing, heritage resources, urban design, community improvement, transportation, services and utilities.

iv) To guide the City with respect to legislation, policies, programs and actions designed to ensure the health, safety, welfare, convenience and enjoyment of both its existing and future residents.

vii) To inform the general public, special interest groups, private interests and enterprises of the intended nature and direction of the use of land and the development, re-development, servicing and improvement of the City and how the general public and these groups and interests may access and participate effectively in the planning process of the City.

viii) To provide a framework for the preparation of more detailed plans and strategies for smaller areas of the municipality.

ix) To reduce uncertainty and to prevent premature development by generally prescribing the use of land, the transportation network, the servicing infrastructure and the sequence and timing of development.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

i) Community Excellence – Strive for excellence in all areas – economic, technological, environmental, cultural and social – while maintaining the community’s heritage and charm.

References made to parts of the Official Plan are preceded with “OP”. Excerpts of parts of the Official Plan that apply to this development are at the end of the document.

Branding – Should it be created or should it be based on what we have?

OP 4.4 DOWNTOWN CORE – (Excerpts) - The compactness and the intensity of development which characterizes the ‘Downtown Core’ facilitates pedestrian circulation and activity and serves to strengthen the identity of the core. In large measure, the Downtown Core defines the City of Stratford, establishing the identity and image of the City for both residents and visitors. . .

- the relative prominence of Downtown Core’ retailing has been eroded over recent years, and requires increased attention and emphasis in the City’s planning and development. . . .

- It is also a public gathering place; a meeting place for residents (of all ages) and visitors; a place not only for shopping but also for conducting business and government affairs; and a place also for entertainment, dining and enjoyment. It has a distinctive character defined by its centrality, its architecture and historic buildings, its converging street pattern, its compactness and its diversity of uses and activity.

The GSP concept of surface treatment and furnishings based on the railroad, the river, agriculture, theatre and technology is contrived. Instead, it should be driven by what we already have in this part of the city; the triangular plan of the converging streets and the architecture of the buildings around the square. It is what it is and it should be put on display and celebrated.

OP 4.4.5 Public Investment - The City will continue to maintain and undertake improvements and public investment in the ‘Downtown Core’ in order to make it more attractive, distinctive, convenient and safer to residents, workers, users and visitors as well as potential developers and investors. Without limiting the generality of the following, these improvements may include pedestrian amenities; street lighting and signage; tree planting, landscaping and buffering; public art; public squares and parks; views and viewing areas; vehicular circulation, parking and loading; amenities for users of public transit; and upgrading of municipal services.

What GSP is proposing is a design concept that would be ideal for a new development that is trying to make a connection to the City such as a mall developed at the gateway to the City not in a development located in the heart of the heritage district.

It is what it is. Based on the OP, the design concept should address, greet and lead the pedestrian to the river instead of a facsimile of pavers in the shape of a river. The concept should lead the pedestrian to the rail shops instead of railroad rail light fixtures. The wood clad planters and benches to resemble barn board siding as reflection of the agricultural activities is an insult to group that is a large part of our economic base and community. Furnishings should be reflective of the style and materials that were used and suited to the Victorian architecture of the core. Concepts relating to the theatre, like the river and the rail shops, should be connective; so the user of the square has a clear direction and flow towards the two theatres located less than a block away.

Technology is a given with any development but is this the right spot to show case it. It can be used to showcase, enhance and amplify the historic features of the square. The major issue of technology is its ability to perform so any technology used should be proven. It is uncertain if this is the right venue to be the testing grounds to check the failure rate of such equipment. Technology generally involves the cost of expensive delicate pieces of equipment that are challenged by ill trained users, the environment and abuse. A simple piece of technology, proven in many parts of the tourist world, is the Audio Wand Guide for tourists to take a self-guided tour or offer apps that do this. This is something that can be used throughout the entire city.

Placemaking – This should evolve from the physical attributes and spaces that are already present in Market Square.

As the GSP stated, Market Place is quite open and such places need to be developed to create some form of shaping and creating an intimate space. The creation of props for the development of such “placemaking” is arbitrary and contrived.

Signage - Most great squares of the world are the focal point of a street or at the convergence of many streets. A good plan naturally leads people to where they want to go or where the designer wants them to go.

This concept as designed will require signage within the square to direct the pedestrian to the river, other shopping areas in the core, the theatres and the rails shops. From outside of the square, signage will be required to lead people to it since it is not seen from any street, unless one passes by, except Brunswick.

Accessibility – All components of the square should be accessible including entrances to any store or business on the square. Access to businesses that have the most use should be as close as possible to parking, accessible parking, transit and mobility bus stops. The square should be accessible and connected to or be provided with pedestrian crosswalks from all sidewalks along the streets that converge onthe proposed square. The more businesses that are connected to the proposed square, or actually open on to it, the more positive is its economic impact.

