1.5 ByWard Market

Conceptual Image: By Ward Market

1.5.1 Vision

In the future, the ByWard Market's special heritage, pedestrian-oriented, and commercial character will continue to draw residents from the entire metropolitan area, as well as visitors from across Canada

Farmer's Market

The ByWard Market Square will remain as the vibrant heart and economic cornerstone of this area, containing the colourful, historic outdoors farmers' market, the unique retail food uses in the ByWard Market Building and on the west side of the Square. ByWard Market Street will serve as the core of food selling in the area; and the producer-based farmers' market, which emphasizes locally grown, seasonal foods, will be recognized as the main focus and 'raison d’être' of the ByWard Market area.

Environmental Quality

These combined attractions will serve as a strong reminder of the continued function of the area as one of the oldest, continuously operated open-air produce markets, not only in Ontario, but in all of Canada. Sensitive development near the ByWard Market Square, and elsewhere in the area, will ensure that the exceptional ambience and environmental quality of the Square is protected and that pedestrians will continue to enjoy shopping in an open sunlit environment.

Diversity of Users

The entire ByWard Market area will continue to function as one of Ottawa's favourite meeting places as it has since the nineteenth century. Residents and visitors will be drawn to the unique, primarily owner-operated, small boutiques, specialty restaurants, and entertainment uses which continuously front the area's streets. Residential, as well as office uses above the street will support the retail uses, creating a vibrant, secure environment. An interesting variety of mainstreet retail uses will extend along Dalhousie Street, creating a strong pedestrian link with the Rideau Street business district and delineating the Lowertown higher density residential neighbourhood from the traditional market area. The Mile of History along Sussex Drive will feature significant heritage buildings and function as a shopping street connecting Rideau Street and the ByWard Market with Confederation Boulevard and the National Gallery. Popular outdoor cafés will continue to line Clarence Street, creating a strong east-west link between Sussex Drive and Dalhousie Street. [Amendment 24, May 25, 2005]

Heritage Conservation

The ByWard Market will be designated as a Heritage Conservation District. This grouping of buildings, together with Lowertown West, will represent one of the largest concentrations of heritage buildings in the City, visually reflecting the early development of Bytown. The rich heritage fabric of the ByWard Market, which derives from its distinct architecture, unique street patterns and public courtyards, will be the basis of the area's special environmental quality. The design of new buildings on vacant or infill sites will be guided by special design criteria which will ensure that new development is sensitive to, and compatible with, nearby historic buildings. Alterations to properties within the area will be assessed on their sensitivity to the heritage character of the property and the district as a whole.

Public Movement/Infill

The public courtyards and associated pedestrian circulation system east of Sussex Drive will be protected and enhanced, and will continue to delight visitors and pedestrians with their quiet outdoor cafés, benches and fountains. New infill development will be introduced adjacent to the courtyards, providing boutiques and restaurants, and residential uses or small hotels above, which face onto the courtyards, reminiscent of the past and ensuring a safe environment.

Infill development on the west side of Sussex Drive near the Peacekeeping Monument will create both a new western edge to the ByWard Market, and an important interface between the "Town" and the "Crown". The built form of this development will be sensitive to, and compatible with, the heritage character of the ByWard Market, while enhancing the streetscape of the MacKenzie Avenue ceremonial route. The significant view of the Centre Block and Library from York Street in the ByWard Market will be protected, along with the creation of the "York Steps", which will provide a strong pedestrian link between the ByWard Market and Majors' Hill Park.

Enhanced Pedestrian Corridors

Main pedestrian corridors in the Market will be enhanced in a manner which respects, and is sensitive to, the area's heritage character. Appropriate entrance elements will announce York Street as a major entrance to, and promenade through, the ByWard Market, with its unique historic character, public vending stalls, and unimpeded views of the Parliament Buildings. An animated and enhanced William Street Mall will continue to serve as a vibrant focus for a variety of activities, such as street theatre and outdoor cafés, and will serve as a vibrant entrance to both Rideau Street and the ByWard Market.

Parking

The promotion of cycling as an important means of access to the ByWard Market in the future will help reduce vehicular congestion in the area while reducing carbon emissions. Additional cycle and vehicular parking will be strategically integrated within mixed use development, mainly on the edges of the Market. These facilities will support this popular area and permit the retention of its small scale heritage character, its environmental ambience, and its continuous, pedestrian-oriented nature.

Public Realm Investment

The City will continue to reinvigorate and reinvest in the ByWard Market through a series of co-ordinated public realm improvements that gives priority to the needs of pedestrians and the farmers’ market. [Amendment 24, May 24, 2005]

Protect Character

The expansion of the ByWard Market will be contained in order to protect the character of nearby residential neighbourhoods, and to maintain the compact, pedestrian-oriented heritage character of the Market.

