keoadmin
11-20-2005, 10:28 PM
Let’s Get It Right!
The City of Kingston is going ahead with plans for an LVEC to be located in the downtown area.
Specifically, City Council decided in a November 1st council meeting to build this facility on Block 2 of the North Block – a four and one-half block area bounded by Place D’Armes, Ontario, Queen, and Wellington Streets, plus a half block along Queen Street behind the S&R Department Store (see accompanying map of land ownership (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=fwv7oqbab.0.gjc4oqbab.etjafb44.2&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cityofkingston.ca%2Fpdf%2Flvec% 2Fnb%2FLVEC_NorthBlock-F6.pdf)).
Now that this decision has been taken, the challenge – and opportunity – facing the City is how to develop the LVEC in a way that maximizes its potential and its positive impact on the downtown core. Proponents of a downtown location for this facility have always emphasized that the LVEC and the surrounding downtown amenities will support and reinforce each other for the greater benefit of both. It follows that the LVEC should be designed and developed with a view to maximizing the potential of these linkages. How that can best be done needs to be established before the City sends out an RFP (Request for Proposals) with respect to the LVEC in December, to ensure that any design specifications within the RFP are not unintentionally limiting.
While the momentum for this important project needs to continue, it is also important to ensure that this once-in-a-lifetime development opportunity represented by the LVEC achieves its full potential. It is understood that those involved in planning the LVEC are discussing how this project relates to developments in the remainder of the North Block. Integrating the design of the LVEC within the broader context of development plans and prospects for the surrounding area is essential. The preparation of at least a general concept plan for the remainder of the North Block area would provide a context within which the design of the LVEC can be developed more effectively and within which other developments can be planned to complement and reinforce each other. While the timing is obviously tight, this overall concept plan should be in place before the RFP is issued, so that its specifications provide the opportunity to take full advantage of the LVEC site and its surroundings. Let’s proceed with this project, but let’s get it right.
-- kingstonelectors.ca e-mail: info@kingstonelectors.ca
The City of Kingston is going ahead with plans for an LVEC to be located in the downtown area.
Specifically, City Council decided in a November 1st council meeting to build this facility on Block 2 of the North Block – a four and one-half block area bounded by Place D’Armes, Ontario, Queen, and Wellington Streets, plus a half block along Queen Street behind the S&R Department Store (see accompanying map of land ownership (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=fwv7oqbab.0.gjc4oqbab.etjafb44.2&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cityofkingston.ca%2Fpdf%2Flvec% 2Fnb%2FLVEC_NorthBlock-F6.pdf)).
Now that this decision has been taken, the challenge – and opportunity – facing the City is how to develop the LVEC in a way that maximizes its potential and its positive impact on the downtown core. Proponents of a downtown location for this facility have always emphasized that the LVEC and the surrounding downtown amenities will support and reinforce each other for the greater benefit of both. It follows that the LVEC should be designed and developed with a view to maximizing the potential of these linkages. How that can best be done needs to be established before the City sends out an RFP (Request for Proposals) with respect to the LVEC in December, to ensure that any design specifications within the RFP are not unintentionally limiting.
While the momentum for this important project needs to continue, it is also important to ensure that this once-in-a-lifetime development opportunity represented by the LVEC achieves its full potential. It is understood that those involved in planning the LVEC are discussing how this project relates to developments in the remainder of the North Block. Integrating the design of the LVEC within the broader context of development plans and prospects for the surrounding area is essential. The preparation of at least a general concept plan for the remainder of the North Block area would provide a context within which the design of the LVEC can be developed more effectively and within which other developments can be planned to complement and reinforce each other. While the timing is obviously tight, this overall concept plan should be in place before the RFP is issued, so that its specifications provide the opportunity to take full advantage of the LVEC site and its surroundings. Let’s proceed with this project, but let’s get it right.
-- kingstonelectors.ca e-mail: info@kingstonelectors.ca