When New York City announced that Broadway would become pedestrian friendly and go car-free, I wondered why the Limestone City wasn’t trying the same thing out on Princess Street. It’s far from a new concept as select downtown streets are closed off during large summertime events such as Canada Day, Buskers Rendezvous and Blues Fest. Still though, the more I thought about closing down Princess, the more I wanted to see it happen. Perhaps someone out there was listening. As a part of the Downtown Action Revitalization Network’s (DARN!) efforts to promote a vibrant, livable and walkable downtown, Kingstonians are getting ready to set foot on the first ever Princess Street Promenade.
Dubbed a lively street festival, the Princess Street Promenade goes down this Saturday, July 31st, from 10am until 6pm. As detailed on DARN’s website:
The festival will promote downtown businesses, community involvement and the sustainability of active transportation such as walking and cycling. Princess Street will be closed from Ontario Street to Division Street. All cross-streets will remain open to traffic. Street-level Princess Street businesses, community groups and charitable organizations will spill out on to the sidewalk and street. One lane will be left open for emergency vehicles in the middle of the street, transforming Princess Street into a dynamic, car-free space.
According to the Princess Street Promenade’s facebook page, over 700 supporters have already RSVP’d that they’ll attend, while approximately 50 businesses have signed up to participate. And why wouldn’t they, it’s going to be great for business. In addition to the shopping and car-free goodness, organizers are boasting entertainment, activities and treats ranging from outdoor yoga classes to board games and food sampling. While this event should not to be confused with Buskers, Fare on the Square or the annual sidewalk sale, the Princess Street Promenade will combine the best elements of all of these events, as well as a definite nod towards Kingston’s sustainability efforts.
While this summer’s promenade may represent only one additional pedestrian friendly day for downtown Kingston, this event is going to get the ball rolling in big way. Having been to similar events in Quebec City and Montreal, I’m going to go out on very solid limb to predict that the inaugural Princess Street Promenade will be a smashing success for businesses and shoppers alike. In fact, while automobile traffic will be disrupted here and there, I don’t think delays will be recognized as anything more than a minor footnote. Further, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see multiple dates for the Princess Street Promenade in 2011.
Take a stroll on down this Saturday and see for yourself. If you’re inclined to take your camera along for the ride, I’d appreciate it if you’d consider sharing your best shots via our ever-growing, always impressive, Flickr group.
Thanks to Chris Blanar for today’s accompanying photo of a related street sale event in Montreal.
Sounds fun, I'll be there!!
Harvey, June 31 or July 31?
Good eye. But of course, it's July. Thanks for pointing that out.
Curious to see if this is a success.
I still cannot help but feel that the downtown will feel very empty with no vehicle traffic to fill so much space. Between all of the parking spots and the 2 lanes, it's a lot of extra footage for the stores to fill in. I think that people outwith the downtown core will find parking a complete nightmare too.
Finger crossed though!
I went around 1 PM and it was hopping! Lots of fun things out on the street including roller derby girls, belly dancers, and a GIANT rock climbing wall outside of trailhead. Making a note here; huge success.
it was a success in attracting people, hard to believe the BIA was initially strongly opposed to doing it for even 1 day.
Im not sure it was as much a success for business, there didn't seem to be many carrying shopping bags with purchases, or even entering non food stores, so I'll be curious to read comments from merchants. The Pita Pit went all out with their free Pita for a food bank donation and live music, but it was over a block and a half of dead zone between them and anyone else doing anything. The blond belly dancer was mesmerizing.
Totally hopping down there Blake, I have to agree. I was working downtown today so I hopped out onto Princess St. on my lunch break and after work and it was crazy! All the people I know who work downtown said they were having super busy days, the road was packed, there was tonnes of great activities going on. I would have to guess that we will be seeing more Princess St. Promenade's occurring.
mr_rectifier, I know I did my part and bought some 1/2 price headphones from Just HiFi – also some stuff from the Asian market by the A&P and the Pakistani market that used to be Very Shari (they weren't doing any events for the Promenade, but the Asian market had a bunch of people stopping in to look around and go "Oh isn't that a good price on that item!")
As for me, I will enjoy my lao gan ma chili bean oil. That stuff is hard to find.
3aw6, I have to agree. This was definitely a success and while Princess St. can't really be closed to traffic all the time, doing this on the 3 major summer holidays would be a great way to draw tourists up Princess instead of just lingering on Ontario st.
I especially loved the Copper Penny and Amadeus having little (alcohol free) tables set up out front, Amadeus had a beach umbrella and bowl of water Reserved for Fido. :D
I don't see why the lower part of Princess Street can't be closed to through traffic all the time, and the Brock Street Commons for that matter too. Lots of cities and towns in the rest of the world manage to have pedestrianised streets, and they are mostly far more pleasant places for it. It is not as if there is a shortage of places to park around the area. Kingston downtown's selling point is its pleasant environment for wandering – or it should be.
