Downtown popular choice for dining, entertainment

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A survey for the Downtown Village Development Corporation shows the downtown is still a common destination for entertainment, dining, and professional services, but not so much shopping. File photo.

A survey for the Downtown Village Development Corporation shows the downtown is still a common destination for entertainment, dining, and professional services, but not so much shopping. File photo.

Aug 23, 2010- 11:17 AM

Lags behind as shopping destination

By: Bill Bradley - Sudbury Northern Life

The results of a downtown survey has both good and bad news for businesses in the city's core.

The survey, undertaken by the Downtown Village Development Corporation (DVDC), asked about the perceptions, attitudes, opinions and concerns felt by city residents, Susan Thompson, managing DVDC director, said in a press release.

The downtown area is still a popular destination for people who want to dine out, see a show or band, or who need professional services, according to the results of the survey. It could also be a popular place to live.

More than half of the survey respondents said they would like to live downtown if adequate housing options were available, especially two-bedroom apartments.

But the survey shows the downtown is not the destination for shoppers. People looking for clothing, electronics, furniture and appliances tend to head to New Sudbury. More than 30 percent said they rarely or never shop downtown. Nearly one-quarter of those said the lack of shopping variety was why they choose to shop elsewhere.

Eight-hundred-seventeen people were surveyed for the non-profit organization between spring and fall 2009. Shopping habits, views on housing, and community events were queried for the survey.

For more information, e-mail info@downtownvillage.com.
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8 Comments

  • mikey27_1 8/23/2010 10:29:02 PM - Report Abuse

    there might not be a lot of the "mall" stores downtown but there are some very interesting independant stores and services. Same thing with the small cafe's and eateries...some of the best ever are right downtown. Why eat in a horrid food court or some of the national brands?

  • mikey27_1 8/23/2010 10:24:47 PM - Report Abuse

    If you want a vibrant downtown....people have to live in it. Put some good housing in it and the people will come

  • sudscitizen 8/23/2010 9:44:06 PM - Report Abuse

    Hey Top Gun...Do all of the drunks and dopers live downtown? Do they even have bars in New Sudbury and the South End? We are too pre-occupied drinking downtown to notice. hahaha Oh wait, last I checked there were more bars in the South End than there are downtown.

  • Top Gun 8/23/2010 8:22:48 PM - Report Abuse

    I never go down town, mainly because of the parking. The Southend has most of what you need or go to New Sudbury, both with free parking. Why would I go down town and put up with the drunks, dopers and panhandlers?

  • sudscitizen 8/23/2010 5:31:17 PM - Report Abuse

    I agree with parking downtown being an issue however I reside downtown and do not find it to be unsafe. I`ve been living in the same apartment since I moved to Sudbury in 2008 with my fiancee and we are right in the middle of the downtown core. We take our dog for a walk around 10 without running into people and have on occasion had to take him out in the middle of the night and we have never run into dangerous people. The only thing that really annoys me are the amount of panhandlers but this summer I`ve noticed a decrease.

  • Linux_Advocat 8/23/2010 4:35:49 PM - Report Abuse

    I supposed this is a problem facing many city cores with all the Smart Centers and super malls. I loath going downtown and do so only out of absolute necessity. The lack of decent retail outlets, horrid parking and the many undesirables are a huge problem for family and friends. It just doesn't feel safe.

  • whiteswan69_1 8/23/2010 2:38:59 PM - Report Abuse

    I never shop downtown and never will.I go to New Sudbury all the time and there are lots of room for parking and there are better stores than downtown.I only go downtown when I go to church at Christ the King.I certainly do not go downtown in the evening because it is not safe to be there.I love going to the new Sudbury shopping because there are beautiful stores.

  • Motorboat 8/23/2010 12:57:21 PM - Report Abuse

    For starters clean up the bus depot and downtown timmies of the trash thats littering the area, and by trash i mean people. Second there isnt enough adequate parking downtown and you always have to fear the drivewatch agents who are some of the biggest a holes in the city who will boot your vehicle even if you have business in said lot.

    Our downtown is kind of small and has alot of problems and is very ugly. Im suprized this survey was so generous. It was probably very biased to give the downtown a good impression.
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