Downtown animation returns with Street Seats, new Snider Park

Centretown is animating its streets again this summer with the return of Street Seats and a redesigned Snider Park launching this weekend — part of a broader push to draw residents and foot traffic downtown.

Street Seats, which converted Florence, Frank and McLaren streets into pedestrianized gathering spaces last summer, returns on Waverley Street between Laurier Avenue West and Slater Street. The project hosted 166 events and drew 2,500 attendees by early September last year, according to city reports.

This year's version will feature seating, vendor stalls and a mural project in partnership with Operation Come Home, which combats youth homelessness. Local youth will collaborate with a mural artist on Florence Street later in the fall.

Snider Park — formerly the Uncommon space at Snider Plaza — reopens as a working art hub with rotating installations every quarter. The redesigned park emphasizes greenery while keeping food and beverage service, seating, a stage and wi-fi access.

Booj, an alcohol-free mocktail and coffee vendor who was a hit at last year's Frank Street location, will operate from the new park. "There were lineups of people," said Centretown BIA executive director SabriNa Lemay. "He's like a chemist, in terms of what he creates."

Lemay said downtown foot traffic is already up compared to last summer, with members reporting busier streets. "Our streets are busier than they were last year. There's more foot traffic. So I anticipate that, with people already knowing that this is here, there's more of a reason to come down."

The initiatives signal sustained momentum in the post-pandemic downtown recovery, blending public realm improvements with local arts and food culture.