The proposal to install a zip line on Sparks Street has created a new buzz around the plans to rejuvenate the aging pedestrian mall.
Although it’s hard to imagine the reality of children and tourists flying overhead as the suits file into work each morning, this novelty has captured our imagination and hopefully the imagination of many others in Ottawa.
It brings attention back to the easily forgotten pedestrian mall, but it still won’t be enough to draw in the crowds needed to revitalize the empty downtown core.
Sparks Street is at the heart of the nation’s capital, just minutes away from Parliament Hill. Yet, much like other areas of the city itself, it quickly empties once work is done for the day. The boarded-up storefronts and construction crews certainly don’t help to give it a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
The zip line is like putting a Band-Aid on top of a gaping wound. So much more works needs to be done to change the image of Sparks Street in the minds of Ottawa residents before it can focus on gimmicks for tourists.
The redevelopment plans for the downtown street are understandably murky; an outdoor pedestrian mall faces many uniquely Canadian problems, mainly the less-than-hospitable weather and suburbanization. But at this point it seems consensus is clear: anything is better than nothing.
Bringing life back to this outdoor pedestrian mall is a daunting task, but it is worth the investment. The question, however, is how Sparks Street can compete with the Byward Market just a stone’s throw away?
The Sparks Street BIA and its executive director Les Gagne seem to be up to the task of turning Sparks into a commercial centre. However, with the federal government owning most of the buildings, private enterprise only has so few opportunities to revitalize the area.
Despite this, the dull and drab street has come alive before, most recently with the New Year’s Eve party that attracted thousands even in the cold weather.
The BIA’s idea to put in a farmer’s market is a change in the right direction as well, even if it will only be open in the warmer months. The sense of community and connection that a market brings is what is missing from the street’s cold stone walkways.
But Sparks Street also needs to make a move towards year-round attractions. The rise in condo development downtown is a good excuse for more restaurants and pubs to move into the area, which will help to keep the street alive on evenings and weekends.
Larger, high-traffic stores would attract people away from the Rideau Centre and make it worth people’s time to visit Sparks Street, even on a cold, wintery day.
Ottawa is a tourist attraction and this zip line will bring in some money and laughs, but don’t forget about the people who will be walking underneath. Give Sparks Street back to Ottawa residents. We’ve been waiting long enough.