Urban park taking shape
Council will hear about plans to close part of Louis St. and tear down former restaurant
Plans for a new urban park on the site of what’s now the Louis St. parking lot move forward Tuesday as city council hears two new staff reports explaining what could happen next.
The park project, originally estimated to cost $5,566,000, is part of an $11.5-million renewal plan for Louis St. and Charlotte St.
The first report from planning director Jeffrey Humble recommends closing Louis St. from Charlotte St. to the driveway of the Rivulet Courtyards apartments.
This would expand the land base for the park, Humble writes in his report, allowing for public access through the park, the Wednesday farmers’ market, a performance space and other park use, including skating in winter.
Council will also consider a second report from Humble, this one seeking the approval of the park design and an agreement to pursue a private-public partnership for the new building fronting on King St.
That building, which would replace the now-closed Shish-Kabob Hut, would offer private-sector and public use. The city bought the former restaurant for $220,000 earlier this year; owner Don Vassiliadis, a city councillor, declared a conflict on that deal.
If approved by council, the plan would see demolition begin in November after the Wednesday downtown farmers’ market ends its season.
The reports also call for the oneway section of Louis St – 20 metres north of King St. - be turned to a two-way street for park access and access to the parking spaces at Rivulet building, which fronts onto 201 Charlotte St.
This would involve three lanes – one northbound and two southbound for the parking garage exits. A portion of sidewalk would have to be removed, but a new walkway for the park would be added, the report states.
Humble suggests issuing draft tenders for the demolition of the former Shish-kabob Hut restaurant and site preparation, closing on those in October and getting things underway in November.
The park would be complete in December 2018, the report states. It would require the creation of 1.3 full-time jobs as part of its operating costs, estimated by staff to be $212,000 annually, and first implemented for the 2019 budget.
There will also be a $37,000 annual loss in parking revenues once the park is built, due to the loss of the Louis St. lot and nearby on-street parking.
Council approved $5,990,000 to build the park, but the new report puts the cost at $5,566,000. The remaining $424,000 in funding will go to the Charlotte St. reconstruction, which will see extensive remodelling between Aylmer and Water streets, the report states.
The remainder of the funding for that stage of the project will be determined in the 2018 and 2019 capital budgets, the report states.
City council meets as committee of the whole beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday after a closed-door meeting at 5:45 p.m. dealing with the purchase or sale of publicly owned land.
Visit www.peterboroughexaminer.com for live coverage, including video streaming of the meeting, from the 6:30 p.m. meeting.