As businesses struggle to cope with newfound challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of St. John’s has put forward a proposal for a pedestrian-only mall, aiming to stimulate the downtown economy.
The idea is to provide businesses with a manner to expand the capacity of their shops within a vehicle-free area of downtown St. John’s. Existing businesses would be able to apply to temporarily expand onto the sidewalk or parking meter spaces.
A pedestrian mall has been proposed downtown to encourage residents and visitors to make the downtown a destination this summer, and provide space to visit businesses safely.
The proposal includes vehicle-free zones on Water and Duckworth Streets, see: https://t.co/BdDYo0R78J pic.twitter.com/diCNWN8Ydh
— City of St. John's (@CityofStJohns) June 3, 2020
The City would also provide picnic tables for takeout service, and allow restaurants to set up dining space outside their locations.
Road closures are proposed along portions of Water Street from Job’s Cove to Adelaide Street, portions of Duckworth Street from King’s Road to Cathedral Street, or a mix of both.
Two plans have been brought forward for consideration.
Option one would carry the event over 24 days from July 3 to July 26, with a cost of about $95,000.
Option two consists of closing down portions of the downtown routes each weekend in July and August. Road closures would be in effect from 8 a.m. Friday until 10 p.m. Sunday. In that case, the city would face a price tag of about $98,000.
Should only one road be closed, the City says the cost of either option would be reduced by about 50 per cent.
The proposal has been submitted to members of the downtown business community for feedback.
In its proposal, the City has outlined policies for pedestrian flow and enhanced sanitation to respect public health guidelines. Those participating in the event are expected to adhere to public health guidelines established by the provincial government.
