1.13 Sparks Street

Conceptual Image: Sparks Street

1.13.1 Vision

Focal Point

In the future, Sparks Street will be one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ottawa's Central Area, and an important focus for retail, commercial and pedestrian activity in the Central Business District.

Boasting its prime location and renowned open-air pedestrian mall, its exceptional heritage buildings, busy retail shops and popular outdoor cafés, Sparks Street will continue to flourish, attracting large numbers of employees, residents, tourists and businesses.

Heritage District

In recognition of their exceptional heritage value and historic significance, Sparks Street's heritage resources will be conserved and enhanced through their designation as a Heritage Conservation District. Sensitive new development will complement these resources, ensuring that Sparks Street's heritage ambience is retained.

At-Grade Interest

At street level, continuous, inviting retail outlets with narrow frontages and direct street access will attract pedestrians to the shops east of Bank Street, while similar uses will evolve west of Bank, extending the outdoor shopping experience of the street. New streetscape treatment which complements the refurbished easterly blocks will also be introduced west of Bank Street and linked to the Cathedral Hill Conservation District and LeBreton Flats. Above the street, new office uses and a residential component will support the retail and contribute to a more vibrant, secure environment, particularly during evening hours.

Profile

Infill development along the mall will complement the historic buildings on the street, creating a sense of human scale and an enjoyable pedestrian environment. On the south side of the street, the upper stories of higher profile buildings will be set back, providing opportunities for overlooking terraces and retaining direct sunlight on the mall. Views along the length of the street and towards Confederation Square will be protected.

Mixed Uses

A specific marketing strategy will promote a strong retail mix on Sparks Street, and uses which encourage both day and evening activity, especially restaurants and restaurant-bars, colourful outdoor cafés, and arts and cultural uses. This prosperity will encourage pedestrian-oriented activity on the mall, which extends beyond office hours and enlivens the street during the evenings and on weekends.

Chambers Block

The redeveloped Chambers Block at the street's east end will create an identifiable focal point near Sparks Street's entrance and Confederation Square. The development will conserve its striking heritage buildings and I and be compatible with the mall environment, while providing such supporting uses as offices, cinemas and pedestrian-oriented retail outlets. This sensitive infill will truly contribute to the desired evolution of Sparks Street.

Pedestrian Linkage

Sparks Street will remain an oasis in the heart of the City. With its sunlit and sheltered seating areas, greenery, and the sounds of water fountains and street musicians, it will continue to provide opportunities for people to relax, socialize or just people-watch. Sparks Street will also provide a continuous pedestrian corridor from the Canal to the Garden of the Provinces and the exciting future development of the LeBreton Flats area, linking the Central Area east and west of the Canal, and promoting access to the Bank Street promenade and Rideau Street shopping/business districts.

Mid-Block Connection

Mid-block pedestrian links which provide connections between and through buildings to the Core and the Parliamentary Precinct, will be promoted and enhanced. A sensitively designed open-air pedway over Queen Street will also connect Sparks Street to a major parking facility in the World Exchange Plaza development. Due to its inviting, visible access from Sparks Street through a narrow pedestrian mews lined by retail uses and infill development which respects the heritage character of Sparks Street, this innovative development will play an especially important role in ensuring the vitality of Sparks Street.

The Sparks Street of the future will provide a delightful balance of commercial activity in a heritage and urban open space environment, and will draw more and more people with its unique mix of shops, restaurants and entertainment uses.

1.13.2 Objectives

Open Air Pedestrian Mall

    1. To strengthen Sparks Street, as designated on Schedule B - Central Area Character Areas and Theme Streets, as an integral part of the Central Business District, with a mix of uses which focus on an open-air pedestrian shopping mall.

Protect Unique Qualities

    1. To protect the architectural, historical, cultural, social and environmental significance of Sparks Street by conserving and enhancing its heritage resources, maintaining a vehicle-free pedestrian mall with opportunities for socialization, and ensuring sensitive development.

Open Space/ Pedestrian Corridor

    1. To promote the function of Sparks Street as a linear open space and a significant pedestrian corridor linking the Central Area east and west of the Canal.

1.13.3 Policies

Central Business District

    1. City Council shall promote Sparks Street as a significant Central Area shopping street, a tourist destination, and a vital part of the Central Business District. City Council shall therefore:
      1. require continuous pedestrian-oriented uses at grade in development which is designed to give preference to narrow storefronts with direct street access;
      2. permit commercial, residential and other appropriate uses above the street; and
      3. encourage uses which promote tourism and evening activity, such as food and restaurant uses, specialty stores, galleries, entertainment, restaurant-bars, outdoor cafés, arts and cultural, and residential uses.

Open Space Link/Pedestrian Corridor

    1. City Council shall recognize, protect and promote Sparks Street as an open space link and pedestrian corridor which promotes pedestrian movement between the LeBreton Flats and Canal areas, and between the complementary Bank, and Rideau Street shopping streets.

Heritage Conservation District

    1. City Council shall recognize that the group of heritage buildings on Sparks Street between Elgin and Bank Streets contains one of Ottawa's finest groupings of heritage buildings, and shall therefore, investigate their potential designation as a Heritage Conservation District and the adoption of design criteria.