Although it is promoted by GSP they flagged the accessibility issue through the midpoint of the south side of the plaza facing Market Place South which is bounded by stairs as it is estimated there is about a 5’ drop from the north side to the south side of the square. The north side has to be level because of the rink and the fountains.

GSP stated they have not yet prepared or applied the design to a topographical survey which is contrary to what one would expect in developing a plan of a sloped site even in the schematic stages.

This plan has the mobility bus drop off point that was once 14’, is now at 120’ from the accessible entrance to City Hall. Typically new is better but not in this case. Because of the steps, the distance to travel from midblock Market Place South to the accessible entrance to City Hall is 250’.

Transit – If you develop a gathering place that is used by the pedestrians, it is generally desirable that all transit routes provide direct convenient access to it. This convenience will enhance ridership to this location and increase its exposure and popularity.

GSP indicated that there will be 3 bus stops at various parts of the square. It is uncertain if all the bus routes will be using them or if some passengers from other routes will have to transfer to get to the square. It is uncertain if all routes will be stopping at the square on their way to the transit hub or after they leave the hub or both. If it is not both, then it is less convenient than the present system. If all routes do stop at the square both before and after they are at the hub, then it is certain the bus traffic around city hall increases by two-fold from the present operation. Again, if it is new it should improve the situation not make it worse, otherwise, maybe it should not change.

New Bus Terminal – David St. Louis stated that the transit study concluded the St. Patrick Street location was the best because it had the least issues of the five other locations reviewed. From questions during the Transit Meeting Open House, it was stated that the study was to select a location for the terminal other than the current location so the square could be developed in the current location behind City Hall. It should be noted that this development in the St. Patrick Street Parking Lot will result in the removal of four mature trees and a loss of up to 25 parking spaces in a lot that has a great demand for parking on court days. Access to and from this lot at the present time is from St. Patrick Street. This may be the best spot for the terminal at this time. However, will there be a better spot closer to the square that will be available in the future? If so maybe we should wait.

Loading Bay – This sully activity which also includes garbage pickup is usually located discreetly at the back of any development.

It is uncertain if it is located across from the end of Brunswick Street and if this is also the stop for the mobility bus. If this is the loading space then the trucks and buses using it block the view of the square from the Brunswick Street, the only street that has a vista of the proposed square. If it is for both it is uncertain where the mobility bus drop off is located when it is occupied by trucks used for deliveries to City Hall and possibly the merchants around the square. The diesel engines of these trucks have issues that are similar to the buses in that they can emit toxic odours if they are left running. Likewise, they can be noisy with their engines, refrigeration units or if it is the shredding truck destroying City Hall documents. The noise from this activity will disrupt any event that may be taking place on the square or will disrupt the quiet comfort of pedestrians using the square.

Programmable Square –In the great squares of the world events just happen because there is a passive reason for people to be gathered in the square be it the size, the beauty of the buildings around it, the intimacy of the space, other activities that are taking place near the space, the shelter or comfort from the sun the space provides, the absence of vehicles, the ease of getting there by walking, the proximity to parking, etc. With these elements, squares of the world do not need to be “activated” as they are already active. Downtown Stratford is active and most people would say it does not need a square to be active. Others would say if we have a square, it should not disrupt what currently makes our downtown active. Anything we do should enhance the pedestrian experience, increase ridership in our transit system and improve the convenience and quantity of parking. Most would say any investment we make should make the downtown more convenient and better than what it currently is so sales of the merchants in the downtown core only increases.

OP 4.4.1 Goals and Objectives for the Downtown Core

i) To encourage the development, re-development, enhancement and maintenance of a Downtown which is vibrant, compact, multi-functional, attractive and people friendly and which constitutes the primary focus of the City with its own distinct identity and character.

v) To make more efficient and productive use of municipally owned land used for public parking in the Downtown while at the same time not abandoning the City’s long practice of providing convenient, inexpensive parking.

GSP stated that the City has to activate the space to make it work. A programmable square has the operating cost of an event or program planner and if it is needed for the square to work then it implies that without the programmer the square will fail. If it will fail, then why are we removing the convenience of the buses and parking to build it?

Trees on the Street Sides of the Square – The foliage trees do help buffer the activity and noise of vehicles passing along the 190’ of roadway on each side of the square as well as providing shade in the “placemaker” areas. In addition to the trucks and mobility bus in the Loading Bay obscuring the view of the square from Brunswick Street so does the foliage of the trees. From within the square this foliage also blocks the view of the best features of the square. With the exception of buildings on Market Place South, the views of the Victorian Architecture of the buildings that define the perimeter of the square are hidden.

Events – To be successful an event space should not be interrupted by random sounds or flashes of head lights across the audience or stage.

