NEW SUDBURY

The Tim Hortons located in New Sudbury acts as a social hangout for both local people and others joining to interact. The parking lot serves as a hub for people to interact and enjoy a variety of activities in the Lasalle Square, provided the field of research is approximately 4000m2. The center of the lot consists of relatively smooth asphalt paving in the central area and concrete curbs outlining the parking spaces and perimeter of the surrounding roads and pedestrian areas of passage. On the east side of the parking lot, there is a limited amount of grass following the edge of the lot, dividing the parking lot from the neighboring gas station. The site research conducted revealed that between the times of lunch and dinner, the parking lot is semi-regularly swept and cleaned. Unfortunately, the grass is left polluted, covered in the garbage since it is incapable of being swept. Some of the garbage left around the site decorates ledges and curbs as people place their empty Timmies cups, leaving them behind.

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Due to recent events, people have been less likely to frequent areas they tend to visit often. No Loitering signs have recently been put in place along the East side of the parking lot, as well as near the door ways of each of the shops in the square, and placed on medians. The parking lot is relatively open with minimal shelter aside from the overhang of the roof following the edge of the square, and the shelter provided by adjacent buildings and large signs in the parking lot. The grass to the East slopes from the gas station parking lot to the Tim Hortons parking lot at a reasonable incline that has allowed people to sit and spend time there, although the rules put in place and the liter on the ground makes the space unappetizing to interact with. The curbs are the only elevational change in the central parking lot, but do not allow enough lift to comfortably sit; however, people will choose to stay for a while all the same. Although the space seems to be more uninviting, this does not prevent Sudbrarians from staying for a while in their usual place to socialize. 

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The site is located on one of Sudbury’s main inner-city roads and a popular area of traffic for both vehicles and pedestrians. Surrounding the parking lot there are a variety of shops (hairdressers, nail salon, boutiques) as well as fast food restaurants (pita pit, marble slab). This invites a number of different people to interact with the space for many different reasons. The larger scale context of the surrounding environment also influences the demographic of people that use the space . Across the main street, South-East of the parking lot, there is the New Sudbury Shopping Centre and to the North-West, there is the Lasalle Secondary Highschool. Due to the surrounding locations, young people use Tim Hortons and the parking lot to hang out. It has also been observed that teens ente the space in groups and leave in groups. During lunch time (12:00PM-1:00PM), there are a larger number of teens moving throughout the parking lot. Some groups wait around and others continue to move and interact with each other, circulating around spaces, and hovering in tight ones between cars.

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The demographic of traffic varies throughout the day. The vehicular traffic tends to come and go and constantly change, mostly moving through the drive through at the rear of the parking lot. As most of the built environment, vehicular traffic dominates the environment and does not prioritize the safety of pedestrians. Cars move fast and in large numbers during busy times of the day. They also have multiple ways of entering and exiting the parking lot with narrow paths between parking spots. Pedestrians socialize throughout the parking lot, but mainly along the building near the entrance. It was also noted that people tend to stand near objects (walls, signs) as a sense of safety or for shelter. The patterns of movement people tend to follow reflect the built environment. As mentioned, pedestrians tend to follow the walls of the building. Some people will cut straight through the parking lot, but some will take extra steps and follow the sidewalk under the overhang of the building. People interact with the building surfaces and the space as well. The windows have a reflective component that people seem to enjoy using to their advantage. Many people will pause near the windows by the entrance to put their mask on or fix themselves up a bit before entering. They also pause to check their phones, dispose of garbage, or to simply wait for a friend who is inside. 

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Early on in the day, both pedestrian and vehicular traffic are at a faster pace, moving along in the morning scramble before the start of the work day. Seagulls hover around the area during the busy mornings scavenging for food and waiting for some to appear throughout the day, the seagull population diminishes, as do the people. The “No Loitering” signs pasted all over the parking lot create an unwelcoming environment, this does not stop the regulars from doing what they enjoy. In the heat of the morning rush, a small group of older men gather with lawn chairs to sit and enjoy a moment together without the stress of the workday (6:30AM-7:30AM). Stationary during the busiest time of day. People rush to get their coffee, they often don't have rough time to finish their morning cigarettes before throwing them away. The lunch time rush is slightly more relaxed  and people have been noted to move slower. Some will hang around for a while (potentially on their lunch breaks) and will stay much longer than the people during the morning rush. People find places to sit and lean. The front of the building was seen to be used in a variety of different ways. The fence next to the drive through was used for leaning and the window ledge, although narrow, was still seen to be used as seating. In both these cases, the pedestrians are suspected to be using the Tim Hortons wifi outside instead of sitting inside. People also use this area to lean bikes against the wall while they run in, giving them a view of the bike from the inside while they run in since there are no bike racks. People also adapt to the parking lot conditions and will find places to sit if they choose to stay. After getting coffee or ice cream, some people have been seen to sit on the curb that follows the outline of the building, taking a moment to socialize with their friends or family for a moment before entering their cars.  As the day grows older, security guards circulate the parking lot, ready to ticket anyone who is staying a little bit too long. This regulation is suspected to have been put in place due to the COVID 19 pandemic and the unfortunate conditions that strongly encourage people to stay home and avoid social interactions.