By Erin Conway-Smith
A recent National Capital Commission decision to ditch a long-debated plan for a plaza at the corner of Sparks and Metcalfe streets has some Sparks Street retailers breathing a sigh of relief.
The proposed project would have meant the destruction of buildings on Metcalfe Street to build a public plaza and an underground parking garage. The plan might also have required the relocation of several heritage buildings.
The cancellation of the project was announced earlier this month at the NCC’s annual general meeting. Spokeswoman Laurie Peters said the decision came after an independent study concluded the merits of the project would be outweighed by potential drawbacks — most notably, damage to the area’s historical integrity.
Some merchants have argued the parking garage would help the acute parking shortage in the area and bring much-needed shoppers to the beleaguered mall. Others feared for the historical preservation of the area.
“I think the NCC is to be congratulated on making the right decision,” says Holly Layte, owner of the Marvellous Mustard Shop on Sparks Street.
“This is one of the oldest commercial heritage streets in Canada.”
Layte says the decision shows the NCC is willing to work with Sparks Street retailers to develop the mall as a showpiece for Canada.
“It gives retailers the opportunity to make Sparks Street a beautiful place as it once was,” she says.
Eric Schwartz, owner of Ottawa Leather Goods, says it was a good idea to cancel the proposed project, explaining construction would have meant years of upheaval for the Sparks Street mall — without much benefit in the end.
“The Sparks Street mall has suffered enough,” he says. “I don’t think [the project] would bring anything to the table.”
But other Sparks Street retailers were dismayed about the scrapping of the proposed underground parking garage.
“Where are people going to park?” asked Elie Braks, co-owner of Bello Uomo men’s clothing store.
“The lack of parking is driving customers away.”
The proposed plaza and parking garage were informally known as “Metcalfe lite,” so-named because the plan was a scaled-down version of an earlier NCC concept to widen Metcalfe Street — an idea scrapped in 1999.
Peters said the NCC will continue to explore other ways to revitalize Sparks Street with the launch of a second phase of the study exploring the future of the mall.
One option is a mixed-use project, similar to the commercial and residential complex under development at 131 Queen St., she said.
Peters said $300,000 to $400,000 has been spent on all studies to date looking at revitalizing the Sparks Street mall.