As noted above there is 380’ of road way adjacent to the square where traffic noise maybe more than disruptive during and event or presentation. During the event for the World Festival of Children's Theatre at the front of City Hall, Downie Street was closed to Ontario so traffic going by the event would not disturb it and headlights from cars moving south on Downie would not shine into it. To ensure such disruption does not disturb events at the back, closure of the following streets would be required: Brunswick, local traffic only from Waterloo to Downie if screens are set up to prevent headlights from shining into the square otherwise it would be full closure; Downie, full closure from Albert to George; Wellington, full closure from Albert to St. Patrick. The closure would only be required while the event is on so the four intersections leading into the square would have to be managed to permit traffic to flow before and after the event.

Rink – The purpose of the rink is to attract people to the core so after skating they can shop or the kids can skate while the parents shop. If this is a good business plan then every mall in the country would have a rink in it.

The economics do not warrant it. At about one third the size of the other four rinks in Stratford, it is expensive to build and operate when one considers the number of people that may use it on the number days they could use it. Its only function is as leisurely use. GSP informed us that their offices were on the square located at the front of Kitchener City Hall whose rink was similar in size and “usually has people on it”. Kitchener is about seven times the size of Stratford which implies that whatever that usual number is will be about one seventh the number of the people using the Stratford outdoor rink. We know that it will not be used regularly during rainy or blizzardy weather.

If it is developed and the use is low then future Councils may eliminate public skating at the other four rinks to ensure that it will be used. To reduce the operating cost to the taxpayer will future Councils increase the cost of ice time at the other four rinks to subsidize the cost of this rink? The second phase of this plan should be illustrated to indicate where the cooling tower is for the rink. This machine when it operates is much louder than six bus engines and when it runs it will be running longer, as the rink is not in a climate controlled structure. With this issue will future Councils decide to enclose it so they can reduce its operating costs?

If it is decided to proceed with the rink GSP should inform Council on how the edges of the rink will be set up to prevent people from tripping into or over the dashers (boards around the perimeter) and how do people with accessibility issues go over this obstacle during winter months. Additionally, how will the perimeter be managed for those with skates walking on the remainder of the square to change into their boots or to use the washrooms inside City Hall? The entrance at the back of City Hall will become the change room or at least the spot to store boots so they stay warm while people are skating on those cold winter nights. This area maybe crowded and security of the rear stairs may become an issue with such activity and future Councils may need to develop a change house on the square for washrooms and to change skates. In addition to the location of the cooling tower the rink will require an ice resurfacer and GSP should indicate how the garage for it will look and where they plan to locate it and a possible change house on the square.

Water Feature – The GSP plan to have programmable shots of water that randomly spew from jets inset the concrete surface of the square controlled from IPhone users is a mine field for anyone trying to traverse through this space. It is uncertain who controls it to ensure that someone does not soak the unexpected tourist or senior short cutting through this space. It will begin as a novelty but quickly become avoided as no one really likes to get wet unexpectedly.

If the water used is the “Pump and Dump” system where clean fresh drinking water from the water main is used for this effect, then it will be too cold to enjoy. Also, with the lime quantity in the water it will not be long before the controller valves and the fountain jets lime up and stop working properly. The controller and jets cleaning or replacement will become part of the annual maintenance budget of the square; that is money which could be put towards better use.

The alternate water supply is a recirculation system using pumps and adding chlorine for hygienic purposes so the water can be recirculated. With this system less fresh water is wasted and there is the opportunity to heat it so one would want to take off their shoes and walk through it. The added costs with this system are chlorine, energy to run the pumps and the heater, when used, in addition to the jets and the controller maintenance as the chlorination does not remove the lime content from the water.

The area of the fountains will be required to be cleaned so film build up does not create a slippery surface for someone to fall when the fountains are off. Before they are used each day, the area of use has to be reviewed and swept to ensure there is not any broken glass from overnight bar activities laying on the surface that may cut someone in bare feet. Just like the rink, how often will it be operating when one considers days it cannot be used because it is too cold, it is raining or the event space is being used? Again, the budget for the fountains could be better spent elsewhere.

City Hall – This is the greatest architectural feature in the area bounded by the buildings of the perimeter of Market Square and this project that was to enhance its architectural value.

OP 4.4.10 Heritage Buildings and Streetscapes

Certain buildings, groups of buildings and streetscapes within the ‘Downtown Core’, because of their architecture or history, contribute in a significant way to its identity and character and, as a result, the City as-a-whole. Amongst the most noteworthy in this regard are City Hall, Perth County Court House, Festival Square, Market Square, Ontario Street and York Street. The City recognizes the significance of these and other landmarks and similar areas in the ‘Downtown Core’ and may take measures to protect their continued existence and integrity (in accordance with Section 3.5 of this Plan) to encourage their restoration, maintenance and functional use; and to enhance their surroundings.

