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Residents’ feedback helps deďŹ ne downtown’s future By STACEY ROY sroy@perfprint.ca
EMC News - The vision of Smiths Falls future downtown core is beginning to come into focus following the most recent public session where draft proposals were reviewed by residents and stakeholders. The Nov. 15 session at the Comfort Inn welcomed a good number of residents to review key elements of the proposed Downtown Revitalization and Waterfront Integration Master Plan. Bruce Cudmore represented the two Âżrms (EDA and Sierra Planning and Management) leading the planning process and explained the importance of having both an overall long-term plan and a Community Improvement Plan for the downtown core. “The revitalization really needs to be achieved by the development of both these plans,â€? Cudmore said. “So they are mutually reinforcing at the end.â€? The master plan provides overall guidance for future projects while the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) will outline a speciÂżc area where unique supporting grants will be available to ensure the core is set out against the town. Consultants and the town have completed the preliminary work and are now looking at identifying which grants will help Smiths Falls business owners and the downtown thrive the most. The draft master plan is lengthy and documents are
Photo by STACEY ROY
Tony Humphreys of Davidson’s Courtyard considers the graphic representation of the proposed Smiths Falls Downtown Revitalization and Waterfront Integration Master Plan during a public meeting held Nov. 15. Another meeting will be held when detailed plans are sketched out. available online at www.smithsfalls.ca/downtownplan.cfm. When complete, the plan will strengthen the connection between the downtown and the waterfront while rejuvenating the downtown as a whole. This is most clearly seen in the suggestion to extend all roads leading down to the water right down to the proposed green space set back of the canal. Improving the visibility of the water from downtown could be further enhanced by removing the cement walls of the Beckwith Street bridge. “The downtown and waterfront is what makes this community very special,� Cudmore said. For this reason the consultants are planning to establish several lookout spots along
the waterfront for the public. Helping them get there will be a new pedestrian bridge connecting the downtown with the waterfront walking path. “It provides that missing link,� said Nikki McKernan, planning assistant for the town. A request to have a circuit that could be safely walked around the combined locks area was made. One resident noted the repairs to one of the existing pedestrian bridges in the park is needed as is a safe pedestrian route along Abbott Street. Just as the plan speaks to adding bridges, the suggestion to remove Confederation Drive to expand the surrounding park lands was also put forward. Desmond Foley of Smiths
Falls voiced concern with the proposal to move the RV park from Victoria Park to another location, saying its an active place in the summer and a great draw for downtown businesses. “I see the RV park as a big bonus,â€? Foley added. “It’s a gold mine.â€? In order to draw boaters into the commercial core residents suggested way-Âżnding signs by the docks. Foley thought the existing lock station gates workshop would make a tourist attraction, to which McKernan replied discussions are under way. “That’s something that
Parks Canada is considering,â€? she conÂżrmed. Welcoming visitors goes beyond the waterfront to the roadways that lead into town. Establishing a repeated gateway image was another key element of the plan. These could be placed at the key community access points such as the corner of Abbott and Lombard streets. “That’s an important arrival point,â€? Cudmore said, noting drivers can choose to bypass the downtown or not at this junction. Beckwith Street Once in the downtown there was no debate around the need to diversify the mix of retail to encourage shop-to-shop visiting. On the perennial issue of parking two options were put forward: angled parking (with drive in or back in) and parallel parking. Another suggestion by consultants was to stagger the parking meter fee for most convenient (most expensive), somewhat convenient and not convenient parking (least expensive or free). “That seemed like a very good idea,â€? remarked Lois Dewey. The suggestion to slow trafÂżc by expanding the sidewalks is being reviewed by town staff to see if there are any impacts to snow removal. One resident questioned the notion of redirecting the trafÂżc from Tim Hortons and Burger King onto
the side streets as it would be a congestion nightmare for property owners in that area who already report congestion from those parking to get to those establishments. “It would just be a disaster,â€? said Noel White. He wonders if any studying is being done to see how these changes to Beckwith Street will impact Abbott Street trafÂżc. To make downtown friendlier to those on foot a proposal to establish a deÂżned pedestrian crossing at every intersection along Beckwith Street and one between town hall and the Tim Hortons is being put forward. Kinsmen Park beside the town hall will receive a facelift under the draft plan. Consultants see this as a great location for a community square where public events and social gatherings can take place. By closing off Daniel Street between the library and municipal complex the consultants feel they can bring in more green space and a deÂżned courtyard, which is very much needed in that end of town. “It’s a place where things happen,â€? Cudmore said of the downtown in general. “We feel the pedestrians need to be given greater priority.â€? Rob Irvine recommended making the Carnegie library the focal backdrop for the town square. Detailed drawings on the plan will be coming forward.
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www.rideaulumber.com THE EMC - SF4 - Thursday, November 22, 2012
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Preserving the Past for the Future