Architect's plan for ByWard Market curbs street parking
Unsolicited plan calls for road closures, underground parking
A local architect is hoping Ottawa will embrace his vision for a ByWard Market built more for people than for parking.
Toon Dreessen, president of the Ottawa-based group Architects DCA, presented his plan for the market at an open house Tuesday evening.
He took the project on himself, not as a result of a city commission, and said he shops in the market regularly and believes it can be better.
"I am not being paid to do this. I believe this is a worthwhile endeavour and I think as architects we have a lot to offer," he said. "By engaging a public conversation about this, we can try to understand how the public might imagine a better market."
Dreessen's proposed plan would be phased in gradually, starting with barring vehicular access to ByWard Market Square and William Street, which run beside the market building.
York, Clarence and George streets would also lose their on-street parking, leaving more space for pedestrians and cyclists. The streets would be redesigned into traffic-calmed "woonerfs" — where cars, cyclists and pedestrians share the same space.
If that succeeds, he proposes making those changes permanent, demolishing the parking garage on York Street, creating a multi-floor underground parking garage instead, and making York Street a woonerf, too.
"[The parking garage] really sticks out from the line of all the other buildings on York Street," he said. "We allow a parking garage to dominate the skyline."
'Promoting vibrant public space'
The city is doing a review of the ByWard Market precinct and has recently invested in overhauls of the George Street and York Street plazas.
Dreessen said he wants his idea about parking to get a conversation going.
"I hope this provokes a public conversation about architecture and the role of architects in promoting vibrant public space," he said.
The first step, the temporary closures, could be achieved cheaply with planters and simple barriers, he added.
Coun. Mathieu Fleury, who represents the market on city council, applauded Dreessen for taking the project on.
"It is really good to see professionals that are passionate about our city take time and contribute pro bono," he said.
Fleury said he likes the idea of a more bustling market, but didn't weigh in specifically on whether street parking should be removed.
"The challenge to me is not for or against cars, it is about how do we beautify and how do we ensure spaces can be animated?" he said.
He also said he hopes there will be more funding over the next four years to improve the market.
Want to check out the proposal for yourself? It's on display until Nov. 13 on the ground floor of the ByWard Market Square Building.