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| The Old DQ building location used to the be the start point for the Third Avenue Boardwalk, but with its demolition the tour now starts one block to the west |
It's probably the backdrop to any number of Seafest snapshots over the weekend, or tourist photos and videos from Cruise ship visitors and others in this early part of 2023.
Yet it's probably not a tourist theme that gets much in the way of promotion from local officials.
We are speaking of ... The Third Avenue Boardwalk!
A downtown safari which provides for a glimpse at the seemingly stagnant level of attention to the appearance of the city's Main Street in its downtown Core.
We start the tour at the Totem Theatre location and walk our way to the West to offer up the vista for the moment of Prince Rupert's face for it's once bustling commercial conduit.
There are however, a few spots along the block that could use some plywood and lots of it.
The First of the areas that could use a trip to RONA or Home Hardware, the site of the long lost Belmont Hotel, consumed by fire over a year ago, the site has remained an unsightly heap since the fire of May 2022.
Across the street, The Old Empress is redefining the concept of the Open Structure and endless construction timelines.
City Council last gave some attention to the topic in March, the usual we have to have something done about this conversation bringing reassurances of action underway ... though the progress seems less obvious to those walking the eight blocks of the tour.
With the Tourism season about to hit the peak period of July and August and City Council meeting tonight ahead of a less frequent appearance schedule coming from July to September.
It may be time for an update on just how active the City has been on those files ...
Either that, or provide some talking points for the tour guides on the Olde Time Trolley to incorporate into the visuals they are presenting to those getting their first impression of the place.
More notes on past Council Discussions can be explored here.
It’s a sad state of affairs. Despite some level of economic prosperity with port development it hasn’t been enough to attract downtown investment. The downtown core almost needs to be bulldozed and reimagined.
ReplyDeleteVery true. It's hard to justify investing in a new or redeveloped building surrounded by derelict buildings and eyesores. The city should follow the example of Detroit and set up a Department of Demolitions that will turn derelict properties into brownfield sites suitable for investment. Downtown does as you suggest need to be reimagined.
DeleteThis is absolutely nuts. The Belmont/ Roses is over a year since the fire. The city and council has no excuse to leave this eyesore continue to fester. This is a commentary to the administration and council outlook on city clean-up.
ReplyDeleteI think the city ended up cleaning up the Commercial Hotel after the fire, is this different?
We Can Do Better! Where is the PRIDE. Someone on council please bring this up tonight. We want results not excuses.
As far as I know the issue with the Belmont lies with insurance companies. I don’t believe the city has the right to clean up while insurance companies are in the midst of doing their business.
DeleteThe insurance companies are not being pushed. The city has bylaws in place to move things along. This insurance excuse is just that an excuse.
DeleteIf you have legal proceedings between insurance companies representing different property owners trying to determine responsibility then I believe the city’s hands are tied.
DeleteThe city really needs to go after these businesses that are not cleaning up the property! Fines should be imposed!
ReplyDeleteThey used to cover up these sites with plywood fences and get people to put murals on them.
ReplyDeleteHow did all of these stores get their windows smashed? The RCMP used to patrol the downtown core at night to stop the vandalism too few police now
Bravo for this article. The community needs to put pressure on the City to do something about our embarrassing downtown
ReplyDeleteThis is the legacy of the Lee Brain years. I moved here 12 years ago, and it did not look like this. Wasn’t perfect, but not this. Shameful.
ReplyDeleteSadly Herb and the councillors seem to want to carry on Mr. Brain’s Legacy.
DeleteThe Empress should be left as is. Soon going to hold Guinness world record for world’s largest pigeon coup!
ReplyDeleteGoogle the word apathy and you will find a picture of Prince Rupert.
ReplyDeleteCan we please direct some scorn precisely where it should be: the building owners themselves!!
DeleteIt’s the owners responsibility to clean up their own [insert expletive]
OK, when the owners don't take action it is up to the city to enforce the bylaws on clean-up. The bylaws were written for something like this. It is beyond me why the city doesn't enforce their bylaws.
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