Good for him. I've extracted the relevant Market Street part of the meeting transcript here:
And I do have three questions. One, is staff planning on bringing a report of Market Street forward? What progress has been made in the past five years? And lastly, are there any plans to consult with the public about the pestization of Market Street?
Who's going to take this one? Hi there. Through the chair. Um, sorry,could you repeat the the first two questions?
When is the staff planning on bringing a report about Market Street forward? That's the first question. And second, what progress has been made in the last five years? And the the first question I assume was is the permanent pedestrianization or the permanent closure.
Yes. Right. Okay. Um so we don't currently have plans for a uh report regarding the the permanent closure uh largely due to um the new work required to undertake the feasibility analysis and and public consultation required uh to bring a recommendation uh on that forward. Um so we we don't currently have that uh that allocated. Um but we are continuing to work with uh the BIA and stakeholders on the the seasonal uh closure.
Okay. And uh so there's no progress then.
And so my last question, are there any plans to consult with the public about the pedestrianization of Market Street?
I know you've mentioned that you're going to speak to the BIA, but are you speaking to the res association and other groups there as well or plan to through the chair? uh we haven't yet begun that but if we were to move forward with the any type of planning design work for the permanent closure that certainly would be necessary I think.
Okay that's my questions for now. I mean I've been dealing with this for a long time now. Um again Market Street is really a very short street right from Front Street to Esplanade. It's really just a a block, but a lot of activities do take place there since the temporary closures. Um, we've had uh patios and patrons and, you know, different things happening there. It's very well utilized as a pedestrian um area since the temporary um closures of the street in the last couple years. I do want to thank though the advocacy of the St. Lawrence Neighborhood Association and the Oldtown Toronto BIA uh who's really brought their best foot forward in in really championing this and making it such a success uh in the time it's been closed. But again, the the the intention here though is for permanent closure of that street and that's what we want to get to. Hopefully sooner rather than later because that is the will of the people and I think you know this council needs to uh you know do that. I think it's a good thing. Um and hopefully others will follow across the city as we do elsewhere in the country and overseas.
So with that, I'm going to that ask that we move staff's recs. All those in favor carried.
