The first effort to make Cambridge alleyways “cultural hotspots” and safer spaces is awaiting final designs from two landscape architectural firms tasked with melding ideas together that include adding lighting and interactive artwork to locations in downtown Galt.
Downtown Cambridge Business Improvement Area executive director Brian Kennedy said the project will start in the sunny alley between lower Main Street and the Dickson Street parking lot, and the connecting alley to Water Street.
“We have identified it as definitely an area we want to revitalize and activate,”
Right now it’s a little run down and could use a little bit of love and maybe some more lighting.”
All of the alleyways have been identified as places the BIA wants to enhance at some point, Kennedy says.
A second covered alley from Main Street to the Water Street parking lot, known as “Boardwalk,” will likely be next on the list, Kennedy said.
Right now, the low foot traffic and low lighting tends to “draw a lot of things we don’t appreciate,” Kennedy said.
With support from the City of Cambridge, the BIA enlisted the help of two landscape architects to put together a proposal to make the alleyways safer and put them to better use.
“It’s a better approach to putting a gate up or barring people out,” he said.
Enhancements will include decorative lighting and art inspired by existing alleyway enhancements in cities like Toronto, Hamilton and Vancouver.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel. There are some places that have made beautiful use of these underutilized spaces, so we’re looking at them for some of our conceptual designs,” Kennedy said.
“We don’t plan to put too much in there to obstruct the function of them. We just want to make them safer and more attractive.”
Preliminary designs looked at features like living plant walls and various decorative lighting features, including an idea to embed fairy lights in the walkway, but Kennedy said due to cost the BIA will most likely go with overhead string lighting.
Businesses in the area may want to capitalize on the extra foot traffic the alley enhancements are expected to generate by putting some tables and chairs out as well, he said. Gamer’s Paradise and Hungry Ninja both have entrances in the alleys.
“The more we activate the space, the safer it will be,” Kennedy said.
The BIA paid for the preliminary design concepts and has taken the lead on the project but will likely be looking for private sponsorship and city funding to help complete the projects.
Kennedy said he thinks some of the funding needs to come from the Core Areas Transformation Fund, but the BIA is open to looking at different revenue streams to make the project happen.
The city’s $20-million Core Areas Transformation Fund (CATF) was approved in 2019 to stimulate economic and residential growth and promote urban vitality in the core areas of Galt, Hespeler and Preston.
The BIA will look at tiered options for its final design, or a phased in approach depending on the final budget.