It appears that the GSP design has placed parking at the sides of the building and the rear façade is ignored other than a few plants at the base, dropping a screen over it for a movie or projecting images on the back of it. Now when people are taking pictures of the magnificent front façade, their photos will show the cars parked on both sides of City Hall.

With respect to the rear, there has been no effort in the design of the portable stage other than being a portable stage detaching itself from this façade. The washrooms for the square are behind the stage, at the front of the event, versus being at the back behind the focus of the event. This will conflict with certain productions as this would also be the area used for the back stage of the event. This conflict will limit the type of events that can use the stage in this location.

The parking on Market Place South is to be used for audience overflow of major events in the square. This audience venue is set about 5’ lower than the area where the stage is located and the people who arrive late will have the audience that arrived earlier standing or sitting in front of them restricting their view of the stage.

The slope of the site for viewing is indicating the best spot for the stage should be on the south side. However during an event, on Market Place this location would be a great inconvenience to the store owner’s as the portable stage would conceal the entrances to the stores on this block, and it would be awkward for their customers trying to access these stores. Placing the stage on the south side does not provide space for backstage activities and this location its back is to the rear façade of City Hall totally ignoring in it. Maybe this side of City Hall is not the right location for staged events.

Lighting – The Victorian Architecture of the buildings that define the perimeter of Market Square as well as the focal point of the square, City Hall, are what this area is all about. It is what it is, wonderful buildings that should be put on display and enhanced with exterior illumination. That is one of the major reasons pedestrians like being in Market Square, it is the triangular boundary of beautiful buildings that encircle Queen of the square and all should be enhanced with lights focused on them. Vegetation such as trees and other elements such as fountains should also be illuminated. The reflective illumination from the buildings and elements should be adequate to illuminate the street or supplemented with strategically placed lighting so the need for street lights could be eliminated.

OP 4.4.1 Goals and Objectives for the Downtown Core

The lighting design as proposed by GSP is an entity onto its own that resembles the lighting found in used car and Christmas tree sales lots back in the day. The buildings have been completely ignored. If Council decides to proceed with the GSP lighting design, efforts should be made to reduce the lighting pollution from the existing street lights that will remain on adjacent streets. If this does not happen, any effect that GSP was trying to achieve will be lost to the orange pink glow, lighting the remainder of the core.

Skate-Boarding – With the investment by Council on the new skate board park, how is this activity being discouraged from taking place in the square? Are there features on the furnishings and landscaping to discourage the use of such elements as props in skate boarding? If there is a programmer of the square, will it be part of their duties to manage skateboarders or is this to be managed by the police? Has the additional policing cost been included in the budget?

Slow Food/ Farmer’s Market – The City has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars on a relatively new permanent year round outdoor/indoor Farmer’s Market at the north edge of the City. Although a Market in the square would be in a more central location the concept proposed by GSP has market tents with back to the store fronts along Market Place South. This is not conducive to the businesses along Market Place South and should be reversed so there is interaction of customers between the temporary tent merchants and the merchants along Market Place South. These tents also obscure the facades and signage of the stores along Market Place South. Even at the schematic stage the GSP illustrations are unrealistic and should illustrate the vans that would be adjacent to each merchant’s tent. This will adjust the present GSP layout of the market especially the tents located on Market Place north adjacent to the back of City Hall. The layout of the tents along the rear of City Hall does not exemplify or provide focus to the rear façade of City Hall and it ignores it in the same way one would layout a market next to the wall of the school gym. As laid out the tents on the square focus and become and entity onto themselves ignoring and discouraging interaction with the other businesses located around the perimeter of the square and featuring City Hall as its focal point.

Pedestrian Traffic Signals – One comment from the audience suggested a way to slow traffic as it approached the square to reduce the risk to pedestrians walking to the square and crossing streets. Cross walks are proposed to cross Downie and Wellington to get into the square from the rest of the core. If Pedestrian Traffic Signals are proposed for the Downie Street crossing at George will these be required at all the other crossings? If so, is there another method to eliminate the need for Pedestrian Traffic Signals at crosswalks such as reducing the speed limit on Downie and Wellington to 30 kph or placing speed bumps or both? The issue with the traffic signals is that they will detract from the Victorian architecture of Market Square.

Parking – Council has to look at the CBD as developers of a commercial development so that it flourishes and generates revenues not only for them but for the tenants that rent these buildings. Every commercial development relies on adequate parking. The two types of parking are, convenient in front of store short term parking required for stores offering convenient services; and long term parking for patrons of the performances at our theatres, stores where shopping is an event, for restaurants where the meal is more than a snack and a drink to go and staff parking for those that work in the stores and restaurants and those that work in the offices above the stores.

