2015 Annual Urban Ideas Competition
Honourable Mention Award
ISSUER: Urban Land Institute (ULI) in Partnership with The City of Brampton
Brampton City Centre Revitalization is focused on Downtown Brampton, one of the many former small towns within the Greater Toronto Area which have since been transformed into large commuter suburbs.
PARTNER: Weiming Shi, Zhiyu Liu
BRAMPTON PROGRAM PROMOTION
Changing the programs of the buildings along Main Street and Queen Street. Adding restaurants and retails to attract new business. Meanwhile, changing the facade of the buildings along main streets to reveal its cultural identity. Therefore, letting more people come and stay in downtown area. Those restaurants and retails would be one of the key reasons to light up Brampton.
MAIN STREETS IMPROVEMENT
In order to improve the walkability and safety of Main Street and Queen Street, pedestrian ways in front of restaurants are widened. Street side parking is added at certain parts of the street. Intersections are highlighted. Cycle lines are created along these two streets. Meanwhile, emphasizing the loop (Nelson St W, Theatre Ln, Chapel St, Wellington St E and George St S) to ease the traffic pressure on Main Street and Queen Street.
TRAFFIC REORGANIZATION
Demolishing the building at the corner of Main Street and Nelson Street West and replacing the GO bus into the adjacent building to create a new public realm for pedestrians coming from GO train and GO bus stations. Also, moving the existing Zum bus stop below the railway southern to the corner of the intersection. Letting the passengers share new public realm as well. By creating this large open space, this approach is aimed to solve the potential traffic problem happening between vehicles and pedestrians at the intersection beside the railway, also improve the flexibility and safety to enter the downtown area.
BREAKING BARRIER
By creating a tunnel under the railway, making it easier for people from the northeast (Etobicoke Creek and Rosalea Park) entering the downtown area. The tunnel could also decrease the traffic at the two underpasses at Main Street and Theatre Lane.
GREEN CONNECTION
Using the existing available open spaces between buildings and behind buildings to create new public realms. Each one of them is connected by street green. The green might be extended to connect the existing Etobicoke Creek trail through Church Street and Wellington Street.
