City council has passed a motion by Coun. Ted Laking to look at closing a portion of Main Street in the summer months to create a town square for pedestrian use only.

Laking presented the motion at council’s meeting on Monday.

After a few “friendly amendments” to the wording, it passed unanimously.

The motion points out innovative initiatives like the city’s pop-up patio program have been developed locally in recent years to help provide economic opportunities.

Other cities across Canada and North America and Europe are exploring the concepts of pedestrian streets either on a permanent or seasonal basis to facilitate the addition of vibrancy to the downtown core, reads the motion.

It says some cities have had pedestrian-only streets for many years now.

A study by the City of Toronto discovered that during the summer of 2021, the expansion of curbside patios generated nearly 50 times more revenue for local businesses compared to the lost revenue from eliminating parking spots, says the motion.

It says council’s strategic priorities call on a review of opportunities to enhance the downtown core, reflecting its place as the centre of the capital city.

The motion initially directed administration to return to council with a proposal and analysis on developing a one-year pilot project to convert Main Street between Front Street and Second Avenue into a pedestrian town square during June, July and August.

Council, however, accepted the amendment to remove the word proposal, and to direct administration to first conduct an analysis of the concept and return to council with its findings.

Developing a proposal for the town square would come after the analysis that will assist council in determining if the city should move forward with the concept or not, it was noted by council members during the lengthy discussion on the motion.

The motion directs administration to develop the analysis based on consultation with the business community, the arts and culture community and other organizations.

The motion says the analysis should include consideration such as:

The ability of existing businesses to extend and expand their operations and patios;

Potential partnership with the arts and/or music community to facilitate regular outdoor music opportunities;

Temporary additions of picnic tables, greenery, and umbrellas; and

Analysis be conducted on how to better promote and utilize the several city parking lots in the downtown core for the public to supplement the lost parking spaces.

If this proposal were to move forward, a report would be developed by administration after the conclusion of the town square pilot project to inform council and the community on the impacts, successes, and challenges resulting from the pilot project.

It was suggested during the meeting that, should the pilot project be successful, it may encourage the return of the Rendezvous winter festival to Main Street.

Councillors took their turns voicing support for the motion and its intent.

Mayor Laura Cabott noted there are a couple of issues that need to be considered. Examples are the existence of accessible parking stalls on the block, as well as stalls to provide parking for commercial vehicles.

The issues, she said, are not insurmountable, suggesting the analysis of the town square proposal will help council understand what would all be involved in the street closure.

“I like this idea a lot,” Coun. Kirk Cameron told his colleagues.

“Any proposal that talks about reimagining the downtown is a very good idea.”

Cameron said when he lived and worked in Charlottetown, P.E.I., the city would close one street in front of the province’s legislative assembly building every summer.

The city would set up tables and chess boards, he said.

“It was an amazingly active part of their downtown core in the summer months,” he said.