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Downtown 'evolving' in
the right direction: realtor David's office at DNS Real Estate is downtown and his firm has been involved for many years in sales of major commercial properties in the city's core. He says he feels "absolutely happy" with the direction in which the downtown is now moving. Those who insist the downtown needs a large retail anchor have got it all wrong, according to David. "Why would you want a Wal-Mart as a downtown anchor? All you would do is turn the downtown into another shopping mall with a huge parking lot." The downtown is totally different from a shopping mall and doesn't need an anchor, he says. "People are the anchor and our downtown is a place people come to." The city's core has become the place to go for entertainment, dining and for shopping in unique stores, David says. Most of the retail operations are "mom and pop" operations that provide a hometown environment, he says. Downtown entertainment venues have become a major focus, he points out. The development of Millennium Park has also added to the downtown landscape and draws people to the core, David points out. It is important to a downtown to have residents living there and businesses locating there, he says. Two call centres now located downtown will eventually add 500 to 600 employees to the downtown mix, he says. To keep the core vibrant and health, good residential accommodations must be available, David says. "People are living longer and healthier than ever and many of these people like the convenience of living downtown where everything is close and they don't have to worry about transportation." Peterborough already has three retirement homes in the heart of the city in the St. John's Centre, Empress Gardens and Princess Gardens. There has also been a change in lifestyle with many single adults preferring to live downtown. AON is currently renovating the former Post Office on Charlotte Street, with plans to house 90 apartments, David says. The big issues right now for downtown are keeping safety and cleanliness as well as vibrancy in the forefront, David says. "You have to control graffiti and garbage," he says. Panhandling is something all downtowns confront, David says. "I guess people have a right to panhandle as long as they don't harass anyone but there must be reasonable controls in place." David says his downtown office location puts
him within easy walking distance of the lawyers and bankers he
deals with in the real estate business. "I love working downtown,"
he says.
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