These images are so powerful, they are worth posting here.
I frequently talk with people about the future of our planet and our reliance on the automobile. They question an investment in more parking for automobiles.
I do point out the facility will also have bicycle facilities, public washrooms and commercial space but I know that is not their point.
To achieve our Places to Grow population and density targets, curb sprawl, and develop within our existing urban boundaries, we have targetted adding 8,000 new residents in the downtown.
The reality is that in the short to medium term, additional parking infrastructure will be necessary. Even today, we have housing in the downtown that is hard to rent because tenants cannot secure parking.
In parallel, we are also building our pedestrian, bicycle and transit infrastructure so that at some point in the future, it will be viable for more people to live, work and play in the downtown without the use of the automobile. At that time, we can turn the Wilson Street Parking Garage into housing.
November 9, 2008
Blog, Jobs & the Economy