Bold New Plan Will Make Downtown Peterborough Largest Open Air Shopping Experience In Region

The City of Peterborough is adding more pedestrian space and flexible-use areas that give businesses an opportunity for some limited outside space as part of a re-working of public space in the downtown through a plan developed in collaboration with the Downtown Business Improvement Area and Peterborough Public Health.

Pedestrians, cyclists and motorists should watch for signs and markers indicating changes to sidewalks, cycling lanes, on-street parking and road lanes that are being implemented over the next several days.

Work has already begun to mark the roads where delineators will be installed to separate the expanded pedestrian space from vehicular traffic. As the equipment arrives, it will be installed in phases through sections of the downtown with George Street first, followed by areas on King, Charlotte, Water and Hunter streets, in that order. The changes are expected to be fully implemented by the end of next week.

File photo of Hunter Street by PTBOCanada

This bold plan will make Downtown Peterborough the largest open air shopping experience in the region, says Terry Guiel, Downtown Business Improvement Area Executive Director.

“Downtown will feature more than 30 new or expanded patios, allowing patrons a safe and enjoyable dining experience,” Guiel says. “The patios are essential to help bring staff back to work and to draw attention to the downtown in a vibrant way that will also increase foot traffic for our retailers.”

Photo courtesy DBIA

For vehicular traffic, the changes are largely in the following areas:

• George Street between Murray Street and Sherbrooke Street, which will be reduced to one lane southbound for vehicular traffic

• Water Street, between Simcoe Street and Hunter Street, which will be reduced to one lane northbound for vehicular traffic

• Hunter Street between Aylmer Street and George Street, which will become a one-way street with one westbound lane

• Charlotte Street between Aylmer Street and George Street, which will be become a one-way street with one eastbound lane.

The cycling lanes on George Street and Water Street remain in place as part of the changes, which are temporary as part of the measures being put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reduced road space for vehicles will create more space for pedestrians and flexible-use areas for businesses, which could be used for patios or pop-up commercial space through a fast-tracked application process with the City.

File photo by PTBOCanada

Helping people follow public health guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic as activity increases in the community during the Province’s re-opening framework is the overarching goal of the plan.

The plan considers several priorities, such as pedestrian space, business activity, equitable use of space, accessibility, commercial deliveries, construction, and emergency access.

“It’s impressive to see the efforts made by both business operators and customers to follow public health measures for everyone’s safety,” says Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “In these public settings, workers and their clients are reminded to practice physical distancing, staying at least two metres away from people who are not from the same household or same social circle.”

Dr. Salvaterra adds that even with the changes to the downtown streets, it is recommended to use a face covering to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 when physical distancing and keeping two-metres distance from others may be challenging or not possible.

ON-STREET PARKING HAS BEEN MAINTAINED IN MANY AREAS

With the reconfiguration of streets, on-street parking has been maintained in many areas throughout the downtown to continue to support curbside pickup and deliveries. Some new commercial loading zones are being established to help businesses that rely on deliveries and these will be strictly enforced.

While on-street parking and parking in surface lots will continue to be free, with less on-street spaces available the two-hour parking limit will also be enforced to make sure that the available spaces are there to support business customers.

Visitors and employees working in the downtown are encouraged to use the City parking garages and surface lots and walk to their destinations. Paying for parking is still required at municipal parking garages, and the City will continue to offer one hour of free parking at all parking garages.

The map of the changes to roads, sidewalks and on-street parking in the downtown is available on the City’s website at www.peterborough.ca/downtownptbo.

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