By Rachel Lajunen
The fate of the old Woolworth and Kresge buildings on Sparks Street has already been decided, but the future use of the site is still in the hands of Ottawa city council.
The buildings have been ordered demolished by the owners of the property, the Bank of Nova Scotia. The bank wants to turn the site into a parking lot but needs city approval. The permit was rejected 6-4 at last week’s council meeting. Now, the bank must wait until the next council meeting scheduled for Nov. 5.
The result may have been different if all councillors had been present at the meeting, says Stephen CameronSmith, senior project manager for the bank. One council member, Coun. Ron Kolbus, was unable to attend.
“I think it would have gone in our favor if full council had been there,” says CameronSmith.
Council will have to reach a decision next time because the buildings will be torn down, he says. Asbestos and leaky oil tanks are being removed from the buildings before full demolition can occur.
“It looks like a disaster area. The buildings are virtually shells,” says Coun. Karin Howard. She visited the building site the morning of Oct. 1 to see the inside of the buildings “totally gutted.”
Ken Dale, executive director of the Sparks Street Mall Management Authority says some councillors are in a state of denial over the demolition of the buildings.
“Some councillors say when the building is knocked down, they will pass a parking permit,” he says. “Yet, it’s being knocked down.”
Howard voted against the motion because the buildings were still standing, she says.
“If the buildings were down, I would agree with a parking lot.”
Demolition is no longer an issue, however, says Coun. Allan Higdon. The debate is between a “hole in the ground” or a parking lot, he says.
The bank wants to have the land used in the best possible way, says Patti Jordan, senior consultant, Public Affairs, at the bank’s head office. “According to the Sparks Street authority, there is a public demand for parking. This is the most desired option.”
The Sparks Street Mall Management Authority and the staff of stores and restaurants in the area say anything is better than what is there now.
A temporary parking lot could work, says Dale. “With the old buildings sitting there, it’s blocking up any forward movement.”
Jill Costello, a sales clerk at Ottawa Leather Goods, which is across the street, agrees.
“Parking would be better because there is no parking around here,” says Costello.
Alain Miguelez, an urban planner running for regional council in the upcoming civic elections, disagrees saying there is already plenty of parking downtown.
“There’s the World Exchange Plaza. It’s never used to capacity and it’s free on weekends,” he says.
Miguelez says although the buildings may be lost, a parking lot may not be the answer because of the heritage of Sparks street.
“Those lands are extremely important to maintain the commercial continuity along the sidewalk on Sparks… it’s the only remaining main street which has an uninterrupted frontage of buildings.” he says.
The bank could renovate the buildings to maintain the heritage character of the buildings, suggests Coun. Elisabeth Arnold, who represents the area. The Woolworth building dates back to 1941 and the Kresge to 1929.
But, if the buildings cannot be salvaged, she wants immediate re-development of the site.
The buildings are beyond repair, says CameronSmith. A demolition worker told him that electrical work alone would cost $600,000 “and a quarter million for this and a quarter million for that.”