The ByWard Market of the future will retain its unique environmental qualities and its rich heritage fabric. The vibrant farmers' market will continue to serve as the area's centre of attraction, and as the basis for its social function.

1.5.2 Objectives

Pedestrian-oriented Heritage Commercial Area

    1. To protect and enhance the function of the ByWard Market, as designated on Schedule B - Central Area Character Areas and Theme Streets, as a heritage, pedestrian-oriented, predominantly commercial area which focuses on an open-air farmers' market.

Conserve Enhance Heritage

    1. To protect the historical, architectural, social, cultural, and environmental significance of the ByWard Market by conserving and enhancing its heritage features, and by ensuring sensitive development.

1.5.3 Policies

Pedestrian-oriented Uses

    1. City Council shall permit predominantly commercial uses, such as retail, office, service, and hotel, as well as residential uses in the ByWard Market, and shall require continuous pedestrian-oriented uses at grade, such as small boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment uses, particularly those which are owner-operated. City Council shall also encourage the complete use of space along all lanes, courtyards and interiors of blocks. [Amendment 24, May 25, 2005]

Farmers' Market & Core of Food Selling

    1. City Council shall ensure the retention of the producer-based farmers' market and a variety of specialty food retail uses which complement and benefit each other, and, together, provide a unique, quality food shopping experience in the ByWard Market. In support of this goal, City Council shall recognize ByWard Market Street between York and George Streets, as the core of food selling in the ByWard Market area. In the achievement of this policy, City Council shall strive to:
      1. strengthen the producer-based concept in the outdoor produce market, and increase the number and variety of producer-vendors;
      2. maintain, and ideally increase, the number of specialty food retail uses on ByWard Market Street, and reintroduce food retail uses on the ground floor of the ByWard Market Building, while ensuring the retention of complementary arts and crafts; and
      3. maintain, and ideally increase, the number of food retail uses in the ByWard Market Parking Garage. City Council shall designate this site for a future landmark building.

Residential Uses

    1. In support of the producer-based farmers' market and specialty food retailing function of the ByWard Market, City Council shall ensure the provision of predominantly residential uses on the northern edge of the ByWard Market, while promoting residential uses elsewhere in the Market area, consistent with other policies in this Plan.

ByWard Market Square

    1. City Council shall recognize the historical and social significance of the ByWard Market Square, and shall protect its ambience and environmental quality by:
      1. ensuring the maintenance of direct sunlight on the ByWard Market Square;
      2. ensuring low profile development immediately abutting the Square.

Heritage Conservation District

    1. City Council shall designate the ByWard Market as a Heritage Conservation District, under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act, and in recognition that the area contains one of Ottawa's largest concentrations of heritage buildings, which serve as a source and reminder of its original settlement.

Heritage Character Profile

    1. In support of Policy e) above, City Council shall ensure that:
      1. the scale of development is predominantly low profile, is of a human scale, is compatible with the heritage character of the area, and protects sunlight patterns and significant views;
      2. Alterations - alterations to heritage resources within the designated heritage conservation district are assessed against their sensitivity to the heritage character of the property and the district as a whole; and
      3. New Infill - new infill buildings are sensitive to, and compatible with nearby heritage buildings, particularly with respect to scale, size, lot development patterns, setbacks, materials and details.

Design Guidelines

    1. City Council shall adopt design guidelines to aid in the implementation of Policy f) above to ensure that future private and public sector development is sensitive to the special heritage character of the area.

Advisory Committee

    1. City Council shall establish a ByWard Market Advisory Committee, representing both public and private interests, to review and coordinate public and private sector projects including major reinvestments in the public realm directly affecting the built environment and street activity in the area, in support of Policy e) above.

Pedestrian Interest & Environment

    1. City Council shall ensure that:
      1. public open spaces and other spaces adjacent to areas of pedestrian circulation encourage public interest and activity;
      2. pedestrian corridors, including courtyards, are enhanced with high quality urban landscape and streetscaping improvements based on historical precedence, which are compatible with the area’s heritage character;
      3. identifiable at-grade pedestrian links are provided to surrounding adjacent Character Areas and green spaces; and
      4. Emphasis is placed on the design of buildings, particularly at the base, including main entrances and windows along the street.

Open Space

    1. City Council shall promote the protection and enhancement of the following public open spaces in the ByWard Market area:
      1. Public Courtyards - the public courtyard and pedestrian circulation system parallel to Sussex Drive between George and St. Patrick Streets, to be used primarily for passive outdoor activity and outdoor cafés; and City Council shall encourage new courtyard spaces that link into and expand the existing system
      2. William Street Mall - the William Street Mall, located between Rideau and George Streets, to be animated and used for a variety of pedestrian-oriented activities, such as street theatre, outdoor cafés, and business association and other activities and events.

