Hespeler Village

“SWOT” Analysis of Hespeler Village

Strength

LocationProximity to Water

WalkabilityHeritage Buildings

Weakness

Limited Selection of businessesSeasonal (Winter)Minimal Parking

Heritage of Crime and Poverty

Opportunity

Inventory of Industrial BuildingsUnderutilised Municipal Assets

Business Improvement AssociationEmerging “Arts Scene”

Threats

Suburban DevelopmentBureaucratic red tape

Strength

Location5 minutes from the 401, 15 minutes to downtown Cambridge, Kitchener and Guelph

Proximity to Water:Located on the banks of the Speed River and Hespeler Mill Pond

Walkability

- Hespeler Village is compact and has a high walkability score- “Human Scale” Pedestrian Streetscape- Surrounded by Trails and Parks

Heritage Buildings

Weakness

Limited Selection of Businesses- No Strong Anchor Tenants- Limited Hours of Operation- Very few Offices/White Collar Employers- Low week day traffic (Mon-Fri 9-5)- Just one Bank, no post office, no grocery,

no pharmacy- Limited Retail selection- Low “permeability” low volume of

customers on a daily basis- Inconsistent Operating Hours

Result – Few Pedestrians, no vibrancy, not sustainable for mainstream business

Winter!- Poor winter transportation for

pedestrians cyclists and transit users.

- Snow banks block access to on street parking

- Hilly Hespeler streets and sidewalks are precarious with ice

- No winter festivals after Santa Clause Parade in early December

- Few opportunities or reasons to “play outside”

Result – Fewer pedestrians and customers. Business declines

significantly or ceases altogether.

Minimal on street parking:

- Perception: There is “no parking” in Hespeler.

- Reality: On Street Parking is free for 2 hours

- There are several free city lots, well distributed throughout the core

- Few areas for long term parking or daily parking for employers, employees or residents

Result – Many business discount Hespeler Village as a viable location and opt for sub urban office or retail space instead.

Ugly gateways to Hespeler

- Poorly maintained Industrial buildings on the Northern Entrance on Guelph

- Run down houses and poorly maintained streetscape on Queen Street West

- Run down houses and poorly maintained streetscape on Queen Street West

- Poorly demarcated pedestrian trails

Opportunity

Inventory of Industrial Buildings

“New ideas must use old buildings” – Jane Jacobs

Riverbank Lofts 200 Residential Units: Approved, Completion forecast for Summer 2016

Hespeler Furniture Factory – Riverside “Brick and Beam” Employment Lands: Proposed “Distillery District” concept shown below

Under-utilised city assets:Inventory of City Assets in Hespeler Village

Buildings- Old City Hall/Fire Station- City Works Yard Jacobs Landing West- Hespeler Library- Field House in Forbes Park

Parks - Forbes Park- Cenotaph at Queen/Tannery- Jacobs Landing West and West- 2 Gazebo’s on Queen St East- Public Docks at Little Riverside Park

Parking Lots- Lots H1 through H4 as indicated

Active Business Improvement Association (Hespeler Village BIA)

- BIA mandate is to promote and beautify Hespeler Village

- City funded board via BIA Tax Levy.- Annual Budget of $15K - Progressive members have a track record

of effective program implementation- Social Media: 1,000+ Facebook

followers- BIA sign improvement grants- Street Banners, Christmas lights,

flower baskets etc- Effective Lobbying and fund raising

Hespeler’s Emerging Art Scene“The arts ..... precede gentrification” – Richard Florida

Hespeler’s public graffiti wall

Hespeler’s cheap rent, urban amenities and proximity to the river and trails is attracting a small but extremely active community of artists, designers and musicians. Clustered artistic activity such as this is often a precursor to main stream development.

Threat

Suburban Development

- Lax planning disciplines and retail standards have resulted in the flight retail and office space to highly car dependant suburban locations

- Small to medium sized developments are disbursed with little to no incentive for intensification and urbanisation

Result – Homogenous blandness with no sense of place or community

identity.

Bureaucratic Red TapeHespeler is filled with possibilities for architectural re-use projects. Zoning limitations, flood plain issues, soil contamination and aging infrastructure need to be addressed in a creative and constructive way.

The traditional municipal approach of rigidity and risk mitigation will stifle growth and

result in lost opportunity. For Hespeler to fully realise its potential the private and

public sector need to partner and embrace the “Art of the possible”