Street Parking – Convenient in-front of store street parking will be lost with this development. This is the most valued parking in the core as it cannot be located anywhere except in front of stores. The parking lot in Market Place has been there for some time and has on its own right historical significance to remain there. Three of the four photos of Market Place that GSP used on their opening slide illustrated the space being used as a parking lot, two illustrated buggy’s and horses and one as it is today. The photo where it was not used for parking was during a Canada Day Event. In the day and to this day this parking was and is key to the prosperity of the merchants that this parking lot is in front of. This parking is a non-renewable resource and cannot just be relocated anywhere else to have the same benefit and impact it currently does. The GSP plan loses about 40% of the present parking and it may reduce sales in the stores that rely on it for its convenience.

OP 4.4.1 v) To make more efficient and productive use of municipally owned land used for public

parking in the Downtown while at the same time not abandoning the City’s long practice of

providing convenient, inexpensive parking.

OP 4.4.6 Municipally-Owned Lands In the development of these lands, the City may retain design control; may require the provision of public amenities; and may require assurances that any existing on-site parking will be retained by requiring the provision of an equivalent or greater amount of parking within the development or at convenient alternative locations elsewhere in the ‘Downtown Core’.

OP 4.4.8 Parking The supply, cost and convenience of parking in the ‘Downtown Core’, both on-street and off-street, is considered a vital element to its continued economic health. The City will, therefore, maintain and increase (where feasible) the supply of parking in the ‘Downtown Core’. Where redevelopment or traffic management measures would lead to a loss of municipally owned or operated, off-street parking or on-street parking, every effort will be made to ensure an equivalent amount is provided at a comparable cost and location.

Incentive Parking – Generally means the price goes up for premium or convenient spots. Here is another way of looking at it. To ensure the remaining convenient on street parking is used as such, there should be severe fines or towing for those that park in those spaces for more than one hour. To further encourage this and be competitive with the free parking, most other businesses offer the first 15 minutes of parking should be free and the cost of the parking for 10 minutes is $0.25. The merchants are happy it is free for 15 minutes, $0.01 per minute for the first 25 minutes. The city still makes $1.00 in the first 55 minutes and $1.50 per hour for every hour after that. This would encourage short term shopping and discourage long term parking in convenient spots and increases the cost of parking in all other spaces that are not in front of stores. The row of parking in the Erie Street lot adjacent to the Wellington Street stores would be considered short term parking.

Parking Model - The term “parking model” was used at the open house and anyone who works with models know they can be shaped to whatever conclusion the programmer of the model desires. The parking requirements for the core should be based on the zoning by-law for the respective uses in the core. Unless there was a misunderstanding, the Manager of Development Services indicated to me the model will be based on the parking requirements for the Central Business District (CBD) as it is defined in the zoning by-law which does not require parking for uses in existing buildings and only additions and new structures are required to provide parking. To have the same opportunity for development as the rest of the City and until the transit system has a higher ridership, for the parking model, the parking requirements for the CBD should be the same as the rest of the city. There are many different uses in the CBD and the future uses will be within the vacant space on the upper levels of the buildings or vacant land. The uses typical of the upper floors will be offices or apartments. The requirement for office use is one space for every 50 sm and apartments are one per apartment. A one bedroom could be 50 sm so this is the ratio that should be used for modelling to determine how many parking spaces are required for the upper floors in the CBD regardless of their current development.

Future Parking - There will be a time when the Rails Shops site will be developed and cannot be used to accommodate the entire parking shortfall of the CBD. Some of the parking required by businesses at the south end of Downie or theatre may still be located on this site in garages under future buildings developed on the site. Garage parking will be in Stratford’s future. Other than the Rails Shops site the other site for a garage in the Erie Street parking lot. The north end of this lot is central to the west end of Ontario Street and the Court House, the east end of Ontario Street to Waterloo, the south end of Wellington to St. Patrick and to George Street on Downie. Any development proposed for the Erie Street lot should be designed to encourage higher rent residential development above the Wellington Street stores facing this development and the existing uses and the parking behind the Wellington Street store should remain. Occupants of apartments prefer looking out their window at another apartment versus a parking garage as such the Erie Street garage should be underground so that retail and residential can be developed above it as part of the garage development or in the future. Here is a possible idea of how to finance it without burdening the tax payer: 1) Offer the land to a company that constructs and manages parking garages. 2) The parking spaces are sold as commercial condo units to adjacent land owners and investors with the current number of spaces reserved for public parking. 3) The land cost would be an exchange for the public spaces free if they develop a four to five level underground structure that is capable of supporting a four storey building above it. 4) The parking garage operator collects and keeps all parking revenues to amortize their costs of development and maintenance. 5) The operator does not pay property taxes since they set it up as a not-for-profit. 6) They can sell the air rights above the garage for a building over the west half of the lot. 7) The city collects property taxes from the buildings that are developed above the garage.

