Comments on: Public Space and Private Gain: What’s ours is yours, for a price http://spacingottawa.ca/2009/11/20/public-space-and-private-gain-what%e2%80%99s-ours-is-yours-for-a-price/ Understanding the urban landscape in Canada's capital region Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:36:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: sappletown http://spacingottawa.ca/2009/11/20/public-space-and-private-gain-what%e2%80%99s-ours-is-yours-for-a-price/comment-page-1/#comment-65 sappletown Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:48:04 +0000 http://spacingottawa.ca/?p=709#comment-65 This article is a great assessment of sidewalk patios. Your discussion of various types of patios is what makes patios interesting: each is different. The best ones are those that plan the construction of buildings with the forethought of an outdoor commercial patio. However, most areas having commercial establishments that require encroachment into public space are some of the most walkable and attractive communities, such as Wellington Street West. Patios can be fenced, gated, covered with an awning, or simply a table with two shops. As a land use planner, my immediate thought regarding patios is capacity. Of course, permission for additional seating area is part of a licensing protocol, but there's the issue of pedestrian volumes on the sidewalk and parking. In some areas, four additional seats could necessitate one more parking space. However, in areas like Wellington West, it would probably necessitate a dozen seats for a single parking space under zoning by-law requirements. Of course, planning regulations permit payments of cash-in-lieu of parking in order for the City to maintain or improve existing public parking spaces and transit services. The issue of sidewalk capacity in pedestrian-oriented communities could be even more important. Maintaining appropriate widths depending on pedestrian volumes helps maintain the walkability of the area and blends the public and private realms. Car-free days in Kensington Market in Toronto takes outdoor patios to the pleasant extreme (http://www.flickr.com/photos/15501706@N00/2631930907/). Outdoor patios extend off the property and occupy the entire sidewalk, since pedestrians have claimed the street as their right of way. The joy of people-watching is enriched tremendously in this situation. Another great example is found on the Tay River in Perth, Ontario (http://www.flickr.com/photos/15501706@N00/2062762256/in/set-72157603404682449/). A wooden set of decks extend out from the side of a building over 1/4 the width of the channeled river. Patrons of the restaurant can enjoy summer weather while fish swim by and pedestrians on the bridge take pictures of the scene. In a country like Canada where cold weather lasts through half the year, hopefully we'll engage well conceived outdoor patios in our well established communities as added value. This article is a great assessment of sidewalk patios. Your discussion of various types of patios is what makes patios interesting: each is different. The best ones are those that plan the construction of buildings with the forethought of an outdoor commercial patio. However, most areas having commercial establishments that require encroachment into public space are some of the most walkable and attractive communities, such as Wellington Street West. Patios can be fenced, gated, covered with an awning, or simply a table with two shops.

As a land use planner, my immediate thought regarding patios is capacity. Of course, permission for additional seating area is part of a licensing protocol, but there's the issue of pedestrian volumes on the sidewalk and parking. In some areas, four additional seats could necessitate one more parking space. However, in areas like Wellington West, it would probably necessitate a dozen seats for a single parking space under zoning by-law requirements. Of course, planning regulations permit payments of cash-in-lieu of parking in order for the City to maintain or improve existing public parking spaces and transit services. The issue of sidewalk capacity in pedestrian-oriented communities could be even more important. Maintaining appropriate widths depending on pedestrian volumes helps maintain the walkability of the area and blends the public and private realms.

Car-free days in Kensington Market in Toronto takes outdoor patios to the pleasant extreme (http://www.flickr.com/photos/15501706@N00/2631930907/). Outdoor patios extend off the property and occupy the entire sidewalk, since pedestrians have claimed the street as their right of way. The joy of people-watching is enriched tremendously in this situation.

Another great example is found on the Tay River in Perth, Ontario (http://www.flickr.com/photos/15501706@N00/2062762256/in/set-72157603404682449/). A wooden set of decks extend out from the side of a building over 1/4 the width of the channeled river. Patrons of the restaurant can enjoy summer weather while fish swim by and pedestrians on the bridge take pictures of the scene.

In a country like Canada where cold weather lasts through half the year, hopefully we'll engage well conceived outdoor patios in our well established communities as added value.

]]>