Want economic opportunity – pop up stores/markets/shops/food etc. (16 people)
Family friendly (11 people)
Eco friendly/solar/green roof renewable energy (10 people)
While there were a wide range of responses in for this question, 117 people expressed their distaste for the project citing concerns for overall costs, wanting to fix other areas of the city or poor timing due to COVID-19 as rationale for not wanting to build it. There were some comments questioning why a riverfront location was selected.
There was a concern expressed for building a concrete structure into existing park space with a number of comments saying they did not like the idea or the location because they were afraid it would ruin the look of the park/take away green space. Some felt the Streetcar should was a good idea but it needed a different location within the City.
Further to that, a number of people wanted more trees/gardens/green space incorporated into the design. There was also a number of people who were concerned about an obstructed view from Riverside. Accessibility was mentioned a number of times including a safe way to walk across Riverside (crosswalk), and allowing those with mobility issues to access the space with ease. Some respondents were concerned over costs – wanting to make sure there were free events/family friendly events/affordable food. Being eco-friendly and having solar/wind power or green roofs etc., were mentioned a few times as well.
Parking was brought up a number of times however the results were somewhat split. Some people wanted to ensure there was more parking while others wanted less parking and more green space. Again, the overall concern of too much concrete/not enough green space came out. There was concern over congestion to the area and local side streets. Some that wanted more parking also suggested free parking or extended parking meter times.
In addition to the above, other suggestions for the area included: a canoe/kayak launch area, water features, interactive kids area, games for kids/adults (ping pong, mini golf), an outdoor cinema, something similar to Campus Martius in Detroit and a gathering area for prayers.