Cost - The cost of the project is $3.05 million with development of the square at $1.85 million plus the $1.2 million for the transit terminal. $1.55 million is provided by Walmart, the Sesquicentennial fund and the funds from RTO4. The remaining $1.5 million must be covered by the taxpayer in one form or another. The operating cost of the square: the fountains, the rink, the labour to set up and tear down staging for events, the policing, the programmer and the maintenance of the remote Transit Terminal will definitely be at the taxpayers’ expense. To understand the cost to the taxpayer, what is the city’s portion of the average single detached dwelling property tax bill? What does this amount increase by to develop and operate the square with the capital cost amortized over 10 years plus the annual operating cost?

July 2017 Deadline - Why does the square have to be permanent versus temporary by this deadline? Projects for Public Spaces is a design firm that were the designers of the Pedestrian plazas at Times Square, Herald Square, and Madison Square Park in NYC. This planning firm has been referenced on the website of the Market Square Committee. I asked Erik Battista (ebattista@pps.org) of Projects for Public Spaces, to comment on the Heritage Square plan at the front of City Hall and he made this comment in his reply email,

“What it comes down to is that, while the design looks great, we would need to really know the process, stakeholders, local conditions, and all these other details to feel comfortable weighing in. Only thing we can really suggest is to pitch a series of quick/cheap pilot projects to test both designs and have them support programmatic visions for the spaces. Given the conflicting outreach results, this might be a prudent way for the City to verify that whatever solution they choose will produce the best user experience.”

Based on the same concerns of others, is this the right plan for the back? It would be prudent to test it and other locations for a square so we know what it is right and what it could evolve into. There is no stipulation that the Walmart money is for a permanent “redevelopment of an above-ground public space in downtown Stratford at Market Square”.

As per PPS suggestion regarding the location of the square the transit terminal location should also be tested.

Public Participation – At the end of the meeting Stephanie Potter informed me that other than staff and Councillors about 60 people attended the meeting. I would have expected more.

The Heritage Square open house for the square at the front had about 240 people attend and the Market Square open house for the three concepts for the square in Market Place had 260 people attend. What is more dramatic, more than 1,200 people participated in the petition to have Council compare the square at the front with the back with an Economic Impact Study to determine the best location from an economic point of view.

After the petition was submitted Council took no action on the public’s request. Putting it in perspective, this would be like 1.2 million Canadians petitioning the Government of Canada and getting no response. If that happened how would you feel as a citizen?

At the Market Square open house the public was asked to rate the three plans. 70 of the 260 did. After Council chose the plan least favoured by the citizens, through a Council meeting, a few councillors encouraged citizens to participate in the next stage of the project, the schematic design process. This process was basically by invitation only for seven stakeholder groups and fifteen downtown merchants.

This reduction in numbers of the public participating from 260 to 1,200 to 60 is alarming and should in itself be a major concern of Council. Whether the people are disinterested or disheartened, both reasons are an indication to Council that to continue on the course they are on does not appear to have major public support.

Maybe it is a coincidence that last week we witnessed the celebration on the steps of City Hall on Sunday and Vic Hayter’s Hotel sign read, ”If the plan does not work change the plan but never the goal.”

OP 2.3 xi) Public Participation - Provide ample, effective and meaningful opportunities to increase public awareness and participation in the planning process using an approach which is responsive and flexible.

Excerpts from the Official Plan that Apply to this Development

OP 4.2 COMMUNITY STRUCTURE

A distinguishing characteristic of Stratford and one which has had a strong influence on the development of the City is its radial pattern of major streets which converge on the ‘Downtown Core’. Three of these streets (Huron Street, Ontario Street and Erie Street) are named after the Great Lakes which lie in the direction they take beyond the City boundary. The CN railway, following a route to the south of the ‘Downtown Core’ and, more or less, in the same alignment as the Avon River, is also a significant defining feature of the municipality. At the centre of the City lies the ‘Downtown Core’, undoubtedly the City’s heart and the area of most intensive development and diverse activity. In order to retain and enhance this diversity, this Plan intends to safeguard and strengthen the key uses and components of the ‘Downtown Core’, which are identified as retailing, offices, business and personal services, culture, entertainment, dining and accommodation, public administration, and community and recreation activities. The retail sector in the Core requires particular attention, as its relative importance to residents of the City and surrounding regional area has declined in recent years.

i) Downtown Core - The historic mixed use centre is focused on the three major arterial roads which converge in the Core – Ontario Street, Erie Street and Huron Street.

