With the Santa Claus parade having just happened, one of the most magical aspects that emerges in the half hour afterward is how people behave in the streets while they’re closed. People wander through the downtown, take photos in the middle of the 4-corners, gather in the square where cars normally dominate, and the pop up market space and activities create an amazing life in the space. The square should embrace this. How can we plan for short winter road closures for events in the winter or in the other seasons? Specific to winter – we are a winter-city, with a majority of our year in cool/cold temps. What does a winter-city square look like? This doesn’t have to close to traffic altogether (however amazing that would be), but the square design should plan for these closures for events. To reflect this, paving, facades, and definition of the square should clearly identify the boundary of the square itself, through high-quality built form and urban design.

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