Excitement and concern as council mulls permanent no-car zone on Argyle Street

The Argyle Street pedestrian mall could soon become permanent, making it a no-car zone year-round.

Halifax council passed a motion Tuesday directing chief administrative officer Marnie Cluckie to draft a bylaw that would make the blocks between Prince and Blowers streets pedestrian-only.

“I think that would be amazing,” says Leland Graves, who works downtown and says he frequently walks on Argyle Street, in an interview Wednesday.

Since 2015, Argyle Street has been a no-car zone — or what the city calls a pedestrian mall — between April and November.

Graves says that gives the area a more interpersonal feel. He says making it permanent would be great for the city’s nightlife.

Julie Carroll is in town for a conference and says she noticed the pedestrian-only street.

“It increases the community and the feel of the space to be able to walk around in the shops and not have to worry about traffic or cars going too fast,” she said.

She says that at home in Portland, Maine, there’s a big push for cars to slow down following a series of collisions with pedestrians. She thinks creating pedestrian-only streets is a great way to keep people safe.

Delivery concerns

Council voted unanimously on the motion introduced by Coun. Laura White, but Coun. Janet Steele aired concerns about how delivery trucks would fare.

“I’ve talked to some of the companies that are delivering food to various streets in the downtown area and there’s been some issues around accessing delivery doors,” she said during council Tuesday.

The staff report includes anonymous comments from people involved with servicing businesses in the area.

“Delivery, loading and waste collections will be detrimentally impacted as street access allows businesses to unload products and stock,” reads one.

“All of our suppliers currently handle deliveries with no impact during the summer closure months,” read another.

Some commenters suggested creating a delivery window during early hours when pedestrian traffic is less frequent.

Hanita Koblents, who is responsible for the city’s streetscapes program, said during the council meeting that future reports will include recommendations to mitigate those concerns.

The motion also directs staff to provide recommendations regarding concerns about accessible patron drop off and parking plus options to increase awareness of pedestrians crossing Sackville Street at Argyle Street.

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