“Save Charlotte Street!” Website Questions Downtown “Suburban” Shopper’s Drug Mart
Save Charlotte Street! is a website dedicated to a closer look at the proposed Shoppers Drug Mart building project at Charlotte and Aylmer Streets.
Does this suburban style architecture (with a 36 car parking lot) belong on one of the busiest corners of our downtown shopping district? Does it align with accepted trends in urban planning? Does it fit with the policy direction of the municipal “Plan it Peterborough” Official Planning Review/Report?
Spoiler: The answer to these questions is a resounding “no.”
Put together by award-winning Trent University professor, Dr. Stephen Hill, an expert in sustainability studies, public policy, and planning, the site calls on local residents to evaluate the project and to contact City Council with concerns.
It’s a definite call to action for those Peterborough residents who are concerned about our downtown core — and for those who are concerned about Council not sticking with existing policy direction.
“Peterborough is an amazing city, and we should expect the best in urban design, and not settle for a cookie cutter downtown. In my view, this block can be redeveloped much more sensibly and in a way that creates enduring value for the city. In other communities, once they’ve been pushed, Shoppers Drug Mart has agreed to build stores that add to and complement that community’s downtown. We should expect this here.”
The site plan for the proposed project goes to city council’s planning committee meeting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board office on Fisher Dr.
