Creating Vibrant Hubs

Mobility hubs key in future.

Canada creates sterile environments vs Europe for example

What is a mobility hub?

NOT concrete box in urban parking lot

NOT simply a place to buy a ticket

What it should be – example Amsterdam’s Airport

Pedestrian friendly, hotel, shopping, transportation portals

Another: the Subway in Boston – deeper than Toronto, but environment feels open

Effective use of colour, ceiling height, lighting

Intersection of transportation services with effective land use

Parking areas should be temporary – a “landbank”

Must be willing to rethink use, create new options

Avoid the top-down bureaucratic planning process

Example: Toronto’s Union Station with the proliferation of chains franchises

Where is diversity – “Mom & Pop” operations

Commuters going from A to B. Rats running in a maze.

Remove boundaries to thinking.

Allow for organic planning process

Hubs in outer areas – suburbs – tend to feelings of being trapper, isolated

Parking areas – should be temporary; landbank;

Rethink use, rebuild an create new options

Don’t need to move the hub: make best use of existing facilities

What elements to add to increase vibrancy?

Is Art necessary?

News story: Renewed Museum Subway Station an Inspiring Step Forward for Toronto, April 8, 2008/CNW

Look at past history to see what worked ad what didn’t

Is vibrancy a function of population density.

Should we worry about setting standards too high?

Make Transit hubs a consideration of population planning.

Make accommodations for existing facilities in surrounding area

Design for the future, anticipate the future.

Do we really need multi function facilities?

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Unique situation deserve unique solutions

Organic processes needed.

Unpopular building a habit – eg Toronto’s Dundas Square.

“Project for Public Spaces”

Think of what goes into a good space

Allow multiple partners in the planning & design process.

Use incremental design process

Won’t know what works until it happens

How do we get more ideas?

Plan to have a process

Look for impediments to having good spaces – eg. parking

Use Mental mapping: where are people going, where are they are not going

Use that to facilitate the process.

Example: Seating – a simple way to make people feel wanted.

What should a mobility hub be?

An interesting place for the captive audience –the commuter?

Or a place to draw other groups within the community?

Who are the stakeholders?

Who will be the early adopters?

Changing peoples’ views an essential part of planning process.

Recognize no one grand architect in the design and planning process.

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