St. George's Square Conceptual Design

City of Guelph Downtown Streetscape Manual & Built Form Standards Section 4.0 St. George’s Square Conceptual Design July 2014 Table of Contents 4.1 Introduction Overview & Background 2 History & Evolution 3 Site Analysis 7 Strategic Assessment 11 Opportunities 13 Case Studies 15 4.2 Conceptual Design Guiding Principles 19 Objectives 20 St. George’s Square Concept Plan 21 Using the Plaza 29 Public Art 31 Design Guidelines 32 Impacts of Change 33 4.3 Implementation Implementation Overview 37 4.4 Appendix Auto Turn Analysis 41 4.1 Introduction c.1885 c.1902 St. George’s Square,c.1925 Circa 1885. St. George’s Square,c.1964 Circa 1902. St. George’s Square, Circa 1925. St. George’s Square, Circa 1964. 1 Conceptual Design Plan - St. George’s Square Overview & Background Conceptual Design Plan for St. George’s Square Introduction with the redesign and redevelopment of St. The Conceptual Design Plan for St. George’s George’s Square. The Conceptual Design outlines Square has been developed, in conjunction with six guiding principles, objectives of the Plan, a the updated Streetscape Design Manual and description of the concept, an illustrated plan Built Form Standards, to guide the redesign and and rendered perspective, design guidelines, and redevelopment of St. George’s Square. Section 4.1 a summary of resulting impacts on pedestrians, of this document provides an introduction which transit, traffic, and operations. considers the history and evolution of the Square, current patterns of daytime and evening use, the Implementation Strategy findings and recommendations of the Downtown Section 4.3 of this document provides an overview Strategic Assessment, other opportunities; and of the implementation strategy associated with lessons learned from recent and relevant case the redesign and redevelopment of St. George’s studies. Square. The Implementation Strategy includes an overview, a phasing strategy which considers both Conceptual Design Plan short and long-term strategies, and a summary of Section 4.2 of this document provides an proposed order of magnitude costing. overview of the Conceptual Design associated O City of Guelph 2 History & Evolution St. George’s Square has a rich and varied past c.1909 St. George’s Square, at the mid-point in the length of Wyndham St., provides a focus for the Downtown. In 1827, John Galt designated the rising ground in the centre of the Square as a site for the Church of England. The first St. George’s Church was built of frame and stucco in 1833-34. A new stone church on the same site was only partially completed in 1850. Following protracted negotiations between the Church, the Town Council, and Wyndham St. merchants, this building was demolished in 1872 (and the present St. George’s Church erected on Woolwich St.), eliminating the detour around the church and permitting traffic through the central axis. The Original St. George’s Square The resulting 80 metre by 80 metre Square was, at first, a rather bleak open space with dirt roads, St. George’sc.1914 Square, Circa 1909. wooden sidewalks and few amenities until 1884 when J.B. Armstrong, a local manufacturer, donated the Blacksmith Fountain for a centrepiece. Concrete sidewalks were installed in 1891 and the Street Railway was introduced in 1894 with the tracks going around the fountain. 1907 saw the installation of sewers under the square and the streets were paved with blocks. Introduction of the Streetcar By 1922 the “blacksmith” was moved to Priory Square so that the railway tracks could go directly through the centre of St. George’s Square. In the same year small buses were introduced in the square which slowly replaced the streetcars and were themselves replaced by larger buses in the mid-20th century. St. George’s Square, Circa 1914. 3 Conceptual Design Plan - St. George’s Square Wyndham Street, 1932 Period of Major Change The period of 1960 to 1975 was a time of major change and demolition when Modernist building designs (i.e. Bank of Nova Scotia, Woolworth’s store, new CIBC and new Royal Bank and Royal Trust Bank buildings) began to replace the once impressive, mid-late Victorian architectural fabric of the square. This period saw the removal of: (1878/1902) Customs/Post Office, (1856) Bank of Montreal and bank manager’s house, original Imperial Bank of Commerce, (1875) Hearn Block, (1882) Tovell Building. Quebec Street Mall and Bus Relocation The most ambitious reconstruction was begun in 1981 to make St. George’s Square a “people’s place” for civic activities. In 1982 Quebec Street was closed and the Eaton Centre Mall was constructed. St. George’sAerial Square, View, Circa 1932. c.1940 After the Family Fountain was installed in the northwest quadrant of the square in 1985, the Eaton Centre was replaced by the Old Quebec Street Mall in 2003. By 2012, bus stops had been removed from