By Matt Sekeres
Not everybody likes a parade. Merchants in Centretown and the Glebe are preparing for the mixed blessings associated with an additional parade down Bank Street.
The 17th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade will follow a new route this year. The change came about after the regional government enacted a by-law last year that prevents parades from crossing the Rideau canal.
Instead of beginning at St. Patrick’s Basilica, heading to Somerset, and turning north on Bank toward Wellington and Rideau streets, the March 13 parade will turn south from Somerset and proceed down Bank to Lansdowne Park.
Merchants in both Centretown and the Glebe hope disruptions to business are minimal and that parade spectators spend liberally.
Gerry LePage, executive director of the Bank Street Promenade, says he’d like to see limits on the number of parades the street hosts.
But he doesn’t think parades themselves are bad.
“What better way to have people discover the urban core than by having a major event, such as a parade?”
LePage says Centretown merchants are concerned the large number of parades are putting a stranglehold on business. He says certain kinds of businesses, like restaurants and pubs, benefit from parades. On the other hand, retail establishments are hindered.
In March, LePage is set to make a presentation to the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton’s transportation committee to express the concerns Centretown merchants have about the number of parades and the extended road closures that result.
In 1997, the region lifted a parking ban along Bank Street during parades at the request of Glebe merchants. The region plans to continue the policy until people complain or until the police raise safety concerns.
Glebe merchants are upset by the by-law preventing parades from crossing the canal.
“By default they’ve made Bank Street the parade route,” says Marc Bordeleau of the Glebe Business Group.
LePage disagrees. “There’s Elgin Street, there’s the market area, Sussex,” he says. “There are other main commercial streets that a parade would do very well on.”
Glebe merchants also want to cap the number of parades. He says co-operation is needed to take the pressure off Bank Street as a parade route.
“The problem is there are no limits on parades down Bank Street,” says Bordeleau. “We’ve got to agree on how many parades can come down there and we’re looking for fairness with other areas of Ottawa.”
The region estimates five or six parades will proceed down Bank Street in 1999. Only large parades, like the Santa Claus and St. Patrick’s Day events, require road closures and parking restrictions.
St. Patrick’s Day parade organizers intend to make the event as painless as possible.
They expect about 75 entries, including floats, marching bands and dancers, and a total of 500 people participating this year.
The parade usually draws between 8,000 and 10,000 spectators.
Parade organizer Patrick McDonald says Centretown and Glebe merchants will be impressed with the parade marshals’ efficiency in setting up and removing street barriers.
It’s the parade’s first year along the new route so it’s important the parade creates a solid relationship with affected merchants, he says.
“I can appreciate the businessman’s point of view,” he says. “However, our group over the years has reduced the problem of holding up street and traffic congestion.”