OP 4.4 DOWNTOWN CORE

Stratford’s Downtown core is a compact, multi-use and multi-functional area located at the historic and geographic centre of the City. Its strategic location at the centre of the City and at the termination of five major arterial roads makes it highly accessible to all parts of the City and the surrounding region and is considered a major contributing factor for its continued health and prosperity. The compactness and the intensity of development which characterizes the ‘Downtown Core’ facilitates pedestrian circulation and activity and serves to strengthen the identity of the core. In large measure, the Downtown Core defines the City of Stratford, establishing the identity and image of the City for both residents and visitors. While the Downtown Core’ remains the City’s primary retail focus in terms of the policy intent of this Plan, the relative prominence of Downtown Core’ retailing has been eroded over recent years, and requires increased attention and emphasis in the City’s planning and development approval process for retail land uses. The ‘Downtown Core’ is also the centre of government and business being the location of the Perth County Court House, City Hall and the County of Perth Administration offices and Council Chambers. It is also a public gathering place; a meeting place for residents (of all ages) and visitors; a place not only for shopping but also for conducting business and government affairs; and a place also for entertainment, dining and enjoyment. It has a distinctive character defined by its centrality, its architecture and historic buildings, its converging street pattern, its compactness and its diversity of uses and activity. The range of land uses in the Downtown Core is much wider than that of any other location in the City, ensuring that the Downtown area can function as the true “central place” for the community. This location provides the greatest opportunity for multi-purpose trips for those residing some distance from the Downtown and provides an inherent synergy and efficiency for unique benefit for the residents of the central parts of Stratford having immediate access to such a full range of goods and services.

OP 4.4.1 Goals and Objectives for the Downtown Core

i) To encourage the development, re-development, enhancement and maintenance of a Downtown which is vibrant, compact, multi-functional, attractive and people friendly and which constitutes the primary focus of the City with its own distinct identity and character.

ii) To maintain the Downtown as the City’s centre for retail and service trade and government services and to reverse the relative decline in the retail sector by establishing the ‘Downtown Core’ as the location of first choice for new retail development.

iii) To increase the diversity and number of residential opportunities.

iv) To encourage the rehabilitation and ‘recycling’ of functionally obsolete buildings and floor space no longer suited for the purpose for which they were originally designed or built.

Policies for the Downtown Core

OP 4.4.2 Permitted Uses

Because the ‘Downtown Core’ is the heart of the City, not only in geographic, community

identity and historic terms, but also as the healthy and fully functioning central place for

activities of significance to residents of the City and surrounding region, the priority uses for the

‘Downtown Core’ shall be:

i) all types of retail uses, including specialized and/or comprehensive retail facilities serving a

City-wide or regional customer base, and retailers oriented to theatre patrons, tourists and

visitors, as well as retail facilities oriented to the daily and weekly needs of residents,

especially those located in and around the ‘Downtown Core’;

ii) business, professional and administrative offices;

iii) business and personal services of all types, including hotels, conference facilities and other similar uses;

iv) culture, entertainment, dining and accommodation; v) governmental facilities, public administration and other institutional uses;

vi) facilities for community and indoor recreation activities and parks and open space.

In recognition of the diversity and multi-purpose role of the ‘Downtown Core’ as designated on Schedule “A B”, a wide range of uses will be permitted including, but not limited to, the priority uses identified above. Additional permitted uses shall include small scale, unobtrusive manufacturing, wholesaling and repair uses. Residential uses are also permitted in the upper stories of commercial buildings, as a component of mixed use developments, or in former industrial or commercial buildings no longer suited for their original purpose, or in free standing structures. Uses that do not make an intensive use of land will be discouraged. The actual permitted uses will be set out in the Zoning By-law.

OP 4.4.3 Compactness and Intensity

The City recognizes the importance of compactness and intensity of development as critical

elements in maintaining the distinctive character of the ‘Downtown Core’, its ‘people-friendly’

environment and in its continued ability to fulfill its multi-functional role. Proposals, therefore, which would serve to undermine the compactness of the ‘Downtown Core’ by resulting in or leading to a proliferation of development beyond its boundary, or which would not constitute an intensive use of land, or which would not be conducive or convenient to pedestrian activity will be discouraged.

OP 4.4.4 Design, Form, and Scale of New Development

To maintain the distinctive character of the ‘Downtown Core’, the City will encourage and use the legislation available to it to ensure that the design, form and scale of new development, of redevelopment, and of signage respects, and ideally enhances, the established character and fabric of the Downtown and does not introduce elements of building or site design which are inconsistent or contrary to its established character and fabric.

OP 4.4.5 Resident Population

The City recognizes the importance and benefits of an increased resident population in the ‘Downtown Core’. For its residents, the ‘Downtown Core’ offers a unique living environment in the City. At the same time, a resident population enhances the vibrancy and safety of the ‘Downtown Core’ (particularly after the close of the working day), provides an additional market for Downtown shops and services, and provides a viable use for functionally obsolete buildings and floor space. The City will, therefore, encourage the conversion of upper storey floor space and obsolete buildings to residential purposes as well as encourage new residential construction in the form of free standing structures towards the periphery of the core or as a component of mixed use development projects provided there is sufficient capacity in the City’s water and sanitary sewage system or assurance satisfactory to the Ministry of Environment and Energy is provided that there will be capacity in these systems to accommodate development. To this end, the City will participate in programs of other government levels designed to facilitate the provision of residential accommodation in the ‘Downtown Core’ and may introduce measures (such as low cost loan programs, reduction or elimination of development charges, review of zoning regulations) to facilitate residential development in the ‘Downtown Core’.

