By most accounts, the downtown pedestrian mall in St. John’s is a success.
At Monday’s city council meeting, councillors raved about the positive feedback they’re hearing.
However, there were also indications its success might be to the detriment of other downtown businesses that aren’t located within the pedestrian-only zone.
“The concerns we’re hearing is that the business is being drawn down to Water Street — it’s not going to Duckworth Street, it’s not going to either end of Water Street that’s outside the pedestrian mall zone,” Mayor Danny Breen told reporters.
He and Coun. Debbie Hanlon, along with city staff, are meeting with downtown businesses Tuesday in a meeting organized by Downtown St. John’s.
Hanlon said the city plans to post signage to promote businesses in other areas of the downtown outside the pedestrian mall, and Breen said the city is also permitting decks curbside and trying to speed up approval processes to support all city businesses.
Breen said they are open to suggestions of other ways the city can help.
“We went into this to help businesses recover from the past couple of months of COVID-19, and that’s what we want — to help all businesses recover.”
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