Heritage Character

    1. City Council shall ensure the protection, enhancement and conservation of heritage resources on Sparks Street, and shall ensure that the design of development respects, and is sensitive to such heritage.

Theme

    1. City Council shall, in consultation with Sparks Street interests, establish and promote an appropriate theme for Sparks Street, and shall ensure that this theme is reflected by its streetscaping treatment and development within this area.

Profile

    1. City Council shall ensure that the profile of development along Sparks Street respects heritage buildings and the visual integrity and symbolic primacy of the Centre Block. The profile of development shall also contribute to a sense of human scale, minimize shadowing and maximize direct sunlight on the pedestrian mall, and provide a continuity of weather protection. City Council shall also ensure that the upper stories of infill development on the south side of the mall are generally set back from the street to maximize direct sunlight on the mall and to minimize over-powering effects.

Distinctive Streetscape and Pleasant Pedestrian Environment

    1. City Council shall ensure that a distinctive, co-ordinated streetscape treatment and a pleasant pedestrian environment are established and maintained along Sparks Street. In particular, City Council shall ensure that such streetscaping treatment:
      1. accentuates its unique open space/open air ambience and reflects its function as a major pedestrian corridor, in keeping with Policy b) above;
      2. reflects its identified theme and is sensitive to, and complements its heritage ambience, in accordance with Policies d) and e) above;
      3. is cohesive, i.e., that streetscape treatment of Sparks Street west of Bank Street integrates with and complements that of the easterly blocks;
      4. accommodates large volumes of pedestrians and provides adequate public seating, in both sunlit and sheltered areas;
      5. optimizes use of sunlit areas on the pedestrian mall; and
      6. ensures abundant landscaping and elements which generate pedestrian interest, such as water fountains, sculpture or other appropriate art forms. [Amendment #24, May 25, 2005]

Targeted Strategy
The Interface District – Sparks Street

    1. City Council shall consider undertaking the following targeted strategy (see Annex 10) to implement the Downtown Ottawa Urban Design Strategy:
      1. make Sparks Street the centerpiece of the Interface District as per Policy 1.3.3k) of Volume 2A of this Plan;
      2. if Sparks Street is not chosen for a future rapid transit route, consider the implications of opening up the mall to vehicular traffic during off-peak periods;
      3. convert Sparks Street back to a traditional heritage-scaled street by removing the kiosks and clutter and by planting additional street trees the full length of the mall to improve the pedestrian experience;
      4. encourage tourism through better signage, programming and promotion of the street as a major heritage destination in the city;
      5. extend the Sparks Street BIA coverage to the entire length of the street and;
      6. work in collaboration with the National Capital Commission and the Sparks Street BIA to implement the findings of the Sparks Street Vocational Study. [Amendment #24, May 25, 2005]

Animation

    1. City Council shall promote the animation of the pedestrian mall with appropriate uses and activities such as outdoor cafés, appropriate street vending, street musicians, street theatre or other performing arts.

Open Space Plaza

    1. City Council shall promote the protection, animation and enhancement of the open space plaza on the northwest corner of Sparks and Bank Streets.

Pedestrian Links

    1. City Council shall promote the provision and retention of identifiable, secure and inviting public pedestrian links at appropriate locations along Sparks Street, to facilitate pedestrian movement between Sparks Street, the Core, and the Parliamentary Precinct.

Sparks Street Mews

    1. In support of Policy j) above, and in order to strengthen the retailing function and attractiveness of Sparks Street, City Council shall, as a priority, support the infill development of the former Speakers' Corner site and adjacent properties on the western portion of the block bounded by Sparks, O'Connor, Queen and Metcalfe Streets. To achieve this aim, City Council shall promote and ensure:
      1. the protection, enhancement and conservation of heritage resources in accordance with Policy c) above, while ensuring that infill development respects, and is sensitive to suchresources;
      2. the creation of a lively, inviting, enjoyable and identifiable open-air pedestrian link connecting Sparks Street and the Core, which
      3. creates a narrow retail mews leading to an attractive open-air pedway over Queen Street;
      4. the provision of a human scale of development in accordance with Policy f) above;
      5. the provision of continuous pedestrian-oriented uses at grade adjacent to Sparks Street, and the open-air pedestrian link; and
      6. the maintenance of the function of the Hardy Arcade at-grade pedestrian access to the Core.

View

    1. City Council shall protect and enhance existing significant views as seen from the Sparks Street public right-of-way, such as those of the Centre Block, the War Memorial/ Confederation Square, and the Canal. [Subject to Amendment 69, November 26, 2008]

Short-Term Parking

    1. City Council shall ensure an adequate supply of parking for Sparks Street, particularly short-term parking which serves shoppers. In keeping with this policy, City Council shall ensure convenient, visible pedestrian access to such parking from Sparks Street.

Central Retail Management

    1. City Council shall facilitate the implementation of a central retail management strategy for Sparks Street in consultation with Sparks Street interests.
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