The City of St. John’s has released the results of a ‘What We Heard‘ survey on impressions of the downtown pedestrian mall, and whether it’s working to the satisfaction of local business operators and customers.

The report found mixed reviews from both the public and businesses on the seasonal pedestrian mall, which runs along parts of Water Street.

Significant concerns over safety, security and even cleanliness of the downtown mall were all cited in the feedback.

Finding parking for customers and employees also served as a challenge.

Just over half of businesses said it brought new customers and benefited them financially, but nearly 60 percent said it didn’t change the viability of their business.

However, a slight majority of businesses were satisfied with the program overall.

Downtown businesses that aren’t in the footprint also cited concerns, saying the mall provided little to no benefit, echoed by those in the retail sector throughout the mall.

The report and next steps are expected to be discussed at an upcoming committee of the whole meeting.