The CTV News Ottawa mayoral debate is Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 10 a.m. Watch on CTVNewsOttawa.ca, listen on Newstalk 580 CFRA and watch on the Newstalk 580 CFRA YouTube Channel. Ottawa mayoral candidate Neil Saravanamuttoo is promising to overhaul the city’s $200-million ByWard Market plan, create a festival plaza in the tourist area and create more gathering places for residents in the city’s core if elected mayor. Saravanamuttoo unveiled his plan for Ottawa’s core Friday morning, saying he would transform downtown into the “living room” of the city, or “a place where people feel relaxed and at home.” ByWard Market plan The $200 million ByWard Market revitalization plan was approved by city council in March. It included a $40.2 million proposal to transform the historic 55 ByWard Market building into an open-concept food hall with an outdoor balcony on the second floor. The ByWard Market plan also included a proposal to retire and repurpose the Clarence Street parking garage, which the city said was reaching the end of its life. In July, a coalition of tenants in the ByWard Market building called on the city to repeal its plans to redevelop the structure, saying the vision for the building was misguided and would result in the renoviction of 17 food and craft tenants. Saravanamuttoo says he would like to overhaul the city’s current ByWard Market plan, keeping the George Street parking garage intact and scrapping plans to redevelop the building at 55 ByWard Market Square. “We can refresh parts of the building, such as the second floor and the public washrooms, but there is little value in turning the building into an events centre that gets used sporadically,” Saravanamuttoo said. Saravanamuttoo also said he would collaborate with the National Capital Commission to transform York Street in the ByWard Market into a public square and permanent festival space. “We will turn York Street into a bold public space that gives people a reason to come downtown, and return the ByWard Market to its past glory.” More third places Saravanamuttoo says he would create more so-called third places, which are spaces separate from home or the workplace where people can gather, in the downtown area. He says he would transform City Hall and other underutilized spaces into places where “people can just hang out — without having to spend money.” “I will remove the security barriers that the City recently installed. I will open up Jean Pigott Hall to everyday use. I will set up more chairs for people to sit and tables for students to work,” he said. In early September, Saravanamuttoo unveiled his strategy to address homelessness and public safety in Ottawa, which included a plan to create low-cost tiny homes using shipping containers and expanding Ottawa’s crisis response program. Other candidates’ plans In early October, Ottawa mayoral candidate Coun. Jeff Leiper detailed his plan for the ByWard Market, promising to triple the number of night ambassadors and community engagement team members in the district if elected. Leiper also pledged to fill empty storefronts in the area and create a new festival plaza to host events like Ottawa Jazz Festival, the Children’s Festival, and markets like 613Flea. Incumbent mayor Mark Sutcliffe has said he would continue to implement the ByWard Market revitalization plan if re-elected. His public safety plan also included a commitment to appoint a downtown safety czar to deliver a downtown safety plan. Mayoral candidate Alex Lawson has not unveiled a plan for Ottawa’s downtown but did make a pledge to remove paid on-street parking meters across the city if elected mayor. There are 14 candidates running for mayor of Ottawa this year. Other candidates include Queen Divine Priya Amber Bakshi, Zed Chebib, Bernard Couchman, Suraj Harish, Geoff Nicholas, Josh Rachlis, Ali Shayvard, Jacob Solomon, Amjad Ali Syed, and Peter Westaway.