St. George’s Square to Guelph Central Station on Carden Street. St. George’s Square, Circa 1940. City of Guelph 4 Evolution of St. George’s Square 1847 Wellington Hotel built in Square 1922 Street Railway goes directly through Square and Blacksmith Fountain removed 1850 Wooden sidewalks laid on Square 1922 Small buses introduced and slowly replace 1853 Bond Hardware Building Erected streetcars 1856 Bank of Montreal erected 1937 Street Railway removed 1859 Victoria Hotel built with 2 storeys 1946 Bond Hardware Building burns down but is rebuilt 1873 St. George’s Church removed 1954 Large buses replace small buses 1875 Hearn block built at south-west Corner 1961 Post Office building torn down and Bank of 1876 Victoria Block and Federal Bank erected Nova Scotia building is built 1877 Third storey added to Victoria Hotel and 1963 Demolition of old Bank of Montreal Wellington Hotel Removed building and new building erected 1878 Customs/Post Office building built with 2 1963 Woolworth store is built storeys and Mansard roof 1968 CIBC building is torn down and replaced by 1882 Tovell building built a new bank building 1885 Blacksmith Fountain erected 1972 Royal Bank replaces Hearn Block 1885 Federal bank taken over by Trader’s Bank 1975 Royal Trust building replaces Tovell 1891 Concrete sidewalks built building 1894 Street Railway introduced 1982 Quebec St. is closed and the Eaton Centre Mall is erected 1902 Post Office adds 3rd storey and clock tower but there is no clock 1985 Family Fountain erected in Square 1906 Post Office clock added to tower 2003 Old Quebec Street Mall opens, replacing the Eaton Centre Mall 1907 Sewers installed under street 2012 Buses moved out of St. George’s Square to 1907 Asphalt block paving on Square Central bus terminal on Macdonell Street 1914 Metropolitan Bank taken over by the Bank of Nova Scotia 5 Conceptual Design Plan - St. George’s Square 1951 The New St. George’s Square, August 1981 St. George’s Square, Circa 1951. St. George’s Square, Circa 1981. Photograph appears courtesy of the GPL Archives (F45-0-14-0-0-7) St. George’s Square in 2013 City of Guelph 6 Site Analysis Site Analysis How is St. George’s Square being used today? How is St. George’s Square beingDay used Time today? Activity Diagram (Late Spring/early Summer): Day Time Activity Diagram (Late Spring/early Summer): With the change in location of the buses, the use Withof St. the change in locationCount of the buses, taken the use approximatelyof St. Count everytaken approximately 15 minutes every and 15 minutes overlaid and overlaid George’s Square has changed. In general, there areGeorge’s fewer Square has changed. In general, there are fewer people in the Square, however, on average users are staying people in the Square, however, on average users arelonger. staying longer. Site Analysis Building Entry The diagram gives a good snap-shot on how the square Douglas St Building Entry How is St. George’s Square being usedis being today? used in the daytime. It shows that much of the The diagram gives a good snap-shot on how the squareactivity is concentrated in the centreDay of Time the square ActivityDouglas around Diagram St (Late Spring/early Summer): Stairs Raised Wall is being used in the daytime.With theIt showschange in that location much of the ofthebuses, the corners the use of ofthe St. intersection. OnCount the other taken hand approximately there is every 15 minutes and overlaid George’s Square has changed. In general,comparatively there are lessfewer use around the edges and in the corners Stairs activity is concentrated inpeople the incentre the Square, of the however, square on averageof aroundthe square. users are Seating staying areas that are close to the hubs of the corners of the intersection.longer. On the other handactivity there are is well used in comparison to seating opportunities Raised Wall in the less well-used areas. Building Entry comparatively less use aroundThe diagram the givesedges a good and snap-shot in the on cornershow the square Douglas St of the square. Seating areasis being that used are in the close daytime. to theIt shows hubs that ofmuch of the Stairs activity are well used in comparisonactivity is concentrated to seating in the centre opportunities of the square around Wyndham St N the corners of the intersection. On the other hand there is Raised Wall in the less well-used areas.comparatively less use around the edges and in the corners Siteof the Analysis square. Seating areas thatSite Analysisare close to the hubs of activity are well used in comparisonHow is St. toGeorge’s seating Square being opportunities used today? Bus Shelter Fountain HD Howin the St. less George’s well-used Square areas. is used today Day Time Activity Diagram (Late Spring/early Summer): With the change in location of the buses, the use of St.

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