North Oakville

[Memph]

Pictures were taken during a bike ride today (Monday, March 22, 2021) between about 5pm and 6:30pm. Weather was approx. 11-14C (51-57F) and sunny.


Isaac Park (attached to St Gregory the Great Catholic School)

Shops on Preserve Drive

Walkway along Preserve Pond

Kaitting House Parkette

Shops along George Savage Ave

 

[christiesplits]

Typical new urbanism. Great scale, relatively pedestrian-friendly, and very dull retail landscape.

 

[afransen]

Hopefully it becomes less dull with age, but maybe that is asking too much.

I think the idea of putting what looks like rear-loaded townhouses on top of ground floor commercial is actually a pretty interesting way of making mixed use development economical in this sort of development. I guess there might be a bit of tension about what types of tenants occupy the commercial spaces depending on noise isolation. Families likely not too keen to live above a noisy restaurant or pub. Google 3D aerial for context:

 

[Memph]

Typical new urbanism. Great scale, relatively pedestrian-friendly, and very dull retail landscape.

Although pretty much the entirety of the Preserve Drive shops are professional offices, dry cleaners and salon/spa businesses, George Savage Drive has a bit more variety, including a small Arabic grocery store that also carries a great variety of European chocolates, a small deli/butcher, a cafe, a flower shop, a cake shop, a yoga studio, a women's clothing store, a small cafe/art gallery, and a music/art school.

 

[Memph]

George Savage Park

Shops along Carding Mill Trail

Some new houses. Although these have front loaded parking, I think that having the house/porch pulled in front of it helps ensure the garages don't dominate the streetscape too much. Very small setbacks too, maybe not even 5 ft from the sidewalk to the porch?

 

[Memph]

Dr David R Williams Public School

Houses with balconies overlooking Fowley Park

Squire Parkette

Ernest Appelbe Blvd condos

 

[afransen]

Unfortunately, the streets are still a bit too wide, I think. Might be better if they raised the street parking slightly and had occasional curb bumpouts with trees, etc. to calm traffic. It would be nice if they contemplated some bike/walking paths separate from streets. Feels like we're getting better. This is much better than typical 1970s/1980s suburbia.

 

[Memph]

Unfortunately, the streets are still a bit too wide, I think. Might be better if they raised the street parking slightly and had occasional curb bumpouts with trees, etc. to calm traffic. It would be nice if they contemplated some bike/walking paths separate from streets. Feels like we're getting better. This is much better than typical 1970s/1980s suburbia.

These are the off-street paths. Some are along the stormwater retention ponds (ex 3rd & 4th picture in the first post), others are through large parks/school yards, others are mid-block connectors through long blocks, and then there's also some larger paths along creeks and through woodlots.

More paths along stormwater retention ponds.

Bridge across a small creek (which also has a greenway/path along it).

Mid-block connections

Path through one of the large parks.

 

[afransen]

This is good, but should use speed tables so cyclists and pedestrians can keep going on a uniform surface and traffic has to slow.

 

[Transportfan]

Typical new urbanism. Great scale, relatively pedestrian-friendly, and very dull retail landscape.

If it can even be described as retail. Most new urbanism is medical clinics.