I totally agree with the soaring_primate ;) It could be done. I've lived in and visited some places abroad, many of which had these promenades which were all clearly social focal points. Wellington NZ, Perth Australia, San Jose CR. All had a central promenade which was thriving, well used and reasonably clean and safe. I'm sure they are not without their issues, but there was always something going on there. I figure the nature of the shops would change slightly to better align with that use, but Princess St is already going that route, albeit in a slow and painful manner. If you want to do bulk shopping for your kid's back-to-school or for electronics, furniture, lumber – you already go to the west side. If you want to visit some quaint shops, restaurants, cafe's, studios, etc… then Princess St should/could be the right place for that. I kinda see that as it's only future, with or without a promenade. I do bet though, that a permanent promenade would support a thriving and better Princess St. than we have today.
Anyway, my family and I went down and enjoyed the stroll. Sometimes we had to remind ourselves to take the opportunity to get off the sidewalk and onto the road! More please Kingston.
Too many problems here to even consider permanent closure. Even if someday there is the third crossing, another wolf island link, and a parking garage on the north block, and it was thought blocking access to all the apartments above and most of the stores was alright and emergency vehicle access was dealt with, there is the fact if it wasn't a rare spectacle it would make it look like a ghost town most of the time. Im sure they'll be looking at 2 or 3 days a year if the crowd keeps turning out, but I don't see more then that ever being considered.
There is a concept plan to completely redesign confederation park that would include an ornamental gate on Ontario at Johnson to allow that would allow it to be closed on weekends, someday.
mr_rectifier… what exactly are the problems? Why is Kingston so special that it can't deal with this in the way that cities in Europe have with far more of a downtown residential population? As for the idea that it would be a 'ghost town' – this is becoming a problem already and pedestrians are not the problem. What exactly do the cars speeding by contribute to the atmosphere (apart from pollution)?
Surely the point is to create more of a selling point to the central downtown area – that it's the kind of place you can wander without worrying about traffic. This would make a far better shopping environment too. Let's try to think a bit longer term here and stop being so unadventurous.
The unique problem with Downtown Kignston is its boxed in by water, and the two major traffic links over the water are right there. There is no possible way they could close Princess permanently, including weekday rush hour, including 401 accidents that route traffic to the causeway. It will never be considered. Even just for 1 saturday they had to keep the center clear and have workers at the barricades to be able to move emergency vehicles through if necessary
But even if that wasn't the case, the same businesses that supported this event would be very against it closed all the time. They couldnt have the "stuff" out on the street all the time, the normal saturday crowd let alone the rest of the time would leave it looking empty. The crowd was there for 1 day because it was a unique spectacle
There are a lot of convenient parking spots over those 9 blocks. It would be a huge pain for residents living above or stores to receive large items (read the facebook page above about the guy who had his guitar stolen trying to take his stuff to his car Saturday).
I hear you on some of your points. I think the most challenging ones are the Hwy2 and Ferry links, both of which would be alleviated to some extent by a third crossing. While not intimately connected in any form with that debate, I reckon a 3rd crossing is clearly a good idea.
I tried finding a map of the 401 EDR online, but couldn't locate it. I thought the recent traffic diversion down through the city downtown was a mistake. I'm not certain, but I think the true EDR goes north to Sunbury Rd. Maybe that was already all bunged up so people gambled on another prospective route. Anyway, this too, when it happens, would be somewhat relieved with a third crossing.
On your second paragraph, I really don't think the optics of emptiness are that big of a deal, nor true. Given the good use of these features in other City's (the ones I have seen anyway), I doubt that it would be detrimental in any form from a business sense. Yes, slighly more challenging for the apartments, but it would also attract more types who are willing to live without a car. I believe it would be busier, with more attraction for tourists, worker bees during the work day and nightlife.
Just because it is predominantly a pedestrian thoroughfare, it doesn't necessarily have to be closed to ALL traffic. Closed to all regular traffic, yes. But, logicially, it would remain accessible to emergency vehicles, service vehicles (sweeping, garbage/recycling collection), and delivery vehicles (within highly restrictred hours).
Anyway, as much as I am pro-promenade, we all know it ain't gonna happen. For our City to do something that radical will take a whole style of thinking that just doesn't exist here. As someone points out in another article, the whole notion of sustainability is really just a fad catchword our City has caught on to and is using for promotion. Having recently spent nearly $4M on the bottom two segments of the street, it is pretty unlikely that will ever be replaced in the near future with cobblestone and planters.
Nothing new to see here. It was done for a entire month (or more) in the summer of 1973 or '74.
Come on. You can't tease us like that. Sounds like you have a bit of a story. Tell us more.
No real story, just the recollection of someone who was around 10 at the time. A chunk of lower Princess was closed to traffic to create a pedestrian mall for a good part of the summer in one of those two years. This may have been a Tercentenary thing in 1973, but I'm thinking it was the next year. I'm not in town, but some research of the Whig microfilms at the library would no doubt tell the tale. The Sparks Street mall in Ottawa had opened a couple of years earlier, and I think that's what drove the idea. Remember that at this time Princess still formed part of a connecting link in the provincial highway system, and that Queen St. still operated one-way westbound.