Overshadowing Effects

    1. City Council shall minimize overshadowing by adjacent development within the ByWard Market, especially in intensely used outdoor areas such as public courtyards, pedestrian malls, pedestrian corridors, and outdoor café areas.

Distinctive Streets

    1. City Council shall designate and enhance York Street as a distinctive street, entrance to, and promenade through the ByWard Market, featuring appropriate landscape and interpretive elements which are sensitive to, and compatible with the historic character of the area, including appropriate entrance features.

Sussex Drive

    1. City Council shall recognize and support Sussex Drive as a distinctive street, known as the Mile of History and as part of Confederation Boulevard. The street shall feature significant heritage buildings and shall function as a shopping street, linking Rideau Street and the ByWard Market with the National Gallery. In collaboration with the National Capital Commission, City Council shall encourage that the design and finish of the rear of the buildings facing onto the courtyards behind Sussex Drive are also addressed. [Amendment #24, May 25, 2005]

Views

    1. City Council shall protect and enhance significant views as seen from public rights-of-way, such as those of the National Gallery, the ByWard Market Building, the Notre Dame Bascilica, and east along York Street from MacKenzie Avenue, and St. Brigid's Church. In particular, City Council shall protect views of the Centre Block and Library as shown on Schedule B- 1 - Central Area Key Views and View Sequences. City council shall protect the views of the Parliament Buildings from two locations at Beechwood Cemetery, as identified in Annex 12 in Volume 1 of this plan. [Amendment 69, November 26, 2008]

Parking

    1. City Council shall recognize that the provision of sufficient and appropriate cycle and vehicular parking is critical to maintaining the vitality, ambience, and continuous pedestrian-oriented heritage character of the ByWard Market by:
      1. encouraging cash-in-lieu of parking in the ByWard Market, except where the provision of on-site parking would not conflict with ensuring retention of the pedestrian-oriented heritage character of the area, while having regard to the Transportation and Parking Policies of the Primary Plan for the Central Area;
      2. ensuring that the development of additional parking is provided primarily in mixed use development along appropriate edges of the area;
      3. wherever possible, ensuring that the balance of existing on-street parking is retained within the area;
      4. ensuring the replacement of existing short-term parking spaces in public parking structures, should pedestrian-oriented uses replace such parking at grade; and
      5. promoting cycling as an important means of access to the ByWard Market by ensuring the provision of cycle parking in municipally controlled facilities in the area, as well as other appropriate cycle parking in the area.

Outdoor Patios

    1. City Council shall support the provision of outdoor patios on public rights-of-way in the ByWard Market area while ensuring the fulfillment of appropriate design criteria, including among others the following:
      1. the provision of a compatible relationship of patio design and construction with the heritage character of the area and adjacent streetscape elements; and
      2. the maintenance of the primacy of the public rights-of-way for pedestrian and vehicular movement.
    2. City Council shall protect the pedestrian-oriented heritage commercial character and function of the ByWard Market, as well as the residential function of adjacent neighbourhoods by ensuring that the boundaries of the ByWard Market do not expand beyond those shown on Schedule B - Central Area Character Areas and Theme Streets, without:
      1. a special study of the transitional area along the entire edge of the adjacent area affected by the proposed expansion, including a full assessment of all potential impacts that may be created by such a change, such as impacts on the retail vitality of other Character Areas and/or Theme Streets in the Central Area, as well as impacts affecting residential neighbourhoods; and
      2. an amendment to the Official Plan.

Targeted Strategies

    1. City Council shall consider undertaking the following targeted strategies (see Annex 10) to implement the Downtown Ottawa Urban Design Strategy:
      1. Public Realm Design Competition - a design competition for the enhancement of the ByWard Market’s public realm in order to improve the quality of the Market experience;
      2. ByWard Market Branding and Theming - in partnership with the ByWard Market BIA, ByWard Market Management Group and other stakeholders, the development of a more high profile and visible ByWard Market brand/theme to improve the area’s overall appearance while maintaining its informal ambience and vernacular character;
      3. Conversion/Removal/Remodeling of the ByWard Market Parking Garage - designation of the ByWard Market parking garage as the future site of a landmark public building, while maintaining the parking garage’s existing and proposed supply of specialty food retail space and public parking on the site;
      4. Heritage Restoration Program: St Patrick and Murray Streets, Parent and Guigues Avenues - a co-ordinated program of traffic calming, tree planting, paving and street furniture along Murray and St. Patrick Streets using historically accurate designs and materials;
      5. a redesign of Parent Avenue to reduce the pavement width and landscape the boulevard areas; and
      6. a restoration of Guigues Avenue in Lowertown West as a neighbourhood-scale street with street-oriented low profile residential uses.
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