Kingston’s View Corridors

Downtown Kingston boasts some of the best vantage points in the city, allowing pedestrians and residents to stand at an intersection such as Princess and Clergy, and have clear visibility of our many heritage buildings, shops, and the waterfront. While the view corridor afforded by lower Princess Street owes a great deal to geography, specifically the sloped terrain, what you see is also the result of the urban landscape.  Buildings, particularly those greater than three or four storeys, hinder views that go on as far as the eye can see.  Take for instance the condos constructed at Block D, which essentially boarded up the million-dollar view of the waterfront, which many residents of the Sydenham Ward have enjoyed for generations.  Block D is not the only culprit, as other projects including Anna Lane, and a proposed athletic dome have the potential to further block our view of historic landmarks.  Accordingly, this week’s poll asks:

While the City of Kingston regulates the maximum height of buildings, are they doing enough to protect our views from high rise development?  Kingston’s waterfront is arguably one of our most treasured assets, and not to pick on Block D, but such projects have blocked and ruined the view for many.  Having said that, without multi-story dwellings such as those on Block D or Anna Lane, in order to grow the City would have to sprawl beyond it’s current boundaries, taking away agricultural land, and adding more vehicles to our streets.  So where do we draw the line?  Should heritage win out over doing business interests, or should each project be scrutinized on a case by case basis.


Please drop off your thoughts below and let us know what you think about view corridors. Further, are there any projects that you are concerned about?