OP 4.4.5 Public Investment

The City will continue to maintain and undertake improvements and public investment in the ‘Downtown Core’ in order to make it more attractive, distinctive, convenient and safer to residents, workers, users and visitors as well as potential developers and investors. Without limiting the generality of the following, these improvements may include pedestrian amenities; street lighting and signage; tree planting, landscaping and buffering; public art; public squares and parks; views and viewing areas; vehicular circulation, parking and loading; amenities for users of public transit; and upgrading of municipal services.

OP 4.4.6 Municipally-Owned Lands

The City recognizes the strategic importance and development potential of municipally-owned land in the ‘Downtown Core’ and may actively encourage the development of these lands in a manner which will set an example for Downtown development; which will fulfill a need in the ‘Downtown Core’ or in the community in general; and which complements existing activities and facilities. The City will, therefore, consider conveying these lands or entering into joint ventures or long term leases of municipally owned land to facilitate desirable development. The acquisition and assembly of land by the City may also be undertaken where necessary to facilitate development and where the benefits of such acquisition or assembly are clearly apparent. In the development of these lands, the City may retain design control; may require the provision of public amenities; and may require assurances that any existing on-site parking will be retained by requiring the provision of an equivalent or greater amount of parking within the development or at convenient alternative locations elsewhere in the ‘Downtown Core’. The City will also consider appropriate measures to encourage and support the viability of ‘brownfields’ redevelopment to facilitate reuse and redevelopment of lands.

OP 4.4.7 Public Facilities and Services

In the location or relocation of public facilities or services (and, in particular, cultural facilities) provided by the City or any of its agencies, the City will consider first the feasibility and desirability of establishing such facilities or services in the ‘Downtown Core’. The City will also actively encourage the provincial and federal government and their agents and crown corporations to locate any regional facilities serving the area to locate in the ‘Downtown Core’ consistent with the goals and objectives of this Plan.

OP 4.4.8 Parking

The supply, cost and convenience of parking in the ‘Downtown Core’, both on-street and offstreet, is considered a vital element to its continued economic health. The City will, therefore, maintain and increase (where feasible) the supply of parking in the ‘Downtown Core’. Where redevelopment or traffic management measures would lead to a loss of municipally owned or operated, off-street parking or on-street parking, every effort will be made to ensure an equivalent amount is provided at a comparable cost and location.

OP 4.4.9 Cash-in-lieu of Parking

The City may require, as a condition of development in the ‘Downtown Core’, the provision of adequate parking or alternatively cash-in-lieu thereof — such monies being placed in a reserve fund to be utilized by the City for the provision of parking elsewhere in the ‘Downtown Core’. Alternatively, the City may grant relief from its parking requirements where, in its opinion, such requirements constitute an insurmountable obstacle to otherwise desirable development or rehabilitation in the ‘Downtown Core’.

OP 4.4.10 Heritage Buildings and Streetscapes

Certain buildings, groups of buildings and streetscapes within the ‘Downtown Core’, because of their architecture or history, contribute in a significant way to its identity and character and, as a result, the City as-a-whole. Amongst the most noteworthy in this regard are City Hall, Perth County Court House, Festival Square, Market Square, Ontario Street and York Street. The City recognizes the significance of these and other landmarks and similar areas in the ‘Downtown Core’ and may take measures to protect their continued existence and integrity (in accordance with Section 3.5 of this Plan) to encourage their restoration, maintenance and functional use; and to enhance their surroundings.

OP 4.4.11 Market Square

The City recognizes the particular uniqueness, special role and untapped potential of Market

Square in the centre of the ‘Downtown Core’. Efforts will be made to protect and preserve the

distinctive architectural character of Market Square and to create a more people friendly

environment as well as a public gathering place for civic events and activities.

OP 4.4.12 Truck Traffic

While it is apparent that the provision of a truck bypass around the periphery or beyond the

City will not significantly reduce the movement of large trucks through the ‘Downtown Core’,

the City will implement or assist in the implementation of measures to reduce truck traffic

through the ‘Downtown Core’ where the cost is not substantial and it is financially feasible for

the City to do so.

Conclusion – To conclude the best location for the square is the one that best complies with applicable sections of the Official Plan and the guiding principles that are the basis for it . . .

The front: where the event took place and the pictures were taken last Sunday night.

Submitted by,

Robert Ritz, 322 Ontario Street, 519-271-4603