28-06-2025
Could new 'Street Seats' revitalize downtown Ottawa?
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'If it all works out well and it doesn't cause issues, I'm all for it,' said Suzanne Quintal, the boutique's owner. 'It looks cute.
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'I think this is a great corner to do it on because we've already got restaurants here, there's my shop (and) a tattoo shop. We're already a lively little spot, so I think that it can only enhance us.'
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For the past year, Quintal said she's been suggesting ways to enhance the neighbourhood to her Centretown BIA, like adding a farmer's market.
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'I don't see why we have to go to Lansdowne to do fun things,' she added.
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In anticipation of more evening customers — thanks to Florence Street's stage for local performers just steps away — Quintal said she plans to adjust her store hours.
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'Instead of closing at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. during the week, I'm going to open up a little later,' she said. 'Probably opening officially from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., and if there's still stuff happening, I'll stay until 9 p.m. to take advantage of golden hour.
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'It's nice to see good things happening on this street.'
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Down the block from Honey Hi Boutique and adjacent to the bright pink set up is Pizzeria da Romolo, co-owned by Gianni Balestra.
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In general, Balestra said he thinks Street Seats is 'a great idea' that will drive in more customers.
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'I believe in, 'monkey see, monkey do,' and if somebody orders a pizza, the next guy will order a pizza,' he said. 'The more the merrier.'
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An issue Balestra said he anticipates is whenever he has to unload his weekly deliveries now that there are fewer available parking spaces.
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'My staff will have to physically carry everything to the pizzeria,' he said, adding that his staff will have to walk an extra 150 feet. 'It's just not fun, that's all.'
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Another concern of Balestra's is that people may use the new benches to sleep on overnight.
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'I've seen that happen before on the park bench that used to be located on Florence Street,' he said. 'People don't have a place to sleep or lie down anywhere, so I'm concerned people will use the setup.
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'I don't want to be negative about it, I'm going to stay positive. If we remove the issue of parking and all this, it's going to be great.'
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Street Seats is just the beginning for Sabrina Lemay, executive director of the Centretown BIA.
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'I think the neighbourhood needs a lot of things, and I think this is the start of what we hope to see as a revitalized downtown,' she said. 'It is a pilot project, so time will tell if this is exactly what it needs.'
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The fact that Street Seats is a pilot project means that 'we learn as we do,' according to Troster.
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'We can use our experiences this summer to figure out what works and what we can expand on,' she said. 'It's not a permanent installation. We can move things around next summer.
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'People want a chance to play,' she added. 'I'm very much looking forward to this change and to see how people embrace it.'
