By Candice O’Grady
Sparks Street store owners are divided over the National Capital Commission’s proposal to build an underground parking lot on the corner of Sparks and Metcalfe streets.
Although some merchants believe the parking lot, which could hold up to 30 tour buses and 650 cars, could bring a much needed flow of pedestrians through the mall, others say there are better ways to revitalize Sparks Street.
Reza Ghaftari, who works at Canada’s Four Corners store, across from the proposed site supports the parking lot, but with one condition. “I’m all for it as long as they don’t tear down heritage buildings,” he said.
Elie Braks, co-owner of Bello Uomo men’s clothing store, said shoppers are frustrated by full lots and parking tickets, adding that more parking could increase business.
“I think it’s a good idea because there’s just not enough parking space . . . there may be better sales if we had the parking we used to have,” he said.
Laurie Peters, spokesperson for the NCC, said the proposed parking lot would improve the pedestrian mall in both the short and long term. She said tourists on their way to Parliament Hill would spill out of the parking lot right onto Sparks Street.
But not everyone agrees that building a new parking lot will benefit Sparks Street.
Margaret Lewis, co-owner of O’Shea’s Market Ireland, said tourists walk to the mall from tour buses. She said that most of her local clients come to shop on weekends when parking is free and easier to find.
Others are concerned about the disruption caused by construction. Store owners fear sales will fall during the construction period.
“There are always consequences to construction like detours and rerouting street. . . the timing is important,” said Muriel Assaff, an employee at Selena Maternity.
Somerset Ward Councilor Elisabeth Arnold believes there are cheaper alternatives to the NCC’s parking lot proposal.
“We need tourism on Parliament Hill without ruining the street . . .greater funding for public transit is the way to get people to Sparks Street, not building an expensive parking lot,” said Arnold.
The NCC has asked the City of Ottawa for input on the parking lot proposal, which is still in the preliminary planning stages. The NCC received $2.5 million to conduct relevant studies, the first of which is the parking and traffic study currently underway. Peters said the results should be released by next spring.